SMART Administrative Assistant Jackie Miesner retired from the SMART International staff on February 1, 2024, bringing an end to a nearly 40-year career in our union.
SMART General President Michael Coleman (left) with Jackie MiesnerL-R: SMART Director of Gov. Affairs Steve Dodd, Jackie Miesner, former Director of Gov. Affairs Vince Panvini
Miesner began her career in 1986 and provided endless assistance to the SMART Departments of Governmental Affairs, Education, Production, Organizing and Strategic Campaigns — supporting local unions and members across North America with pride and devotion.
SMART is grateful for Jackie’s 38 years of dedicated service to our union, and we wish her a long and healthy retirement!
In December 2023, 30-plus-year sheet metal worker Lance Deyette was elected a general vice president on the SMART General Executive Council.
Deyette is a graduate of Bates Technical College and started his apprenticeship with SM Local 66 (Seattle, Washington) in 1988. Deyette turned out as a journeyperson in 1992 and worked at Olympia Sheet Metal, US Sheet Metal and Sunset Air as a journeyperson, foreman and superintendent. In 2005, he was elected to serve the membership as a Local 66 business representative, and on June 1, 2020, Deyette was appointed regional manager of Local 66 and vice president of the SMART Northwest Regional Council. Three years later, Deyette became president of the Northwest Regional Council, winning election to the position on July 1, 2023.
Deyette serves as a trustee on the Northwest Sheet Metal Workers Pension, Northwest Sheet Metal Workers Healthcare Trust, Northwest Sheet Metal Organizational Trust and the Western Washington Sheet Metal Training and Apprenticeship Program, along with the Oregon Master Pension Plan for Local 16. He also serves on the Washington State Building and Construction Trades Executive Board and is the president of the Olympia Building and Construction Trades Council.
The Partners in Progress 2024 conference brought sheet metal and signatory management leaders to Orlando, Florida, from February 27–28. With a conference theme of “The Future Is Now,” labor and management representatives came together to focus on seizing this moment of opportunity for SMART sheet metal workers and our union contractors.
SMART General President Coleman speaks to attendees at Partners in Progress 2024.
Day one sets the stage
The conference kicked off with a joint presidential address by SMART General President Michael Coleman and SMACNA President Carol Duncan, who — together — described the steps our organizations have taken to increase work, recruiting and growth prospects across North America. Duncan provided an overview of the jobs being created by a surge of megaprojects in both the United States and Canada, pointing out that only by working together can local unions and signatory contractors make sure those projects are completed by high-road union employers and workers. Coleman agreed, noting the importance of collaborating to create cultures that are inclusive, welcoming and that help the unionized sheet metal workforce grow.
“People are coming to us for a better life,” he said. “But we must make sure people can find it. If our doors are closed, I think both Carol and I will feel that we failed.”
Coleman outlined many of the collaborative successes SMART and SMACNA have already achieved: the formation of the SMART, SMACNA and International Training Institute (ITI) Belonging and Excellence for All (BE4ALL) initiative, which has distributed menstrual kits to JATCs organization- wide, conducted bias and belonging trainings and recently published its groundbreaking rapid response protocol; legislation and union-friendly elected officials that SMART and SMACNA lobbied and mobilized for collectively; and much more. He also discussed how vital it is for local unions and contractors to embrace the I Got Your Back Campaign, promoting a mentorship model that helps ALL workers succeed in our industry.
“We often hear — and say — that we want to leave things better than when we arrived. Now is the time to do just that,” Coleman said. “Yes, it will take our best efforts. But our entire industry and everyone who puts their trust in us deserve nothing less.”
SMART’s John Harris asks a question during a fireside chatSMART and SMACNA leaders host a fireside chatVictoria Labalme delivers the day one keynoteAttendees during a breakout session
Following a keynote address by award-winning speaker Victoria Labalme, who garnered a standing ovation from attendees for her speech on “risk-forward” leadership, SMART and SMACNA leaders got to work in breakouts. Sessions included presentations on maximizing indoor air quality work opportunities by National Energy Management Institute (NEMI) Administrator Lisa Davis; a panel featuring Coleman, Duncan and Procore Vice President Rubiena Duarte on building and sustaining healthy organizational cultures in the union sheet metal industry; a training on utilizing the rapid response protocol by SMART House Counsel Luke Rebecchi and Felhaber Larson’s Dan Kelly; and an overview of the importance of building local mentoring programs by NEMI’s Davis and Tammy Meyen of the ITI.
