BuildSteel™ is spotlighting Steel Framing Industry Association (SFIA) members who are defining excellence in the cold-formed steel (CFS) framing industry. Here are the latest updates capturing their commitment to student trade programs, community service and to the U.S. manufacturing industry.
T.J Wies Assists with Student Trade Program
Cameron Wies, president and COO of SFIA member T.J .Wies Contracting, Inc., talked to St. Dominic High School students about a new building trades program that will be offered on campus this fall. It is one of the first high schools in the St. Louis metro to teach the trades on campus.
The hands-on courses will be taught in a neighboring 28,000-square-foot warehouse that St. Dominic, O’Fallon, Missouri, purchased through an anonymous $2.4 million gift. The program will focus on carpentry, electrical, plumbing, pipefitting and HVAC.
Cameron Wies, CEO of TJ Wies Contracting, talks to St. Dominic High School students about a new building trades program using cold-formed steel (CFS) framing. Photo credit St. Dominic High School.
St. Dominic President Jim Welby said the curriculum was developed after consulting with apprenticeship coordinators at local building trades unions, including IBEW Local 1, Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 562 and the Carpenters, the school’s union building contractors and area trade schools.
“What’s truly remarkable is that students can gain exposure to the field right here on St. Dominic’s campus as part of their daily coursework, along with their core classes,” Welby said.
Read the news release from St. Dominic High School.
U.S. Steel Honors Employees for Community Service
United States Steel Corporation, a leading steel producer and an SFIA member, named Jeremiah North, a utility technician at U. S. Steel Great Lakes Works, its volunteer of the year. In addition, 14 service champions were also named for their community service in 2024 as part of the company’s United by Service initiative. To honor the winners, U. S. Steel is donating a total of $85,000 to the charitable organization of each employee’s choice.
The United by Service initiative was launched in January 2021 to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy of service and to highlight the impact our colleagues are making in the communities where our facilities operate. In 2024, U.S. Steel employees across the company volunteered more than 20,000 hours of their time.
“I’m humbled and honored by this award and to be named among so many impactful volunteers,” said North. “I really feel it’s important to give back, and I’m glad U.S. Steel is a partner in supporting our local communities.”
Read the full article from U.S. Steel.
Cleveland-Cliff’s “Buy American” Automotive Incentive Program
Cleveland-Cliffs, a flat-rolled steel producer in North America and SFIA member, announced a company-wide “Buy American” incentive for its nearly 30,000 employees. During the calendar year 2025, any Cleveland-Cliffs employee who purchases or leases a new American-built vehicle with substantial Cliffs’ steel content will receive a $1,000 cash bonus in connection with the purchase.
“We are pleased to do our part to support President Trump’s long-term vision of bringing manufacturing back to the United States,” said Cleveland-Cliffs president and CEO Lourenco Goncalves. “This incentive is a small token of our appreciation for the Administration’s ‘America-First’ agenda and serves as recognition that our employees, as American consumers, will help power the resurgence of domestic manufacturing.”
Read the full article from Cleveland-Cliffs.
Additional Resources
- Update #1 | Defining Excellence with Simpson Strong-Tie, U.S. Steel and Steel Dynamics
- T.J. Wies Contracting Wins SFIA Award for CFS-Framed Hospital Headwalls and Bathroom Pods
- SFIA Unveils 9 Winners of the 2024 Industry Project Awards