Record attendance at 2026 Tradeswomen Dinner
It was a great night for the Great Cleveland Council of Tradeswomen, as their annual Women in Construction Week dinner, which was held at the Operating Engineers Local 18 Union Hall, drew a record-setting 125 tradeswomen.
The Greater Cleveland Council of Tradeswomen (GCCT) capped off Women in Construction Week with the largest celebration dinner in the organization’s history. On March 4, about 125 tradeswomen packed the Operating Engineers Local 18 Union Hall to celebrate their sisterhood in the building trades. From the time the event began, there was a buzz and excitement in the air, as union sisters filled the hall, looking forward to camaraderie and a nice meal.
Once all the tradeswomen had gone through the buffet line, which was catered by Gentile’s Bakery, Catering and Deli, GCCT Vice President and IBEW Local 38 member Emma Varner addressed the crowd. She thanked Operating Engineers Local 18 for hosting the event, as well as the various organizations that made donations to support the event. This included: Insulators Local 3, IBEW Local 38, SMART Local 33, Cleveland Builds and Regency Construction.
Great Cleveland Council of Tradeswomen Vice President Emma Varner speaks during the annual Women in Construction Week dinner, which was held on March 4 in Cleveland.
Varner also thanked the Cleveland Building and Construction Trades Council and Executive Secretary/Business Manager Dave Wondolowski for their continued support. Formally known as the Cleveland Tradeswomen Committee, in late 2024 Wondolowski helped the group become a 501(c)(3) non-profit with the new name Greater Cleveland Council of Tradeswomen (GCCT), Varner explained.
Operating Engineers Local 18 Business Representative John Capek welcomed the tradeswomen to their Union Hall, adding that it was a “privilege to host this dinner.”
GCCT member Sue Foxen, a member of Carpenters Local 2955, then offered the roughly 25 apprentices in attendance some advice on how to succeed in the building trades.
“Show up, be on time, don’t be late and don’t miss work,” she said. “You have to let the foreman know they can count on you.” Darlene Glass, GCCT Treasurer and a member of Carpenters Local 2995, was ecstatic with the record turnout. “I hope this becomes the new normal for this dinner,” she said. Glass credited the dinner’s growth to the support of Local Unions, plus word of mouth and use of social media. She reflected on the growing momentum of the dinner and compared it to 2002 when she began working in the field and rarely saw other tradeswomen on projects.
Over time though, that changed, she said. “I remember the Case Western Reserve University dorm projects where I saw 30 tradeswomen,” said Glass. “It was amazing.” Insulators Local 3 member and GCCT committee member Wendy Kistner said it was amazing to see over 100 tradeswomen come together.
Kistner recalled that she previously worked as a chef and how her neighbor would periodically ask her how she planned to retire. When her career leveled off from an upward mobility standpoint, she decided it was time for a change. “I took a leap of faith and eventually became the first woman in my Local to hold an office (Financial Trustee),” she said. “When I first got in, there were only four women in the Local and 12 years later, there are now 10 women.”
Looking out at the large group, Varner was amazed at the attendance. “Four years ago, I couldn’t have imagined this,” she said. “What started out as an idea to just host a dinner for the 15 members of the Local 38 Women’s Committee turned into a dinner for women from all the trades. Our first year, we had about 65 in attendance, and now it’s at 125.”
Besides holding the Women in Construction Week dinner, the GCCT also holds monthly social events, a summer picnic and a Christmas Party, where they make donations to at least one area charity or non-profit organization.
Glass discussed the importance of becoming a non-profit organization and how it allows the GCCT to further benefit the community. “Our (non-profit) status will allow us to go out into the community and apply for different grants,” she said. “If we receive any grants, it will allow us to step up our volunteer game and perform larger volunteer projects.” She noted that the group has already completed some small volunteer projects, but wants to do more, if the funds are available.
Before the dinner concluded, there was a drawing for door prizes donated by Milwaukee Tool, including a drill. There was also a drawing for two custom-made tradeswomen quilts by Foxen that featured T-shirts donated by trades from different Local Unions, plus a cash raffle.
Any tradeswoman interested in joining the GCCT can email gcctradeswomen@gmail.com for more information, Varner said. “Please keep coming out and get involved,” she urged.