Day one concluded with an afternoon general session. Dushaw Hockett, a key partner in the BE4ALL initiative, presented on the importance of strong, local labor-management partnerships that are focused on leveraging strengths, networks, community partners and more to help workers and contractors alike. Clark Ellis of Continuum Advisory Group addressed the future of the construction industry, overviewing trends, challenges and opportunities by telling the story of what one worker’s career could look like in the near future — if the union sheet metal industry takes steps to recruit and retain ALL workers, including women, people of color, the formerly incarcerated and beyond. And finally, Coleman, Duncan, SMART General Secretary-Treasurer Joseph Powell and SMACNA CEO Aaron Hilger conducted a reside chat with attendees, fostering an open dialogue on how labor and management can work together to take advantage of this moment. Leaders talked about programs that have been implemented to help solve workforce challenges, from BE4ALL and mentoring initiatives to the SMART Incentive Program, and spoke frankly about the steps we need to take to strengthen our industry hold.
Day two: Attendees depart with purpose
Union sheet metal industry leaders picked up where they left off on day two of Partners in Progress, beginning with a morning full of breakout sessions intended to help local unions and contractors secure work and expand market share.
Day two keynote speaker Kevin BrownAldo Zambetti speaks during a breakoutPanelists from SMART Local 91 and Illowa Contractors’ AssociationSMACNA President Carol Duncan and SMART GP Michael Coleman
SMART Local 91 (Rock Island, Illinois) Business Manager Eric Meirhaeghe and Illowa Sheet Metal Contractors Association Chapter Executive Paul Elgatian joined Procore Vice President Duarte for a session on open and effective communication between teams, demonstrating how a relationship built on clear and intentional communication can create and secure work for SMART members and contractors. SMART International Organizer Will Scott, Dushaw Hockett and SMACNA Sacramento Valley Chapter’s Cheryl Sprague held a session titled “Collaboration for Progress,” diving deep into the characteristics of impactful partnership and underlining how collaborations with community groups and nonprofit organizations can boost our industry’s profile. And SMART Member Assistance Program Coordinator Chris Carlough co-presented a session titled “Beyond the Basic: A Renewed Approach to Mental Health and Wellness” with Cort Consulting’s Ben Cort, exploring the importance of addressing mental health in our industry — and what SMART has done so far in the arena.
The two general sessions sent attendees on their way with a focus on transforming their local areas to achieve success. Steven English, a 22-year engineer and head of Steven English Coaching and Training, presented on “Building Leadership Culture: Inspiring and Developing Tomorrow’s Leaders” — helping SMART and SMACNA members explore strategies, principles and best practices for cultivating leadership at each level of our respective organizations. The next speaker, Dr. Michael F. Barnes, also spoke to the significance of culture, particularly creating inclusive and positive workplaces in order to benefit workers’ mental health. Barnes overviewed topics including hazing and bullying, open communication, mental health awareness and more, helping equip attendees with knowledge and tools to create workplaces that put members’ well-being first.
The conference concluded with a moving keynote speech from best-selling author Kevin Brown and closing reflections from General President Coleman and SMACNA President Duncan, who each noted the importance of collaborating not just in name but in action as we look to the future.
“Our collaborative efforts have demonstrated alignment between labor and management on most issues we face. We’re not divided by our differences; rather, we’re propelled by our common goals,” said Duncan.
“It has been inspiring to hear what the leaders in this room are doing to meet this moment,” Coleman concluded. “All of you — from the labor side, from the management side — are here today because you are committed to hard work. You came here to form relationships with each other, to identify the challenges and opportunities ahead, to brainstorm and come up with collective solutions that will strengthen and expand our unionized workforce.”
From local union visits to new member organizing, the SMART RME Department is actively working to strengthen and grow our union. Read updates on the department’s recent activities:
SMART RME International representatives visit local unions
SMART RME International Representative Joe Fraley and RME Department Director Peter Kennedy have been engaging with RME members at union meetings, visiting Locals 78 (Little Rock, Ark.), 165 (Argentine, Kan.), 256 (Chicago, Ill.), 462 (Huntington, W.Va.) and 472 (Topeka, Kan.) To provide information about local representative training, member engagement and other resources that are available for officers and members.
“Keep an eye out for meeting notifications in the future — we will be visiting remaining locals in 2024,” said Kennedy.
