From Craftworkers to Certified Instructors: 16 New Graduates Carry on BAC’s Legacy

The tradition of passing the trowel trades from one generation of BAC craftworkers to the next is thriving, thanks to 16 new graduates from IMI/IMTEF’s Instructor Certification Program (ICP). 

The tradition of passing the trowel trades from one generation of BAC craftworkers to the next is thriving, thanks to 16 new graduates from IMI/IMTEF’s Instructor Certification Program (ICP).  

Through immersive courses, peer learning, and hands-on practice, ICP prepares BAC instructors – all masters of their craft – to carry out BAC’s renowned training programs.  

“As a bricklayer of 40 years, becoming a certified IMI instructor is the top achievement in my career,” said Scott Ansel, Local 23 OH/WV/KY/MD Brick Instructor. “This experience has enabled me to mentor and teach the next generation.” 

A major part of that role is helping apprentices understand what it takes to succeed in the construction industry. “Preparing students for the workforce goes beyond just teaching them how to set tile,” said Adrian Hernandez, IMI Tile Instructor at Inland Empire Job Corps. “It’s about developing their mindset, work ethic, and professional skills to help them succeed in any job site or career path they choose.” 

For many instructors, the ICP reshapes how they approach the classroom. “ICP gave me several instructional breakthroughs and completely reframed how I approach teaching,” said John Slama, Local 1 MN/ND Manager of Operations.  

Over the 5-year program, instructors learn to create curriculum and lesson plans, teach adults with diverse learning styles, mentor across generations, and more.  

The 2025 graduates were honored in the fall during an awards ceremony at the John J. Flynn BAC/IMI International

Training Center, surrounded by their peers, the BAC Executive Board, and IMI/IMTEF leadership. 

“As instructors, your engagement of apprentices brings people along in our trade – but more importantly, in their lives,” said BAC President Tim Driscoll at the ceremony.  

That sense of responsibility resonates with the graduates. “ICP has given me the skills to guide apprentices at every stage of their career and through all life’s challenges, supporting them as they become journey workers and good union members,” said Andy Hanrahan, Local 3 NY Apprentice Coordinator. 

Dwayne Borowski, Local 5 PA Coordinator and Instructor, echoed that sentiment. “The union is a vital part of my life, and it provides very well for myself and my family. If I can help teach our trade and instill good union values into young men and women, I can give them the same opportunity I had.” 

Being a part of the Union is about being “a part of something much bigger than one local, school, or crew,” explains Domonic Espinoza, Local 1 OR/WA/ID/MT Brick Instructor. “If ICP has taught me anything, it’s that the brotherhood and sisterhood of masonry can weather any storm when we stay true to each other and to the trade we love.”  

New EPDs Make It Easier for Designers to Choose Masonry for Sustainable, Long-Lasting Buildings

As demand for greener buildings grows, BAC and IMI are leading the industry in ensuring designers have the sustainability information they need to specify masonry and tile with confidence. 

The Brick Industry Association (BIA) — with support from IMI — just released a new 2025 Industry Average Environmental Product Declaration (IA EPD) for clay masonry products, including clay brick, structural clay tile, thin brick, and brick pavers.  

A key update is the new 150-year service life, which is double the typical 75-year assumption used in most building lifecycle assessments (LCAs). The extended lifespan was made possible by data from BAC signatory contractors, whose real-world project experience helped BIA establish an accurate, evidence-based service life. 

The updated EPD is also cradle-to-grave, evaluating the full life cycle of clay masonry from raw material extraction through manufacturing, use, maintenance, and end-of-life. A cradle-to-gate EPD, by contrast, stops its assessment at the factory door. Combined with the extended service life, the assessment highlights brick’s durability, reuse potential, and minimal environmental impact. 

"The new EPD turns what we’ve always known about brick’s long-term performance into verifiable data,” said Roy J. Ingraffia, IMI National Director of Industry Development and Technical Services. “Now, designers have the evidence and tools they need to specify brick as a leading sustainable building product.” 

The new EPD not only covers nearly 40% of U.S. brick production but also establishes a baseline for manufacturers to develop product-specific EPDs, which is expected to increase the available sustainability data for clay masonry. 

IMI is also actively representing BAC on the committee updating the Masonry Concrete Products Product Category Rule (PCR), which guides manufacturers in creating EPDs for CMU. These EPDs are essential for architects, engineers, and owners when comparing materials’ sustainability, and a clear, accurate PCR ensures masonry is evaluated fairly against competing systems. 

Expected in early 2026, the updated PCR will modernize how concrete masonry’s environmental impacts are measured and account for real-world jobsite factors including transportation, installation, service life, and end-of-life. Once finalized, it will provide a consistent, credible foundation for EPDs that reflect masonry’s true performance. 

IMI looks forward to putting these new tools into the hands of architects, engineers, and owners, helping them design sustainable buildings while creating new work opportunities for BAC members and signatory contractors.