If you are fortunate enough to be chosen for a Schweiger Memorial Scholarship, you will soon discover that you are also being chosen to be part of a family. One night each year, Oregon’s Construction Industry puts work  on hold and comes together for an amazing cause.

The scholarship was formed in honor of Konrad Schweiger and his son Forrest. Konrad  founded  Advanced American Diving, a marine construction company (now Advanced American Construction) in 1983. Ten years ago Forrest died in a tragic construction accident and just three years later his father Konrad passed away as well. The company that both these men had invested so much of themselves in decided  to honor Konrad and Forrest with a memorial scholarship. Let me tell you -  it has been very, very successful.

In the scholarship’s short existence, over a quarter of a million dollars has been awarded to 119 deserving college students pursing construction related educations! It is absolutely amazing to watch the generosity and genuineness of this  group of  competitors, friends, families, owners,  suppliers, managers, and laborers as they take a night out of their lives to remember their lost colleagues while supporting their industry and all the others in it. When I call them a family it’s not an exaggeration!

I look forward to photographing this banquet every year.  At the end of the night, I always leave with a lump in my throat and a happiness in my heart knowing that even the untimely death of two amazing men can be used for such an amazing cause!