Local 472 meeting attendees: Jacob Crump, David Samuels, Lloyd Long, Corey Kious, David Streeter, David Dains, Travis Morgan, Jesse Drake, Jesse Thomas, Preston Cummings, Brennan Walker, James Smith, Craig Snyder, Brady Haddock, Rich Mohr
RME Department conducts trainings for local union officers
In November 2023, General Committee 2 officers, with assistance from International representatives, provided training to local union chairpersons for claim and grievance handling, as well as the representation of members at disciplinary hearings. The training, held in Chicago, marked the second of its kind for local chairpersons. The department also held its first training for newly elected recording secretaries and financial secretary-treasurers in Washington, DC.
“These training courses are offered at no cost to the local unions, as costs associated with the training are covered by General Committee 2 and the International,” explained Fraley. “These sessions will continue In 2024, again at no cost to local unions. Each local is encouraged to send their elected officers to these courses.”
RME training in Washington, DCLocal 256 meeting attendees: Pete Fiore, Rick Flores, Jacob Orseno, Matthew Del Real, Gilbert Santiago, Christopher Pasowisty, Dominick Horne Sr., Erik Ortega, John Sutton
SMART RME wins National Mediation Board election for RailTerm employees
On November 16, 2023, the RME Department won a representation election for employees working at RailTerm. This marks another organizing victory for SMART as we work to bring new members into our union.
“Negotiations will begin in the near future,” said Fraley. “We are proud to represent the RailTerm employees and are ready to negotiate an agreement with the company.”
Topeka shop visit: Dave SamuelsTopeka shop visit: Randy Medilen
On February 13, 2024, Tom Suozzi won a special election to represent New York’s Third Congressional District following former Representative George Santos’ expulsion from the House of Representatives. Suozzi’s victory resulted in no small part from the mobilization and voting efforts of SMART members, who turned out in force to flip the seat from antiunion to pro-worker.
“This sends a message to all: When you bring all unions together, we all win,” Local 28 (New York City and Long Island) wrote on Twitter.
In the weeks leading up to election day, sheet metal and transportation workers joined their union brothers and sisters across the New York labor movement for a massive member-to-member outreach campaign. All told, New York City union members made more than 50,000 calls and knocked on almost 10,000 doors in Queens alone.
“I was honored to endorse Tom Suozzi for Congress in the Third Congressional District on behalf of SMART Sheet Metal Workers Local 28,” said Eric Meslin, Local 28 president and business manager. “As the president and business manager of our union, I place great importance on addressing the concerns that matter to our members. These concerns include improving wages and benefits, apprenticeship programs that provide long-term career opportunities, implementing stricter safety regulations and advocating for fair prevailing wages that have been overlooked for far too long.
SMART members get out the vote for Tom Suozzi.
“Tom Suozzi aligns with our vision and has demonstrated a consistent dedication to fighting for working-class families,” Meslin added. “He understands the challenges faced by our members in Long Island and New York City and has actively supported middle-class jobs that keep pace with the rising cost of living in our region. We firmly believe that Tom Suozzi will champion the needs and interests of our union members, and greatly benefit our community.”
Suozzi had previously served in the same seat before deciding not to run for reelection in 2022 — and during his years representing Queens and Long Island, he consistently consulted SMART-TD and Alt. Vice President/General Chairperson from the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) Anthony Simon on issues that would affect TD members.
“Some legislators have a relationship with labor unions where they feel obligated to reach out to us to explain their vote before or after it is cast. Suozzi treats General Chairperson Simon and our members as valued assets who contribute to him forming his opinion rather than as a voting bloc he needs to pacify or make sure is kept happy,” SMART-TD’s Legislative Department wrote in an article ahead of election day. “Suozzi is a valued partner in our union’s effort to promote safety in transportation, as well as invest in the value we bring to our neighborhoods and the country.”
Donald Ratzel, a proud Local 80 (Detroit, Michigan) member of 56 years, continues to stay active in his local union: attending union meetings, supporting his brothers and sisters and participating in Local 80’s annual Dollars Against Diabetes (DAD’s) Day events.
Donald Ratzel (left) with Local 80 Business Manager Tim Mulligan
DAD’s Day is a North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU) campaign to raise money to find a cure for diabetes. Every year, Local 80 holds a golf outing to support DAD’s Day, contributing to the collective fundraising efforts of SMART locals and building trades unions across North America. So far, the campaign has donated more than $57 million to the Diabetes Research Institute in Miami, Florida.
Thank you, Brother Ratzel, for your dedication to your local and to the ongoing effort to cure diabetes!
