HBI carpentry instructor Mark Martin, left, was named 2011 HBI Instructor of the Year. He was nominated by Gregg Romano, the HBI Job Corps regional program manager.

During the annual Job Corps Instructor Conference of the Home Builders Institute (HBI) on July 8, recognition was provided for the many individuals who have played a leading role in preparing young people for careers in the residential construction industry. 

Martin Named HBI Instructor of the Year

For making a discernible difference in the lives of his students and providing a consistent commitment to excellence, carpentry instructor Mark Martin received HBI’s 2011 Instructor of the Year award.

Chosen as the top performer from among six Manager’s Choice award recipients, Martin was also HBI’s Instructor of the Year in 1999 and 2000. 

Martin has exceeded program performance goals at Maine's Penobscot Job Corps Center every year since he began there as an instructor in 1993, and he has secured work-based learning opportunities for several of his students, enabling them to earn wages while gaining valuable experience on the job.

 “I’m so grateful for the way Mr. Martin eloquently and strictly taught us,” said one former student.  “I will always remember him as being one of the best mentors in my life.”

Martin is also actively involved in community service, mentoring fellow instructors and providing expertise to support national HBI initiatives.

Read more about Martin’s HBI carpentry program in the Bangor Daily News. 

Regional Managers Award Top Instructors

Also receiving awards from HBI were the nation’s top regional instructors, who were chosen by their region’s program managers for their contribution to advancing HBI’s training and job placement objectives.

The winners were:

• Mark Martin, carpentry instructor at Penobscot Job Corps Center, Region 1
• Monroe Baldwin, carpentry instructor at Old Dominion Job Corps Center, Region 2
• Kevin Brandon, landscaping instructor at Brunswick Job Corps Center, Region 3
• Adam Escudero, plumbing instructor at Albuquerque Job Corps Center, Region 4
• Rod Gaugh, facilities maintenance instructor at St. Louis Job Corps Center, Region 5
• John Stiff, carpentry instructor at Sacramento Job Corps Center, Region 6    

Facilities maintenance instructor Paul Heath received the 2011 Rookie of the Year award. He joined HBI in May of 2010, six years after graduating from the HBI electrical program at Westover Job Corps Center. 

In his short tenure with HBI at the New Haven Job Corps Center, Heath has brought his program’s performance goals to the highest level ever achieved. He also actively serves the community, providing hands-on experience and a positive role model for his students. 

“Mr. H. has been the difference in my life,” said one of Heath’s current students. “Once he got here, I knew I couldn’t pull any wool over his eyes.”     

By sharing his own experiences as an HBI Job Corps student, Heath has been able to lift the spirits of his students through compassion, dedication and proof that hard work brings well-earned success.

Instructors Awarded for Exceptional Performance

Also receiving awards during the conference, a select group of HBI instructors were recognized for “going the extra mile” and securing career opportunities for their students.  

Winners of the “Extra Mile” award were:

• Glenn Tao, carpentry instructor at Exeter Job Corps Center, Region 1
• Paul Drake, plumbing instructor at Red Rock Job Corps Center, Region 2
• Roderick Jackson, facilities maintenance instructor at Atlanta Job Corps Center, Region 3
• Jerry Caviness, electrical instructor at Talking Leaves Job Corps Center, Region 4
• Roy Sellers, facilities maintenance instructor at Atterbury Job Corps Center, Region 5
• Dan Axtell, plumbing instructor at Sierra Nevada Job Corps Center, Region 6    

The following instructors received the Placement Excellence award for developing strong career opportunities and work-based learning sites for their students:

• Jose Teves, facilities maintenance instructor at South Bronx Job Corps Center, Region 1
• Sean Kelly, facilities maintenance instructor at Old Dominion Job Corps Center, Region 2
• Robert Collins, electrical instructor at Brunswick Job Corps Center, Region 3
• Steven Pohl, facilities maintenance instructor at Albuquerque Job Corps Center, Region 4
• Kevin Fry, facilities maintenance instructor at Excelsior Springs Job Corps Center, Region 5
• Bob Christensen, electrical instructor at Treasure Island Job Corps Center, Region 6

For more information on HBI’s Job Corps program, email Keith Albright, or call him at 800-368-5242 x8911.