WCA welcomes two new board members

The Woodwork Career Alliance of North America announces the appointments of John Stearns and Brad Bagnall to its board of directors.

Stearns, career technical education director for the Amity School District of Amity, Ore., and Bagnall, a construction/robotics teacher at Bowness High School of Calgary, Alberta, were appointed to three-year terms. They succeed Greg Heuer, Duane Griffiths and Mick McGowan, who have all retired, according to a release from the WCA.

Stearns and Bagnall are WCA accredited skill evaluators.

“I use the WCA standards as part of my safety training with students. I am OSHA-10 and OSHA-30 authorized to train, but the (WCA’s) measurable tool safety tool standards are more user friendly for the instructor and student,” Stearns said. “I look forward to serving on the WCA board. I hope I can be an effective sounding board as a high school instructor.”

Bagnall said he hopes to expand the WCA’s presence in Canadian high school construction and skilled trade-related courses. “Being a part of the WCA board of directors allows for more networking capabilities with industry and I am excited to explore additional opportunities to bolster the WCA in Canada,” he said.

“On behalf of the WCA, I want to thank Greg, Duane and Mick for their years of dedicated service and many important contributions to helping the WCA develop new programs and grow its membership,” said Scott Nelson, president of the WCA. “We wish them all the very best in their future endeavors.

“I also want to thank John and Brad for volunteering to become WCA board members. They each bring a lot of experience, not only as woodworking instructors, but for having a working knowledge of how the WCA skill standards and credentialing program work. They each have the unique vantage point to help us improve our existing programs and develop new programs for schools and industry.”

The International Woodworking Fair (IWF), in a new partnership with the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, will produce its third annual Woodworking Manufacturing Month this October. The national campaign showcases woodworking innovation and will benefit the foundation’s mission to house catastrophically injured U.S. veterans and first responders.

“The new partnership is the first national collaboration of its kind in IWF’s 53-year history. It enables all Woodworking Manufacturing Month participating manufacturers and service providers to support the Tunnel to Towers cause directly while also promoting the newest innovations in their individual business operations,” the IWF said in a statement.

All companies doing business in the woodworking industry are eligible and encouraged to participate in Woodworking Manufacturing Month. Details are available at iwfatlanta.com.  

This article was originally published in the April 2023 issue.