In Georgia, so-called “right-to-work” laws make it hard for unions to organize and retain members, particularly when language barriers in the workplace already present challenges. Despite such obstacles, though, SMART Local 85 (Atlanta, Ga.) has made big inroads at Price Industries, where approximately 70% of the workforce speaks Vietnamese as a first language.
“A new approach to internal organizing has been key to this success,” said SMART Director of Production Workers Dave Goodspeed.
“We were able to hire — from our own ranks — a Vietnamese speaker, Donson Ha,” Goodspeed explained, “and he’s a firecracker.”
Anti-union right-to-work laws allow members to opt out of paying union dues, making the inability to communicate effectively to an entire workforce potentially devastating to both workers and local unions. That was especially true at Price in Georgia: Local 85 was unable to convey the union difference and best represent its members, and workers were cautious about seeking representation from those they literally couldn’t understand.
“For a long time, Price Industries has been a hard nut to crack in terms of signing new members, primarily because Price has made a practice of hiring so many different nationalities,” Goodspeed said.
“They have people who speak English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Burmese, Cambodian, and the largest population of workers down there — probably 50% — are Vietnamese,” added SMART International Production Organizer Sharon Walker.
Local 85 Shop Steward Rich Manh Bui (left)Local 85 Shop Steward Hai Ngo (sitting)
Until recently, only around 20–25% of Price workers had signed up with the union, Walker said, and the lack of representation had material consequences. One example: The company would post mandatory overtime notices to its bulletin boards in English exclusively, making it difficult for non-English-speaking workers who may have missed the announcement from their shop lead to know what was required of them. And in the event that a worker who didn’t speak English faced discipline, they often didn’t know how to go to their union for help.
“I didn’t know about unions until I met Sharon, and she explained to me … what a union is,” said Vietnamese-speaking Shop Steward Rich Manh Bui.
“Before, nobody represented them, and that’s why Vietnamese [workers] didn’t know anything about a union,” added fellow Shop Steward Hai Ngo. “Even when they joined a union, and they had a problem, they don’t know where they’re going — they don’t know who they’ve got to ask.”
Donson Ha
That’s where Ha and shop stewards like Bui and Ngo entered the equation. Local 85 and SMART International representatives realized they had to do more to gain the trust of the Price workforce, and in the spirit of true trade unionism, they looked to the rank-and-file for leadership. Ha, a 10-year Local 85 member, came from the building trades side of the industry — but after seeing the number of Vietnamese workers in production, especially older workers, he was motivated to change job titles.
Since Local 85 hired Ha as a subsidized production organizer, the percentage of organized workers has approximately doubled.
“I’m very happy to organize, to stand up for Vietnamese people, because they didn’t understand the union; they don’t speak English, and they didn’t know how strong it is to be a union member,” said Ha. “My job is to help them understand how it works, how the union helps people.”
With organizing efforts in Indiana still at an all-time high, Local 20 recently participated in our first-ever organizing blitz to staff the Stellantis battery plant megaproject in Kokomo, Indiana. Thanks to the participation of Local 20 staff and the help of our Youth-to-Youth program, we were able to reach more than 500 jobsites, vocational schools, non-signatory shops and recruitment centers, ranging from Greenwood all the way to South Bend. We also handed out thousands of QR-code cards that linked to wage and benefit information for both non-signatory workers and the general public.
The blitz enabled us to boost membership as well as build our person-of-interest list in anticipation of other megaprojects coming to the state. Not only does this organizing benefit us as a whole; it also offers a life-changing opportunity for many people who are working nonunion.
I reached out to a few members who were organized this year to see what difference they experienced and their overall thoughts on joining the trade. Here is testimony from Xia Walker, who we organized into the apprenticeship program from Peterman Brothers:
Xia Walker
“When it comes to my home life and work schedule compared to the big, nonunion HVAC company I was working for, I would have to say it is a night and day difference. The company I worked for did offer competitive pay, but that did not make up for the fact that I was paying almost $900 a month out of my wages just so my family could have insurance. I was also expected to work every day until the job was completed, which could range anywhere from six to 16 hours with no real time to rest in between or daily overtime to make it worth the headache.
“I hated it. I had no free time to spend with family and friends. I have five uncles in the trade who were consistently trying to recruit me so I could spend more time with family and friends and have better pay and benefits. I did enjoy some aspects of residential work, but commercial work is where it’s at. No more disgusting crawl spaces or small attics.
