E. Pete Honnen - CWFC Legacy Since 2003

E. Pete Honnen began his career in the construction industry working for his father Ed Honnen who then owned the McCoy Caterpillar Company. On his own, Pete started the original John Deere construction dealership in Colorado in 1963. Throughout his years of service to the industry, Pete was recognized as a generous man, both with this time and his money. Pete received the Associate Service Awards from the Colorado Contractors Association in 1998 for his many contributions to the CCA and the industry.

In December 2003, at the age of 78, Pete passed on, leaving the Honnen legacy to his son Mark. In honor of his father, Mark, has set up this scholarship to help ensure that the bright young students who will receive this scholarship can continue to strengthen the construction industry for years and years to come.

Don Hanneman - CWFC Legacy Since 2011

Don Hanneman was raised in Decorah, Iowa. For over 42 years he worked for Castle Rock Construction Company and Lawrence Construction Company. When asked, people describe Don ad giving, reliable, and a workaholic. He has been active in numerous committees, working groups, served on the CCA Board of Directors, and served as CCA’s President in 2008. Since then, he has served on the Construction Workforce Foundation of Colorado Board of Trustees and is a Past Chairman.

Don brings an energy and enthusiasm to his work as he selflessly gives back to the industry he loves.

Todd Thomas - CWFC Legacy Since 2012

Todd Thomas is the son of CCA past president and 1992 Contractor of the Year, Victor Thomas. Todd, his brother Marc and his father operated Tarco, Inc.

The thing that Todd is most proud of is Tarco’s 34 years of construction history during which their employees worked over fifteen million workhours without a fatality or permanent disability accident.

Joseph Schwartz - CWFC Legacy Since 2013

The Joseph Schwartz Memorial Legacy Scholarship was created by Joe’s friends at Concrete Works of Colorado, W.L. Contractors and Flood and Peterson Insurance to remember Joe’s contribution the industry. Joe worked and lived in Texas before moving to Colorado in 2000. At the time Joe worked for Interstate Highway Construction and in 2004 he joined Concrete Works of Colorado. During his 8 years a Concrete Works Joe was one of the company’s key superintendents and had a unique ability to plan and successfully complete difficult, challenging projects with the highest of quality. He valued and mentored all those who worked with him and was constantly training and developing his crews. Joe also developed long standing relationships with everybody he worked with.

Joe was 47 years old when he passed away.

Ralph Wilson, Jr. - CWFC Legacy Since 2014

The Ralph Wilson Jr. Memorial Legacy Scholarship was a gift to Mr. Wilson from his friends at Interstate Highway Construction. Ralph was best known for his love of football and his ownership of the Buffalo Bills. But what many do not know about Ralph was his passions for construction and Mr. Wilson was proud to be a part of the construction industry by building and improving America’s infrastructure. To Ralph the competitive nature of winning or losing a hard bid was much like putting it all on the line come game day.

Trustworthiness, integrity, ethics, and loyalty were very important traits to him. The employees at IHC admire and respect Ralph for the person he was for thirty years.

Fritz Krueger - CWFC Legacy Since 2017

A native of Denver, Fritz attended South High and the prestigious Colorado School of Mines. Following graduation from “Mines” he served in England building airfields with the Army Corps of Engineers. Fritz returned to Colorado in 1955 and continued to pursue a career in construction at A. S. Horner Construction Company where he eventually became president and chief executive.

During the early years of the construction workforce foundation of Colorado Mr. Kruger purchased a life insurance policy and named the foundation as the beneficiary. When Mr. Krueger passed away in August on 2017 the CWFC Trustees converted the insurance Police to a Legacy Scholarship to honor Fritz’s service to the CWFC and CCA.

Keith Semora - CWFC Legacy Since 2017

Keith Semora was always a proud Texan. Growing up there, he loved to spend time with his dad and great uncle in the outdoors and on their deer lease in East Texas. Keith came to work for WRS in 2004 where he quickly became an effective rental salesman using his knowledge from the transportation industry and his ability to build strong relationships with his customers. Keith worked his way into the role of Key Account Manager handing all the multi—state contractors working in the Western U.S. Keith was loved by the entire WRS family and he loved them back. He was someone WRS could count on for any job large or small.

The Keith Semora Legacy Scholarship was created by the CCA Associate Council to honor Keith’s contribution to the Colorado infrastructure construction industry.

Larry & Nick Ware - CWFC Legacy Since 2018

In 1998 Larry started Alpha Milling Company and grew the company to being the largest milling company in the United States. Nick Ware, Larry’s son, started working for the company during the summer months while he was going to college. He ran projects and worked his way up to his current job as vice president.

Alpha Milling Company is founded on three main principles. First, respecting those who make the money - the employees. Second - Client Loyalty. And finally, Safety. The company slogan is “If it can’t be done safety then we don’t do it!”

As a father and son team both Larry and Nick want to give back to the industry and they are committed to building the future infrastructure leaders.

Doc & Babe O'Dea - CWFC Legacy Since 2020

High school sweethearts, Doc & Babe O’Dea, built a family based on their shared values emphasizing the importance of family, faith, duty, and access to education and continued learning. Tenaciously loving, dedicated, and hardworking, Doc and Babe strove to ensure that Joe, Dan, and Kate always knew they had their love, support, and encouragement. To offset financial stress from three children in private schools, Doc maintained additional employment, working off duty on construction sites directing traffic. Excited by the industry’s opportunities, Joe and Dan went on to graduate with Industrial Construction Management degrees from Colorado State University and have been operating their own successful construction company, CEI Constructors, since 1988.

To honor Doc and Babe’s values, the O’Dea children continue their parents’ legacy by way of establishing CEI Constructor’s Scholarship Program, a program set up to monetary support the educational pursuits of employees and their families, while actively supporting and donating to organizations that share Doc and Babe’s most important value – access to education and life-long learning.