Brady Hopple is a second-generation metalworker carrying on a proud family legacy. He literally grew up in the trade, though his early career as a welder’s helper for his parents—Bert and Judy Hopple, who founded Art Sand & Steel in the early 1990s—was off to a rocky start. As a kid in the 1980s, Brady was admittedly far more interested in chasing grasshoppers and wandering off than holding a welding torch.
However, the craft eventually stuck. Brady worked at Art Sand & Steel throughout high school before answering the call to serve his country during a four-year stint in the military. Upon returning home to Cody, he recommitted to the trade, balancing work at the family shop with his studies at Northwest College in Powell, Wyoming, where he earned an AAS degree in Welding Technology.
Armed with a formal education and deep practical experience, Brady spent the next 12 years building a successful career as a Welding Engineer for several prominent companies. In 2016, his journey came full circle when he returned home to take over operations at Art Sand & Steel. Today, Brady combines his high-level engineering background with a lifelong passion for metalworking, creating exceptional custom fabrication and unique artwork for the community that shaped him.
