Awards Banquet

Monday, November 24, 2025

Q Casino & Resort

5:30 p.m. - Reception
6:30 p.m. - Dinner
7:00 p.m. - Awards Presentations

The Dubuque Area Labor-Management Council hosts an annual awards banquet to honor those that have demonstrated excellence in labor-management relations, cooperation and safety.

Nominees are evaluated according to how well the committees, groups or individuals promote the core values of labor-management cooperation: trust, respect, open communication, mutual understanding, participation, responsibility, education, problem-solving and openness to change.

Individual registration - $50 per person Table for 8 - $400 per table

2025 Awards Recipients

Alliance for Construction Excellence Safety Award

Honorees:  Paulson Electric and IBEW Local 704

Labor-Management Excellence Awards

Honorees: Keegan Bintz – Cedar Valley Steel and Ironworkers Local 89

        Jake Maas – A-1 Crane Rental and Machinery Moving and Operating Engineers Local 234

Trent Mueting – Tri-State Crane & Rigging Service and Operating Engineers Local 150

        Jaden Recker – Tri-State Crane & Rigging Service and Operating Engineers Local 234

Chris Steuhm – Cedar Valley Steel and Ironworkers Local 89

        Corey Tott - Portzen Construction and Carpenters Local 678

School Engagement Award

Honorees:   Ironworkers Local 89, Laborers Local 43 and Operating Engineers Local 234

Labor-Management Community Service Award

Honorees:   Patrick Schwendinger - Morrison Brothers and Machinist Local 1238

  Derek Duehr - Carpenters Local 678               

Bob Bennett Recognition for Good Faith In Collective Bargaining

Honoree:    Keith Hartman, Modernfold and Carpenters Local 2060

The Dubuque Area Labor-Management Council was formed to help unions and employers work together and to promote the principles of constructive labor relations. The awards program publicly recognizes and appreciates individuals (the "Great Job Honor Roll") and labor-management committees (the "Labor-Management Honor Roll") exemplifying one or more of the principles of collaboration in their daily work. These guiding principles are:

  1. Participation

  2. Openness to change

  3. Respect

  4. Communication

  5. Honesty

  6. Responsibility

  7. Trust

  8. Education

  9. Mutual Understanding

Bob Bennett “Good Faith Award”

Bob Bennett is a retired Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service commissioner who served the Dubuque area for many years. Bob has outlined for us the meaning of "good faith" in labor relations.

"Good faith is demonstrated by earning the trust of others — establishing your integrity by keeping your word — keeping an open mind — and being patient as well as flexible. Having a desire to reach an accommodation that is best for all. Having a sense of humor and being able to laugh at yourself."

The award honors one individual connected with a union (labor) and one individual connected with an employer (management) for a particularly important endeavor or for their work over an extended period of time (e.g., a lifetime or career, or their tenure with a specific organization).

Anyone working at or retired from a place of employment with a collective bargaining agreement in Dubuque, JoDaviess or Grant Counties is eligible for nomination. Top executives, middle management and front-line employees (anyone) may be considered. Recipients are based on her or his example in:

  • Practicing good faith in labor-management relations;

  • Working for a better community.

Click on a year below to view the Bob Bennett “Good Faith Award” recipients for that year.

  • Michael Sadler (Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 125)

  • Ken Runde (Dubuque County)

  • Angela Bowersox (National Electrical Contractors Association)

    Tammy Duehr (Dubuque Education Association)

  • Tony Buss (UAW Local 1391)

    Lennie Thielen (Paulson Electric)

  • Jesus Aviles (Q Casino)

    Joe Henry (AFSCME Local 2843)

  • Mike Portzen (Portzen Construction)

    Tom Townsend (IBEW Local 704)

  • Larry McDermott (McDermott Excavating)

    Joel Miller (Dubuque Education Association)

  • Craig Breitbach (Cedar Valley Steel, Inc.)

    Jim Flogel (Carpenters Local 678)

  • Rick Ackley (A&G Electric)

    Dave George (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 204)

  • Dr. Liang Chee Wee (Northeast Iowa Community College)

    John Rosenthal (Teamsters Local 120)

  • John O'Connor (Kloeckner Metals)

    Bruce Davis (UAW Local 94)

  • Mary Lursen (UniServ)

    Joe Hanson (John Deere)

  • Tom Flynn (Flynn Ready-Mix Company)

    Dan White (UAW Local 94)

  • Dave Baker (Teamsters, Local 120)

    Cindy Gunther (Alliant Energy)

  • Bob Runde (Machinist Local 1238)

    Ron Wiegman (John Deere Dubuque Works)

  • Merle Duehr (United Steelworkers of America Local 1861-U)

    Randy Peck (City of Dubuque)

  • Dan Hammel (IBEW Local 704)

    Jim Schrempf (John Deere Dubuque Works)

  • Jim Feehan (United Steelworkers of America Local 1861-U)

    Darlene Millard (Sunnycrest Manor)

  • Nick Lucy (Communication Workers of America Local 7110)

    Charles Naylor (FDL Foods)

  • Jim Waller (United Auto Workers Local 940)

    Joe Carew (Myers-Cox Company)

  • Melvin Maas (United Food and Commercial Workers Local 150A)

    Michael Stohlmeyer (John Deere Dubuque Works)

  • Don Roby (Northeast Iowa Community College)

    Bill Herrig (Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 66)

  • Jan Hess (County of Dubuque)

    Pat Dillon (United Auto Workers Local 94)

  • Milt Avenarius (Paulson Electric Company)

    Bill Delaney (Teamsters Local 421)

  • Donald Meyers (United Food And Commercial Workers Local 150 A)

    Ken Townsend (Barnstead/ Thermolyne Company)