Trendells' Road Trip Yields Treasure Trove of Plastering Tools for BAC and IMI

JOURNAL: ISSUE 2 - 2012

At last count, at least 10 Trendell family members representing five generations have been involved in the BAC trades as craftworkers or contractors. In December, two generations traveled to the Flynn Center, where IMI's Steve Martini, center, gratefully accepted Bert Trendell's collection of plastering tools. Flanking Martini, from left, are Bert, Frank, John and Bob Trendell. (Doug Trendell traveled with the group but is not pictured).

During a trip to Syracuse, New York last fall with his father, IPF Board of Trustees member and former Tile Contractors Association of America President John Trendell stopped to visit his 91-year-old uncle, Albert "Bert" Trendell, a retired Union plasterer. When John and his dad, Frank, arrived, Bert led them to his workshop, where he had carefully laid out an impressive collection of plastering tools he had used during his career, including many he had personally fabricated for specialty use like cornice work. He also had tools that belonged to John's grandfather (another lifetime Union plasterer) – some more than 100 years old!

When Bert asked his nephew whether someone at the Union would be interested in having the tools for historic purposes or display, John put the question to IMI National Apprenticeship and Training Director Steve Martini. Without hesitation, Martini said, "Yes!"

In photo at above, retired Union plasterer Bert Trendell, right, presents a float to IMI National Apprenticeship and Training Director Steve Martini, just one of an impressive array of hand-made plastering tools, pictured in photo below, recently donated to the Flynn Center.

The affirmative response paved the way for another Trendell "road trip", this time to the BAC/IMI John J. Flynn International Training Center in Bowie, MD. John, accompanied by his father and brother Bob (a former BAC tilesetter), his Uncle Bert and Bert's son, Doug, arrived at the Flynn Center just before the December holidays to meet with Martini.

"During our meeting, Bert showed us many of the different tools he used throughout his career, in addition to giving a brief description and tutorial on each tool's specific use," said Martini, who also led the group on a tour of the Center's facilities. Afterward, John remarked, "Everyone was really impressed with the different craft work stations and the many new and different materials our trowel trades use today."

 "As Steve's [Martini] retirement date approaches, we will certainly miss his dedication to our craft and to the training it takes to keep our industry current and competitive, while not forgetting the importance of the people who came before us," added Trendell, who also serves as Co-Chair of the BAC Labor-Management Tile/Marble/Terrazzo Craft Committee.

Martini is equally gracious about the contributions of John and his family to the BAC crafts. "The hand-made tools donated by Bert are being stored at the Flynn Center with other BAC craftworker memorabilia for eventual display. Besides educating us about the use of these tools, John's uncle and father shared some great stories from the 'old days' about wages and working conditions. For more than a century the Trendells have given a great deal to our industry as craftworkers and contractors – they're an inspiring BAC family success story."