“Overall, I love my consistent work schedule. I can actually be home to spend time with my wife and kids throughout the work week. When I look back at it, I wish I would have stuck with the union back when I was 20; I would definitely be much further in my career than I am today.”
Next up: testimony from Clifton Beezley, who was recently organized from a nonunion fabrication shop and placed with one of Local 20’s contractors:
“The old job I came from did not have any professional mindset or desire to help me grow as an employee; they refused to share their knowledge with me so I could improve myself and expand my abilities in the trade. Since starting with Local 20, I have worked with a great group of knowledgeable workers who are more than willing to share their years of trade knowledge with me and want me to learn the trade and carry that same knowledge. The more I work with them, I see myself growing and gaining professional knowledge that I will eventually pass down to new members one day.
Clifton Beezley
“The shop I was previously working for made me feel very underappreciated and unimportant, and it feels good to work somewhere that makes me feel appreciated and important again. As far as the benefits go, between my old job and now, it doesn’t compare. My entire family has healthcare coverage as an employee paid benefit, and I love it! The last job offered benefits, but the price made them basically unattainable. This has been a huge stress reliever for me and my family, and we couldn’t be happier. This new job has truly offered me life-changing opportunities.”
It is always nice to see how much our organizing can affect someone’s life for the better. Hopefully, reading these testimonies will help us all remember how important it is for us to continue to bring new and experienced members into the trade and make sure they are treated with respect. Clifton shared his experience with Local 20 with others in the shop he came from, as well as family and friends, which has resulted in more than 10 people joining the trade.
This is a prime example of why we always treat every member with solidarity and respect: We are going to need every bit of help we can get in the future, and the need for people is increasing every day.
The SMART Education Department held its Organizing I class in Dallas, Texas, during the week of February 12th. The three-day class covered topics including the history of organizing, basic labor and labour law, top-down and bottom-up organizing, pressure tactics, digital organizing, implicit bias and SWOT and GAP analysis. Each of the 40 organizers and business representatives who attended the class developed organizing pitches, identified unfair labor practices, role played contractor interactions and prepared SWOT and GAP analysis for their goals as an organizer.
Across North America, various sheet metal funds including the National Energy Management Institute (NEMI), the International Training Institute (ITI) and the Sheet Metal Occupational Health Institute Trust (SMOHIT) work to expand opportunity and wellbeing in the unionized sheet metal trade. Read about recent appointees below:
New NEMI field representative tapped for Good Jobs, Great Cities Academy
Josh Hunter, former SMART Local 48 (Birmingham, Ala.) Business manager and new NEMI Southeast field representative, was selected earlier this year by the city of Birmingham Department of Innovation and Economic Opportunity to serve as a member of the Good Jobs, Great Cities Academy: a partnership between the National League of Cities (NLC) and the United States Department of Labor (DOL). The academy was established to develop innovative and scalable solutions to address pressing workforce challenges and is funded by investments from recently passed federal laws: the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the CHIPS and Science Act and the Inflation Reduction Act.
Birmingham was one of 16 cities chosen to participate in the academy. The group began meeting in May and will continue through July 2024 to develop solutions that focus on upskilling and reskilling workers and preparing underrepresented workers for quality, high-growth, in-demand occupations.
Working with labor leaders, industry partners and government representatives, the members of the Birmingham Good Jobs, Great Cities Academy specifically focus on infrastructure, clean energy and advanced manufacturing jobs, with an emphasis on barrier elimination, particularly as it relates to childcare and the care economy, Hunter said.
“I’m excited about this opportunity,” he added. “The work that we will be doing over the next year falls in line with the mission and goals our union has prioritized. We will look to create real solutions that will help our local recruit and retain members of the community, including those who are often underrepresented.”
Hunter hopes to create new marketing strategies and solutions, and he expects to work closely with the NEMI team to craft ideas that will assist his work group in completing its mission.
“NEMI has always been a resource we have relied on to help us move our local forward,” Hunter said. “I will absolutely rely on their expertise as a sounding board as we brainstorm solutions.”
Partnerships such as the academy are opportunities to get involved in the community, establish tangible relationships and build pipelines to recruit new members and promote the trade. Anything Hunter and Local 48 accomplish in Birmingham can be shared with other locals, too, added Lisa Davis, NEMI administrator.
“Local 48 has an incredible opportunity here, with Josh serving on the academy, to create real solutions that will benefit the entire community of Birmingham,” Davis said. “NEMI is proud to support his efforts in any way we can.”
