Kelly Tourdot named next president of ABC of Wisconsin

Kelly Tourdot, the vice president of the Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin, on Sept. 20 will start her new role as the organization’s next president. John Mielke, the current president of ABC of Wisconsin, will become the next senior director of apprenticeship for ABC National.

Tourdot was selected by a unanimous vote by ABC’s Board of Directors, Mielke said in a message to members on Friday.

“She has earned this position through her years as an apprenticeship manager, her work with both our association and trust boards, and her current role as vice president,” Mielke said in a statement. “Kelly’s promotion is a perfect example of our association’s merit philosophy at work. Many of you know Kelly well and recognize the dedication she brings to our members. We are so pleased to announce her new role and know the association will continue to grow and thrive under her leadership,” he added.

John Mielke started his career at ABC in 1992 when the organization had 400 apprentices at the time, officials said. He began as an apprenticeship manager, and was promoted to director of government relations, vice-president and then president in 2013.

In August, ABC reported a record-breaking 2,475 apprentices taking part in its statewide program, with 600 new apprentices enrolled for the first time ever. In June, the traditionally non-union association announced reaching more than 1,000 member companies.

Mielke said the organization’s growth was a testament to the work done by members and staff.

“Our team in Wisconsin remains strong, with many familiar faces managing our membership, safety, education, apprenticeship programs and more,” Mielke said in a statement. “We are excited for the future of Wisconsin’s construction industry, and for the growing support for the men and women working hard to build our infrastructure,” he added.

“This is a full circle moment for me. I’m excited to take on this new challenge to grow our programs nationally, and I’m confident ABC of Wisconsin will continue growing strong, under the leadership of Kelly Tourdot,” Mielke said.

Tourdot started in 1996 also as an apprenticeship manager for ABC of Wisconsin, officials said. She spent her career serving the merit shop workforce in Wisconsin. As president, she will focus on growing the workforce, expanding members’ reach throughout the state and advocating for members to win work with open competition, officials added.

In his new role, Mielke will focus on bringing Wisconsin’s apprenticeship model to other states in ABC’s network, officials said. Wisconsin is one of the leading ABC chapters in the nation in membership and number of apprenticeships trained through its programs, officials added.

“We are proud of the work ABC of Wisconsin is doing in our state,” said Jess Cannizzarro, chair of the board. “We thank John Mielke for leading the ABC team, and we are so pleased to have Kelly Tourdot ready to lead our association to even greater opportunities,” she added.