The Southeast Chapter (SEC) golf tournament returned Oct. 16 to the Rock Barn Country Club & Spa in Conover, North Carolina, for a beautiful day of golf. The event attracted a total of 115 golfers, who enjoyed the sunny, 70-degree weather, easily topping the 2024 field of 96 players.

The tournament at the par 71 Tom Jackson Course was very competitive, with ties for both 1st and 2nd place (14 under par) and 3rd and 4th place (13 under par). Tiebreakers determined that the winners were the team (pictured below right) of Steve Zande of Service Thread and Paul McConnell, Robert Kidd and Patrick Noble, all of CommScope.

In second place was Darin Nicol and John Downey of Fort Wayne Wire Die with Marc Finch and Harrison Cummings of IWG-HPC. Third place went to Craig Shell and Steve Pinnix of M. Holland Company, with Alex Magid of Westlake and Scott Tucker of CommScope. A shoutout has to go to the fourth place team of Dan Shelander and Joe Phipps of Windak, Eric Yount of CommScope and Paul Douwes of Advaris.

Players commented that the course was a fun challenge. The event kicked off at 11am. Players enjoyed the lunch sponsored by Carris Reels, then took to the driving range for the putting contest sponsored by Process Control Corp., Sonoco and Wire and Plastic Machinery Corp. It was won by Mark MacKimm of Rainbow Rubber and Plastics.

Other skill contest winners included the most accurate drive, sponsored by Sikora, won by Daniel Johnson of Advanced Technology Services, and closest to the pin, sponsored by Sonoco and JoeTools, Inc., which was won by Rocky Colapietro of CommScope and Pat Curtsinger, retired.

Hole sponsors for the event included Carris Reels, Gateway Recovery, Inc., Gem Gravure, Gene Brown Extrusion Techniques, GEON Performance Solutions, L-S Industries, Inc., Magnum Mfg. LLC, M. Holland Company, SDI LaFarga COPPERWORKS, Sikora, Sonoco, Teknikor, Windak Inc., and Wire and Plastic Machinery Corp. Snacks and beverages on course were sponsored by Rainbow Rubber & Plastics and Teknikor. The $10,000 Hole-in-One was sponsored by JoeTools, Inc.

Following the tournament was a dinner and reception sponsored by GEON Performance Solutions and Wire and Plastic Machinery Corp. Participants enjoyed a southern barbecue dinner as Southeast Chapter President John Dognazzi announced the raffle winners. Players walked away with golf putters and gift cards, but the big-ticket item of the evening was an all-inclusive resort getaway sponsored by Wyndham Resorts. Participants cheered and clamored for this prize, but the lucky winner was Frank Wilkins of AFL Global.

Dognazzi said the event was possible due to the passionate volunteers and board members who come together each year to organize this tournament. “We really needed a big year like this. Covid hurt (our numbers) for a bit, but we’ve made a strong comeback.”

Dognazzi also declared that a special “thank you” was due to SEC Treasurer Brooke Stonesifer of Sonoco, who is resigning from the chapter board after over a decade of service. 

WAI’s Paper Awards Committee will once again be rating presentations, and to that end it is seeking veteran volunteers to assess those made at 2025 events.

The committee will evaluate technical papers submitted from this year’s Interwire Conference Program, the Global Continuous Casting Forum and the Wire & Cable Kraków International Technical Conference. Serving on the committee gives members the opportunity to review new research, contribute to WAI’s educational mission, and connect with technical experts from around the world. It also is a way to give back to the industry.

WAI invites members interested in participating to join the committee and help recognize excellence in the wire and cable industry. For more details on what is entailed, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The WAI is seeking applicants for the 2026 Wire Link Traveling Scholarship, a program that sends a wire professional to England where he or she can see how different companies operate as well as to attend the wire Düsseldorf show in Germany. That date is April 13-17, 2026. The deadline for applications is Jan. 1, 2026.

The Association is looking for ambitious wire professionals who have been employed for at least two years in the wire and cable (or related) industries, including manufacturers and suppliers. The program—which started in 2000—alternates between a U.S. representative going to Europe, and a U.K. representative going to the U.S. through the program’s co-sponsor, the Worshipful Company of Tin Plate Workers alias Wire Workers of England.

The scholarship will be awarded to the candidate who best demonstrates to the judges how the award will help him or her grow professionally, gain a broadened knowledge of the industry and share those benefits with his or her company. All expenses will be met by the sponsors during the trip to the U.K. and Germany. The only employer cost is the employee’s time, and travel to and from the departure airport.

The most recent WAI Wire Link Traveling Scholar, in 2024, was Avery Caraker, who when he applied was a process engineering technician at Prysmian’s medium-voltage plant in Du Quoin, Illinois.

Some past WireLink Scholars have fared quite well in the industry, such as Kurt Breischaft, the 2006 winner, who at the time worked for Belden CDT. He later became president of SDI LaFarga COPPERWORKS, and most recently was named CEO of Advanced Digital Cable, LLC. He also served as the 2023 Association president.

 Official rules, regulations & entry requirements

Candidates must:

• Be employed full-time in the wire and cable industry

for at least two years at the time of travel.

• Be a Wire Association International member in good

standing at the time of application and travel.

• Be available for an interview.
• Be able to attend the Award Presentation at the WAI annual meeting in the following spring.
• Be able to travel to England and Wire Düsseldorf

for two weeks that same spring.

• Be employed by his/her nominating company

at the time of travel.

• Have a signed letter of recommendation from an

appropriate company official.

• Be able to present a full report of his/her visit to the director of the company that recommended him/her as well as a separate one for the WAI for potential publication in WJI.
• Submit an essay submission explaining how the applicant can meet the objective of the scholarship, and how the experience would broaden his/her knowledge of wire and the wire industry for his/her benefit and the benefit of his/her company.

Submissions or questions can be sent to WAI’s Wire Foundation via wirenet.org. Questions can also be sent by applicants and employers to WAI Executive Director Steve Fetteroll at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Wire Expo 2026 got off to a very strong start at the Oct. 2 Points Meeting at WAI headquarters in Madison, Connecticut, where 111 units were assigned for the show floor on May 6-7 at the Baird Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

WAI staff, joined by Mike Mathiasen, Mathiasen Machinery, were busy much of the day for the procedure of allocating show floor positions based on past activity. WAI Sales Director Shannon Timme reported that a total of 91 companies accounted for 111 of the 179 available units. There are other spots that could be converted to an additional 12 booths.

“At this point, all the remaining booths will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis,” said Timme. She noted that there is much interest in the event, especially as it will once again be co-located with the Electrical Wire Processing Technology Expo. That previously happened at the same venue in 2010.

For more information, visit the event website at www.wireexpo2026.com.