As Business Manager, Jensen understood the benefits to both labor and management of having skilled, safe and productive Laborers.

So committed was Jensen, he traded the familiar confines of the Green Bay Labor Temple for what at the time could only be described as a job trailer in central Wisconsin to begin the monumental task of building a training program for Laborers.

Building a training program is exactly what Jensen did.

So, it was with great pride and some sadness that Dean Jensen announced his retirement as Training Director in April.

More than any Laborer in the state, Jensen is responsible for transforming that single job trailer into a 24,000 square foot state-of-the-art training facility that trains an average of over 1,200 laborers a year in everything from general construction techniques to hazardous waste work throughout Wisconsin.

Jensen's commitment to training and his impact on the industry extended far beyond the facility in Almond.

Through his leadership and vision, the Training Center has been involved in outreach programs designed to improve the industry while improving the lives and livelihoods of Laborers and their families.

The Transportation Allied for New Solution, or TRANS program, — a program designed to attract and retain women and minority workers in the road construction industry, and the Laborers' Initiative on Training and Education, or LITE program, are just two of the programs Jensen participated in over the years.

Wisconsin Laborers are proud of the roll the Training Center has played in improving the lives of members and the health of the industry.

The Laborers are especially proud of the one person — Dean Jensen — who is most responsible for getting us to where we are today.

Jensen should be proud of the contribution he has made to the members of this union and to the betterment of the construction industry. He leaves a legacy of service and a commitment to training excellence.