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Kent Companies Superintendent Troy Clinger Named a National Finalist for the ABC Craft Professional of the Year

Clinger is the second Kent Companies Superintendent to achieve national recognition in the last three years.

[GRAND RAPIDS, MI] – The Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) recently announced the finalists for the 2018 National Craft Professional of the Year Award. Kent Companies General Superintendent Troy Clinger was named one of four finalists in the national competition. He is one of two national finalists from West Michigan this year. In 2017, Clinger was also named a Finalist in the Craft Professional of the Year competition by the Western Michigan Chapter of the ABC. Clinger will travel to Long Beach, California March 18-22 to participate in a round of interviews with judges during ABC’s National Workforce Week 2018. He will also serve as a judge for the National Craft Championships.

Clinger is the second Kent Companies Superintendent to achieve national recognition in the Craft Professional of the Year competition in the past three years. General Superintendent Mike VanBemden was awarded the inaugural Craft Professional of the Year by the Western Michigan Chapter of ABC in 2015, and he placed as a finalist on the national level in 2016.

Clinger began his career in concrete construction working as a general laborer during his summer breaks. In addition to his 10+ years of experience at Kent Companies, he also worked for small concrete contractors and owned his own concrete business for a few years. He is highly specialized in massive foundations and flatwork projects. Over the course of his career, Clinger led teams that won four ABC Awards of Excellence.

Kent Companies Executive Vice President Matt Fennema shares, “Troy brings the merit shop philosophy to life on our job sites every day. He leads by working alongside his team members, and he has made a clear impact on recruiting and retaining the next generation of construction industry talent.”

Foreman Patrick Sullivan says, “Troy is all about training. He’ll teach you, and then he’ll trust you to use those skills. If we have questions, he answers the phone. He has patience. He’s willing to work alongside you whenever needed. He knows concrete.”

Foreman Jake Smit shares, “Troy has worked alongside me when we needed help. He has also encouraged me to be a leader myself. He sets expectations for our projects, and then he gets out of the way. He doesn’t micro-manage. He trusts us to get the job done. He knows that we’ll ask for help or resources if we need it. We’re all motivated because we want to show him how much we’ve learned.”

Foreman Kurt McEntaffer added, “If I’m a man shy, Troy is right there with me. He and I set walls together in the dead of winter. He was 80 feet in the air with me to help tie rebar so that our team could get another part of the job ready for a pour.”

Kent Companies CEO Jeff VanderLaan concluded, “Troy brings our Four Hallmarks of Safety, Productivity, Quality and Customer Service to every job site. We’re incredibly proud of him, and we’re proud of the exceptional craftspeople throughout Western Michigan for earning recognition on the national level.”

About Kent Companies:

Kent Companies is a 3rd-generation family-owned business with expertise in commercial and industrial construction, mixed-use construction, multi-family housing, tilt-up concrete, post-tensioned cast in place structures and a full range of concrete-related specialties.

Kent Companies is headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan and has operations in Detroit, Michigan; Dallas and Austin, Texas; central Ohio;  Charlotte, North Carolina and St. Louis, Missouri. Kent Companies employs over 1,000 concrete construction professionals nationwide, and the organization is ranked in the top 12 concrete contractors nationwide by ENR Magazine. The Kent Companies team has built a reputation as “Leaders in Concrete.”

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