AWS Honors 2012 Image of Welding Award Winners
at Welding Show in Las Vegas

The 2014 award nominations coming soon.

WEMCO and the American Welding Society (AWS) announced its Image of Welding Awards winners who were honored in an award ceremony in Las Vegas on November 14, 2012. The winners are listed in their respective categories as follows:

  • Individual Category – Ernest D. Levert – Dallas, TX
    Ernest Levert is the Senior Staff Manufacturing Engineer for Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. He served as president of the American Welding Society in 2002-2003. He is now a recognized AWS Counselor, Distinguished, and Lifetime Member. Mr. Levert is involved in various welding industry committees and boards and also shares his passion for welding with his community. He is a Scout Master with the Boy Scouts of America and instrumental in the founding of the Welding Merit badge. Mr. Levert frequently volunteers to speak about careers in welding at schools across the country.
  • Educator Category – David Parker – Renton, WA
    Since becoming interested in welding as a teenager, David Parker knew he wanted to be a welding instructor. After working in the shipbuilding industry for several years and advancing his welding education, he became an instructor at a local boilermakers union. In 1979, he began teaching at Renton Technical College where he still works today. His passion for welding and his commitment to his students has earned several awards and recognitions.
  • Educational Facility – Washtenaw Community College – Ann Arbor, MI
    Washtenaw Community College's Welding and Fabrication Department features a staff of all industry experienced instructors who are AWS certified. The school offers both certificates and associate degree welding programs. With over 60 large, newly redesigned welding booths equipped with the latest equipment to handle various welding processes, the lab provides students with a convenient and comfortable welding and learning environment. WCC welders have represented the USA in the last two WorldSkills competitions and brought home medals both times.
  • Small Business – AMET, Inc. – Rexburg, ID
    Founded in 1989, Advanced Manufacturing Engineering Technologies (AMET, INC.), has offered turn-key automated welding systems to the welding industry for more than 20 years. It has been an innovator and integrator of computerized welding systems to meet demanding applications in nuclear, aerospace, oil & gas, wind tower, heavy industry, and general manufacturing industries.
  • Large Business – Vermeer Corporation – Pella, IA
    For over 65 years, Vermeer has been a leader in the manufacturing industry. Currently, Vermeer employs over 325 production welders and as a result, weld quality and safety are vital to the success of Vermeer machinery. Vermeer promotes the image of welding by training welders in their community, offering internships, traveling to area schools with their virtual welders and attending numerous career fairs and career days. Vermeer has several employees participating on Aws technical committees and standing committees as well as the Board of Directors. On an international level, they participate in the American Council of the International Institute of Welding by supplying experts for various commissions.
  • Distributor – WELSCO – Little Rock, AR
    WELSCO is the largest woman-owned gas and welding supply distributor in the United States. WELSCO is also a family owned business that has served their markets for over 70 years. The company is very active in the advance of welding as a career, not only for welders but also inspectors, instructors, metallurgists and distributor sales representatives. WELSCO sponsors product training sessions for vocational and technical instructors, SKILLS competitions, and an annual welding expo with focus on students and instructors from a four state area.
  • AWS Section – Houston Section – Houston, TX
    The Houston Section is one of the most active sections of AWS. They hold various events throughout the year including an instructors institute, student certification day, fall & spring educationals and student nights. Their dedication to the future of the industry shows. They pay half of all student AWS memberships for a year and have a separate saving account that helps disadvantaged educational facilities in need of equipment for teaching. They also work in conjunction with the Boy Scouts to help them earn their welding merit badges.

The Image of Welding Awards Ceremony is organized by the WEMCO Image of Welding Commitee and AWS. The FABTECH show ran from November 12 - 14 at the Las Vegas Convention Center and and also featured a variety of seminars, conferences, professional and educational programs.

2013 Image of Welding Awards will be announced at
the FABTECH show in Chicago on November 20, 2013.