Madison, July 15, 2026 — Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin (ABC-WI) is celebrating a new record: 1,132 member companies have joined the association for 2026 so far, and the growth continues. This achievement highlights the association’s commitment to safety training, investments in apprenticeship and building relationships between contractors across the state.
“We know that 80% of Wisconsin’s construction workforce chooses the merit shop approach,” said Kelly Tourdot, President of ABC-WI. “We are honored to provide services to support their work, and to watch them grow and succeed.”
ABC-WI represents the merit approach to construction. This includes builders and contractors who value open competition, direct relationships between employees, supervisors and owners, and the ability for teams to cross-train and upskill.
“Our members are the hard-working, dedicated people building Wisconsin’s schools, churches, offices and infrastructure,” said Bill Stranberg, ABC-WI Membership Director. “We are proud to provide the services and resources that make their businesses even more successful and keep them renewing year after year.”
This year the association boasts a retention rate of 92%. Members join for a wide range of reasons and maximize their membership by attending networking events and participating in the safety and educational trainings ABC-WI offers across the state. Many also train apprentices through ABC-WI’s apprenticeship program and are focused on growing the construction workforce in Wisconsin.
The association includes more than 900 merit shop contractor companies offering services like plumbing, electrical, carpentry, bricklaying, HVAC and more. Collectively, these member companies employ a significant number of skilled workers and build commercial projects in every community across the state.
