Thank You to the Partners Building the Future of Construction
Legacy Builders was created with a clear mission: to inspire students to explore the many rewarding career pathways within the construction industry. From skilled trades and project management to design, supply chain, finance, and marketing, construction is a sector full of opportunity — and none of this work is possible without the support of industry leaders who believe in giving back.
Sponsor Spotlight: Melloul-Blamey
Proud to recognize Melloul-Blamey Construction as one of our Founding Partners, a collaboration rooted in shared values, deep industry experience, and a commitment to workforce development across Ontario.
Think Construction Is Just the Trades? Think Again.
Explore construction careers beyond the trades, including design, management, engineering, and more.
Jeff Shantz - Board Chair
Jeff Shantz is a Partner and Vice President of Project Development at Melloul-Blamey Construction, bringing nearly 40 years of experience across site supervision, project management, and building design. Throughout his career, Jeff has been deeply involved in guiding complex commercial, industrial, institutional, and residential projects from concept through completion, combining proven construction practices with modern design and technology.
Featured on 570 News with Mike Farwell
Legacy Builders was featured on 570 News with Mike Farwell, sharing how the program connects students with real construction career pathways through education and industry mentorship.
Volunteer Spotlight: Sarah Cowie
Sarah works with brick, block, and stone masonry, creating the strong and beautiful structures that define many of the buildings in her community.
Volunteer Spotlight: Alan Minns
Alan works closely with trades to bring projects to the finish line, ensuring interiors are completed to a high standard. His day-to-day involves managing the final details that bring a project together.
Jason Church - Board Member
Jason Church brings more than two decades of deep industry experience to his role with Legacy Builders. As an Account Manager in Business Development at Hewson Brothers Building Supply, Jason supports contractors across commercial, modular, residential, industrial, and agricultural projects, helping source the right building materials, managing orders, and coordinating closely with builders to ensure projects run smoothly. Over his 25-year career in building materials and construction supply, he’s worn many hats, including warehouse operations, delivery logistics, safety management, inside and outside sales, and general management, giving him a broad, hands-on understanding of the construction supply chain.
Susan Carey - Board Member
Susan is particularly energized by the movement’s mission to dismantle outdated stigmas surrounding the trades and to highlight the meaningful, rewarding careers the industry offers. She is driven by the opportunity to help shape a more diverse, empowered, and future-ready workforce.
Legacy Builders Construction Careers Association Officially Launches as a Non-Profit
Local KW Non-Profit Launches to Inspire Youth Into Construction – Legacy Builders Construction Careers Association
Beth Marchant - Vice President
Beth Marchant brings a dynamic blend of creativity, marketing acumen, and personal resilience to her role as Vice President of Legacy Builders. With a career rooted in graphic design and digital marketing, Beth has long been passionate about helping small businesses craft strong, authentic brands — a journey she began over a decade ago.
Christina Rauchfleisz-Shantz - Founder/President
As a third-generation construction professional, you could say the industry has always been in my blood — but my path to it was anything but linear. I grew up surrounded by construction through my father and grandfather, yet I originally pursued a different direction, earning a degree in Psychology and Sociology. To help pay for university, I worked for my father during the summers at Melloul-Blamey Construction. After graduating and still unsure of my long-term direction, I returned to MB full-time “just for now”… and ended up finding my passion.
Volunteer Spotlight: Stefani Rodic
Stefani is a Sales Coordinator at Modern Architectural Products (MAP) where she leads national sales distribution of innovative building products. She supports national sales operations by managing client communications, steeamlining project workflows, and ensuring seamless delivery. Stefani is committed to helping architects, designers, and contractors find the right solutions to bring their project to life.
Connecting Classrooms to Careers:BEPWR's Partnership with LegacyBuilders
As a local organization dedicated to career exploration for youth, the Business & Education Partnership of Waterloo Region is proud to be a partner of Legacy Builders. In our rapidly changing world, youth face a greater challenge than ever determining how to translate their goals and skills into a satisfying career path.
Volunteer Spotlight: Jason Church
Jason supports contractors across commercial, modular, residential, industrial, and agricultural projects by supplying the right building materials and ensuring strong client relationships. His work includes helping customers find product solutions, managing orders, and coordinating with builders to keep projects on track.
Volunteer Spotlight: Emily Ditner
As a Project Coordinator at Jackman Construction, Emily supports the planning and execution of construction projects by coordinating between consultants, trades, and internal teams. Her role includes managing schedules, tracking budgets, reviewing contracts and change orders, and ensuring project documentation is accurate and up to date. Emily ensures clear communication across stakeholders, helping projects run smoothly and efficiently.
Legacy Builders: Building Futures, One Student at a Time
What started in 2022 as a grassroots initiative by the Grand Valley Construction Association (GVCA) and its Leaders in Construction (LinC) Committee has blossomed into a high-impact, independently driven program: Legacy Builders, now proudly presented by Melloul-Blamey and Hewson Bros..
Building the Future: Why We Created Legacy Builders
Across Canada, the demand for skilled tradespeople is growing faster than ever before. In Ontario alone, our industry will need more than 100,000 new trades professionals in the next decade to keep pace with the infrastructure and construction projects on the horizon. As someone who grew up in a construction family and now works in the industry, I’ve seen firsthand both the opportunities and the challenges we face in attracting the next generation of builders.
Sponsor Spotlight: Hewson Brothers Building Supply
We’re proud to have Hewson Brothers Building Supply as our Digital Media Sponsor. For over 40 years and through four generations, Hewson Brothers has been a trusted name in the construction industry. They know what it means to show up, put in the work, and invest in the people who keep our industry moving forward. And now, they’re helping us take that same energy into classrooms across the region.
Volunteer Spotlight: Beth Marchant
Beth plays a key role in shaping how the construction industry is seen and celebrated. As Marketing & Design Specialist at Hewson Brothers, she manages campaigns, digital platforms, and community engagement initiatives that highlight the work of contractors and suppliers across Ontario. Her background in branding and content creation allows her to tell powerful stories about people, products, and projects in the construction sector.

