2024 Metal Construction News Hall of Fame – Founder
First introduced to the metal construction industry working for his grandfather, Robert Webster, at Channel Building during summer holidays, Keith Wentworth now has more than 27 years of experience under his belt. After acquiring a degree in civil engineering from Merrimack College, he began working for his uncle, 2023 Metal Construction Hall of Fame inductee Steven Robert Webster, at Dutton & Garfield (DGI). Wentworth is now vice-president, corporate treasurer, and project manager at DGI.
A third-generation Butler Builder, Wentworth is a fully trained Butler Master Order Writer, in addition to Butler Advantage Construction Software and Comprehensive Product Training. Further, he is a Butler-certified Weathertight Gold Roof Installer/Supervisor and licensed Massachusetts Construction Supervisor. Since 2022, he has also served on Butler’s advisory council.
Over the years, Wentworth has served on the boards of numerous associations, including past president of the national board of Metal Building Contractors & Erectors Association (MBCEA), a past president of the MBCEA New England chapter, and president of the Metal Buildings Institute (MBI). He is also an esteemed guest speaker at METALCON and MBCEA conferences.
An energetic advocate for advancement within the industry, Wentworth was instrumental in the development and promotion of the AC478 Metal Building Assembler Accreditation program. “Being involved in the early years with revisions to help get more contractors/erectors signed up helped me see how close we were to being able to apply and how much that could help our business,” says Wentworth. “We were already doing
80 percent of the things the program required, but it wasn’t documented. Becoming AC478 accredited helped us get organized, create SOPs [standard operating procedures], and become safer. Our business is always looking to improve, and having regular internal audits to review policies and procedures helps us be more efficient and generate more business. We also use it as a sales tool to help set us apart from other general contractors and PEB
[pre-engineered building] contractors.”
Likewise, Wentworth is a tireless proponent of safety training, trade skill promotion, and education. He provided updates and improvements to the MBI Quality and Craftsmanship module series. Additionally, he made significant contributions facilitating interest and instruction in the MBI Temporary Bracing Guidelines, acting as both a guest speaker and educator of the standards.
Wentworth is also a steadfast mentor, dedicated to fostering interest in the metal construction industry, especially to younger generations. In 2019, the MBCEA developed a Labor and Education Committee with Wentworth as chairperson, emphasizing the promotion of metal building construction to young people, parents, educators, and guidance counselors. Under his leadership, various organization chairs and industry professionals collaborated for workforce development.
Through his years of experience, he has garnered immense respect within the industry, always leading by example. “When issues do come up, don’t point fingers. Be part of the solution, not the problem,” says Wentworth. “If you are responsible for it, even more so, own it and figure out how to fix it. I’ve found that it costs less when you get involved as soon as possible, instead of trying to figure out who is responsible.”
