Hiltebeitel To Retire After 18 Years Of Teaching Masonry At Williamson

Daniel Hiltebeitel, Williamson’s director of construction technology-masonry since 1998, will retire at the end of the 2015-16 school year, announced President Michael Rounds.

Rounds said, “Dan Hiltebeitel has served the past 18 years as our masonry program director and has dedicated himself to not only expertly teaching masonry skills to hundreds of our students during that time, but has served as a mentor and role model. The high standards he has demanded of his students produced the very best masons in the country and graduates that have represented Williamson well in all areas of their lives.

“We have consistently produced state champions and top-five finishers at the national level of SkillsUSA competitions under his leadership, establishing a reputation for Williamson of excellence. We thank Dan for his tremendous service to Williamson and wish him the best in his retirement.”

Hiltebeitel said it was his love of masonry that brought him to Williamson. “I came to produce masons with the best skill levels and best prospects for jobs in the masonry field.”

Looking back over the last 18 years he says, “The greatest part of teaching at Williamson has been the students and the most difficult aspect of the job has been the students.

“I dedicated 18 years of my life to Williamson, working 12-hour days and many weekends; getting phone calls from students late at night. My philosophy is students first and masonry second.”

In addition to teaching masonry and performing numerous community service projects with his students, Hiltebeitel, as advisor to the SkillsUSA club, saw many Williamson masons finish in the top of the SkillsUSA national competitions and number one at the state competitions.

John F. Laffey, of John F. Laffey, Inc., a masonry contractor in Kennett Square, and MidCoast Mast Climbers LLC in Unionville, said “Dan Hiltibeitel has done more for the masonry industry than any one person in the last 100 years. Dan himself is an excellent bricklayer. I’ve had the opportunity to work with Dan in the field. Not only does he have a super work ethic, he also possesses a tremendous amount of skill and knowledge. Dan has taught more young men not only how to be a bricklayer, but also how to be men. Dan has the unique ability to communicate with young men and to teach them. Over the years I’ve had 15 to 20 guys that Dan has taught and every one of them was exceptional. From his days at Chester County Vo-Tech to his present position at Williamson, he provided the industry with the one thing we need the most, quality bricklayers. Dan lives and breaths bricklaying, can’t imagine what retirement will be like for him. Jill [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][Hiltebeitel’s wife] may wake one morning and find him building brick walls around their yard.”

Mike Wagner 0W7, a superintendent at Whiting-Turner Contracting Co., said “God broke the mold after he made Dan Hiltebeitel. I have truly never met someone who has had such an everlasting impact on all of the lives around them as he has. At face value, ‘Hilt’ is simply the masonry instructor at Williamson. However, Hilt is not just someone you meet, he is an experience. He is someone who genuinely loves his God, family, country, craft, students, and institution. As a father figure, his ‘tough-love’ helped shape young men into strong, useful members of society. As an employee, no institution could have ever asked for more, because he always gave it all. As a teacher, the knowledge he passed to younger generations will last longer than the brick and block he laid, and the concrete he poured. All who passed through his masonry program at Williamson received the best education in the trade available. Thanks for everything, Hilt.”

John Bubel 5W3, a longtime masonry contractor, said “Ever since becoming Williamson’s masonry instructor, Dan Hiltebeitel has given his heart and soul to teaching his trade to his students. I was on the search committee that hired him and we saw right away that he would make a great instructor and we were right. I also worked with Dan for about eight years as his shop assistant and I saw first-hand that his total focus each day was to train young men to be the best bricklayers possible and to embody the ideals of Isaiah Williamson. Because Dan’s life reflects the school’s five core values, he also is a great role model for his students. He will be missed.”

Hiltebeitel has not yet decided what he will do in retirement, but whatever he does, it will certainly include laying bricks.

Hiltebeitel Receives PCMA’s Distinguished Service Award

Daniel Hiltebeitel, director of construction technology-masonry, received the Distinguished Service Award from the Pennsylvania Concrete Masonry Association (PCMA) during their Holiday Dinner in Lebanon, Pa., Dec. 4. It was only the eighth time such an honor was bestowed in PCMA’s nearly 50-year history.

Jan Boyer, PCMA’s executive director, said “I have been friends with Dan Hiltebeitel for 15 years and am very aware of his lifelong dedication to the masonry field. He has done a great deal to further the masonry trade as a craftsman who excels at his trade, a teacher, and a role model. His never-ending quest for knowledge about masonry and the latest technologies shows his passion for his trade. I am thrilled we were able to honor him with this award because he certainly deserves recognition.”

PCMA is a trade association dedicated to support, promote, and expand the use of concrete masonry and other related products within Pennsylvania.

On hand to congratulate Dan Hiltebeitel as he received PCMA’s Distinguished Service Award, were Scot Leisenring, masonry shop assistant; Jim Schell, power plant technology instructor; John Curran, instructor of paint and coatings technology; Ken Nelson, director of   construction technology-carpentry; DanielMassuto, construction technology instructor; Joseph Vaites, drafting/construction technology instructor; John Beaudry, director of power plant technology; and Pete D’Orazio, director of leadership giving.[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]