Pittsburgh native lands leadership role at ITI
The ITI has named Len Liebert as program administrator, a position he accepted in September 2023. In his new role, Liebert oversees ITI classes and programs, working with teams on scheduling, planning and communication, as well as managing administrative staff and budget.
Len Liebert
Liebert has a history of mentoring apprentices and journeypersons. A longtime member of SMART Local 12 in Western Pennsylvania, Liebert joined the apprenticeship to become a second-generation sheet metal worker in 1989, shortly after graduating from Pennsylvania State University with a bachelor’s degree in secondary education. He then served as field foreman and in-house testing, adjusting and balancing (TAB) technician for Ruthrauff Service in Pittsburgh while working as a part-time instructor at his home local.
In 2001, Liebert took on teaching full time, and in 2014 he became the assistant training coordinator at Local 12. After around 20 years in service as a consultant for the ITI on instructor development, lesson packages, classroom management and educational psychology, Liebert was officially hired by the ITI as a field staff representative in 2017. He went on to become a certified Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) master trainer and a subject matter expert in infection control.
“Thirty-three years in this business has taught me to trust the people I have worked closely with,” Liebert said. “We have a great team here at the ITI, and I look forward to continued success with all our coordinators, instructors and members.”
Ed Robison aims to support members nationwide at SMOHIT
Ed Robison began his new job as field representative with SMOHIT — the health and safety arm of the unionized sheet metal industry — last summer, where his top priority is to educate members in their local unions about the resources SMOHIT offers.
Ed Robison
After entering the Local 218 (Springfield, Ill.) Apprenticeship in 1991, Robison completed the five-year program and steadily rose through the ranks to become an organizer and then, in 2014, the business manager. He lives in Springfield and continues to be a member of Local 218, where Carter Robison, the youngest of his three sons, is currently a second-year apprentice.
In his new position, Robison helps union members across the country by connecting them with local resources and familiarizing them with the SMART MAP (Member Assistance Program). Robison noted that it’s especially important to reach out to sheet metal workers who have traveled to work at large projects. These men and women are putting in long hours while living far from home, and those needing mental health support may not know where to turn.
“SMOHIT has increased staff size and vision, and it’s changing a lot,” he said. “I’m really excited for what lies ahead. This is going to be a whole new fund.”
John Wilson takes national role in sheet metal education
Longtime sheet metal worker John Wilson has been chosen as a field representative by the ITI. In this role, he will provide support for training programs and their directors, create and assist in the implementation of curriculum and training, and serve as a resource/liaison between the ITI and training facilities across the country.
John Wilson
Wilson began his career in the sheet metal industry shortly after he graduated high school in 2005. He completed the apprenticeship program with SMART Local 100, working mainly in the Washington, DC, area. From the moment he graduated from the apprenticeship, Wilson set his sights higher — first as a foreperson; then as general funds trustee, executive board member and part-time instructor; and finally, as an assistant training coordinator and recording secretary for Local 100. During his career, he worked for W.E. Bowers and Southland Industries.
Wilson is continuing his education at the Community College of Baltimore County, pursuing a degree in construction craft professionalism, in addition to industry training and certifications. Currently, he maintains multiple certifications in Occupational Safety and Health for the Construction Industry, fire life safety, duct air leakage, building envelope installer, ventilation verification and testing, adjusting and balancing, to name a few. He currently lives in Delta, Pennsylvania, just over the Maryland/Pennsylvania border.
Jeff Bradley named SMOHIT program director
Jeff Bradley, who joined SMOHIT in spring 2023 as a field representative, was promoted to program director in the fall, as his position underwent a “natural evolution:” moving into tasks such as scheduling and planning conferences and programs, reviewing contracts and overseeing the new version of health screenings, among others.
“The shift in responsibilities came organically as I stepped in to help with SMOHIT operations,” Bradley said. “Between revitalizing the health screenings in a different way that will reach even more members to scheduling SMART MAP sessions in Canada, it’s been busy, but I feel like I’m truly bringing benefits to members that could change their lives.”
Bradley entered his sheet metal apprenticeship in 2004 at Local 36 in St. Louis, where he currently resides with his wife and the youngest of his three children. Throughout his career, he has worked as a part- and full-time instructor and welding facility representative, as well as serving Local 36 as an organizer, vice president and director of marketing. He earned his associate degree in heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC-R) from Vatterott College, and he holds multiple certifications and training completion certificates.
