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Verrette given Pellonpaa achievement award

WILLIAM VERRETTE

NEGAUNEE — William C. Verrette — owner of Champion Inc., Gundlach Champion Inc. and Verrette Materials Inc. — has been chosen for the 2021 Carl V. Pellonpaa Lifetime Achievement Award, given by WLUC-TV6 and FOX UP.

This is the third year TV6 and FOX UP has presented the Carl V. Pellonpaa Lifetime Achievement Award, created to recognize one Upper Michigan resident who has demonstrated a life of service to their individual business or industry and the community, much as Pellonpaa did.

TV6’s Don Ryan was the first recipient of the award in 2019 and Dr. Daniel Mazzuchi was honored in 2020.

“Verrette has dedicated his life to his family, career, company and community. He continues to serve the Champion family of companies as Keeper of the Culture,” said Rick Rhoades, TV6 and FOX UP vice president and general manager.

Verrette is an Iron Mountain native, graduating from Iron Mountain High School in 1957. He received a bachelor of science in civil engineering at Michigan Technological University in 1961 and is a graduate of the Harvard University Business School, Owner/President Management Program.

The companies owned by Verrette employ about 1,000 people.

He also is a past director of the American Transmission Company LLC; Range Financial Corporation; Michigan Financial Corporation and the First National Bank & Trust Company of Iron Mountain. He is also a past member of the Ninth Federal Reserve District Small Business Advisory Committee.

Verrette served as a national director of the Associated General Contractors of America and is a two-term past president of the Michigan Chapter Associated General Contractors. He also served as chairperson of the Governor’s Commission on Small Business and Entrepreneurial Affairs.

Verrette continues to serve as an advisor to the Upper Peninsula Construction Council, or UPCC, which he founded. He also is on the Superior Health Foundation, chairing the Governance Committee.

Verrette was a member of the Northern Michigan University Development Fund Board of Trustees from 1994 to 2004. He is a past member of the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department Professional Advisory Committee at Michigan Tech, past chairperson of the MTU Board of Control and a member of the Michigan Tech Second Century Society and President’s Club. He served on the Michigan Tech Fund Board from 1984 to 1994

Verrette chaired the Michigan Technological University Civil and Environmental Engineering Department’s “Partnering with the Future Campaign,” which raised $1.5 million for the department.

He also served on the Iron Mountain Board of Education from 1970 to 1986 and was board president for five years.

On Sept. 20, 2007, Verrette received the 2007 Lifetime Achievement Award presented by the Community Foundation of the Upper Peninsula. He received the Northern Michigan University President’s Distinguished Citizenship award in October 1998.

Verrette was also named the Michigan Technological University’s Distinguished Alumnus in 1993 and was commencement speaker at the Michigan Tech graduation ceremony on Nov. 14, 1994.

He is a member of the Michigan Tech Academy of Civil and Environmental Engineers, an honorary member of Chi Epsilon, the National Civil Engineering Honor Society and Sigma Lambda Chi, the National Construction Honor Society, as well as a member of numerous civic and professional clubs, societies and organizations.

On Oct. 20, 2011, Verrette was inducted into the Michigan Construction Hall of Fame. On April 27, 2013, he was the commencement speaker at Lake Superior State University, and at that time was awarded an honorary doctorate of engineering by the university.

Verrette lives in Iron Mountain with his wife, Wilma. He has four children, three stepchildren and 10 grandchildren. He is a member of the Trinity United Methodist Church.

A reception and award presentation for Verrette will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. Eastern time Thursday, Oct. 28, at the Northern Center on the Northern Michigan University campus in Marquette.

WLUC-TV6 and FOX UP established the Carl V. Pellonpaa Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019 in honor of late broadcaster Carl Pellonpaa. The award will acknowledge significant contributions to the advancement and development of Upper Michigan.

“Carl was all about serving the Upper Peninsula, and everything he did throughout his career and in his personal life was to achieve that goal,” Rhoades said.

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