Photo submitted to Times Observer Troy Littlefield, Jake Alcorn, Committee Chairman Jim Simonsen, and Shannon Littlefield celebrate Alcorn as the winner of the inaugural Gary Littlefield Memorial Welding Competition.

Jake Alcorn is the winner of the inaugural Gary Littlefield Memorial Welding Competition.

The competition was created to honor the memory of Littlefield — who had been a pipeline welder for National Transit Company and retired as a welder with Pennzoil.

Littlefield was “a very well-respected Warren County resident who shared a life-long appreciation for quality welding applications,” until his passing in 2021, Competition Chairman James Simonsen said.

The competition showcases the welding skills of students at Warren County Career Center.

“As a way of honoring Gary’s welding passion, we have decided to create an annual competition to be held in May each year that will encourage welding students… to advance their skills,” Simonsen said. “We will be awarding a $1,000 cash prize to the winner each year.”

This year, that winner is Alcorn.

“We want this to be an annual competition that will encourage students to show off their welding skills and make them better prepared for employment opportunities in our area,” Simonsen said.