Howard Crowned Ultimate Tradesman

IRWIN Industrial Tools crowned Eric Howard as the 2008 Ultimate Tradesman.??Howard, a general contractor from Concord, Calif., bested four other professional tradesmen to take home the coveted title and a treasure trove of cash and prizes.

The second-annual Ultimate Tradesman Challenge is a timed event in which participants compete using an IRWIN STRAIT-LINE chalk reel, IRWIN tape measure and SPEEDBOR Max wood boring bit to mark, measure and drill as quickly and accurately as possible.??More than 10,000 tradesmen competed in 200 local events in 37 states, four Canadian provinces, Australia and New Zealand.

Howard won the North America finals with a qualifying time of 23:88 seconds, winning a Roush Performance Supercharged Stage III Ford F-150 valued at more than $60,000, a 600-square-foot IRWIN Ultimate Garage by Allied Steel Buildings and a year's supply of Dickies work gear.

For details on the 2009 competition please visit, irwinchallenge.com.