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Each year during National Apprenticeship Week, SMART celebrates the life-changing power of a union apprenticeship — from stellar pay and benefits to lifelong solidarity and fulfilling career paths.

The SMART Women’s Committee is spotlighting female apprentices as part of National Apprenticeship Week 2024. And in St. Louis, second-year apprentice Lily May Gibson is getting her career off to a strong start, helping found the first Local 36 Women’s Committee and doing her part to bring more sisters into our trade.

What unique strengths do you bring to your trade?

I can MiG, Stick and TIG weld. I can weld aluminum, stainless steel, copper, titanium, etc. I have a very strong work ethic and always willing to learn new things! I’m strong in leadership roles as well.

What do you love to do when you are not at work?

When I’m not at work, I sit in my shop at home and weld. I also enjoy racing, hunting, fishing, taking care of my farm and being involved in volunteer work in my community!

Tool you can’t live without?

Hands down would be my welpers. It’s a pair of pliers meant for MIG welding.

What are your goals in the future?

I’m one of the founders of the first women’s committee in Local 36. Some of my goals are to help grow our women’s committee, be able to travel out of the country to weld, and help other women and younger generations understand that trades are a wonderful route to go. I’d also love to learn laser welding in the future!

Local 36 apprentices Keira Krentz and Lilly Gibson attended Wom­en’s Lobby Day at the Missouri Capitol on Wednesday, March 6. Both apprentices are pictured with Missouri AFL-CIO President Jacob Hummel and State Senator Elaine Gannon, a union-friendly Republican.

Ray D. Reasons II was appointed SMART 11th General Vice President on August 1, 2023, following the retirement of Tim Carter.

Reasons began his career as an apprentice with Local 36 (St. Louis, Mo.) in 1994 and was initiated as a journeyperson in January of 2000. Throughout his career, Reasons has held various positions in the field and ran a sheet metal shop. During those years, he was also appointed to serve as a trustee of the general fund, a trustee of the JATC, as well as trustee of the local’s Health & Welfare, Pension, 401(k) and Vacation funds.

Starting in 2006, Reasons was elected to three consecutive terms as recording secretary for the executive board, and in 2015 he successfully ran for business representative. In 2018, he was elected president and business manager, and he serves as chair of the JATC and all benefit funds of Local 36.

Reasons has been married to his wife, Rebecca, for 24 years; they have two sons. His oldest son started his apprenticeship with Local 36 in November of 2022.

Local 36 (St. Louis) sheet metal worker-turned-signatory contractor Rochelle Bonty was recognized by the Missouri Women in Trades (MOWIT) in early April, when she earned an honorable mention in MOWIT’s 2022 Contractor of the Year category. Bonty, the first Black woman in the Local 36 apprenticeship program, started her business — RMB Mechanical — in 2020.

“I wanted to open my own business for my family, for the industry, because the number of MBE/WBE [minority business enterprise/woman business enterprise] businesses are few, and for others who look like me, so they can be inspired to do the same,” Bonty told the Labor Tribune. “It’s hard, but others need to see it’s not impossible.”

Bonty entered the sheet metal trade out of a love for working with her hands and the desire to create something out of nothing; “I enjoy seeing the process of renovation and preserving the history of the city I grew up in,” she said. In 2020, that love for her craft spurred her to take the next step in her career. She had been working at Ball Park Village for Clay Piping Systems when the pandemic started — she was laid off, and although she returned to her previous employer, she began researching the process of starting one’s own business. Given the emphasis the pandemic has placed on indoor air quality, she immediately thought of HVAC duct cleaning.

“For me, that was the simplest thing to start and I didn’t need as much money as opposed to taking on a major HVAC contract,” she told the Tribune. “I started making calls to businesses and asking if they needed their air ducts cleaned.”

After contacting the St. Louis Development Corporation, they offered her a grant for air duct cleaning.

“That was my first contract,” she added.

Since then, Bonty’s trailblazing career has moved forward at breakneck speed. She recently became the first Black woman to serve on the board of SMACNA St. Louis, and she has aimed to inspire more women and high school graduates to join the trades via her work as a member of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) St. Louis chapter and as a St. Louis Building Union Diversity (BUD) program mentor. Such efforts are especially significant as SMART aims to strengthen our union by organizing, recruiting and retaining workers from across all backgrounds.

“I wasn’t sure if I could [have a career in the trades], but I did,” she said. “I hope to be an example for others so they can overcome their doubts and fears and do things uncommon in the construction industry.”

Local 36 (St. Louis, Missouri) hosted its annual Bass Classic in April — and thanks to extenuating weather, the fishing was even more eventful than usual.

“We had a HAIL of a time this year,” the local wrote on Facebook, “braving not one, but two hail storms over the course of the tournament. Thank you to everyone who helped make this event happen, and congrats to everyone who weighed fish.”

FIRST PLACE: 14.3 LBS

Sam Partain — Wyatt Knuckles

SECOND PLACE: 10.22 LBS

John Dubrouillet — Glen Livaudkis

THIRD PLACE: 9.41 LBS

Brian Granger — Greg Bunton

FOURTH PLACE: 6.65 LBS

Fred Hubler — Brian Hubler

BIG BASS 1: 4.58 LBS

Steve Zambruski — Ryan Zambruski

BIG BASS 2: 4.29 LBS

Sam Partain — Wyatt Knuckles

LOCAL 36 FISH: 3.54 LBS

Andy Smith — Jake West

Apprentice Completions:

Front Row, L-R: Alexander Schmitz; Perry Byrd; Evan Vogt; Mark Carron,
Instructor; Joshua Chandler; Matthew Bafaro, Julie Koontz, Office
Manager; Tyler Kiefer; Joanna Mason; Douglas Gruebel; Zachary
Warren; Garrett Mills; Phillip Killian; Dylan Black

Back Row, L-R: Chris Racherbaumer, Instructor; Joseph Kehder,
Apprentice Coordinator, Matthew Groeper; Ginger Moore; Jeremy
Brutcher; Robert Fleis; Michael Porter; Jason LaChance, Instructor
Andy Smith, Assistant Apprentice Coordinator/Assistant Organizer

25-year service awards:

Back Row, L-R: Jeremy Snyder, FST; Charles Lamar; James Schulte,
Business Rep.; Ray D. Reasons II, President/Business Manager; Dan
Sutter, Business Rep.; Kristopher Harmon, International Organizer; Ted
Ramsdell, Business Rep; Jacob Crismon, Business Rep.

Front Row, L-R: Steven Quinn; Douglas Piant; Ronald Kimble; Brian
Gruenloh; Jason St. Gemme; Terry L. Williams; Bradley Wallin; Gregory
Feth; Larry Schulte; Glenn Tammons III; Steven Frost; Walter Warren; Jason
Campbell; Michael Ortmann; Gregory Northcutt; Christopher Andrews

40-year service awards:

Back Row, L-R: Jeremy Snyder, FST; Charles Lamar; James Schulte,
Business Rep.; Ray D. Reasons II, President/Business Manager; Dan
Sutter, Business Rep.; Ted Ramsdell, Business Rep.; Jacob Crismon,
Business Rep.

Front Row, L-R: James Tharp; John Lang; Kevin Stough; Stephen Baker;
Arthur LeBeau III; Michael Dickherber; Daniel Fanter; Steven Veselsky;
George Donovan III; Richard Morris; Bill Rector; Gary Rector

50-year service awards:

Back Row, L-R: Jeremy Snyder, FST; Charles Lamar; James Schulte,
Business Rep.; Ray D. Reasons II, President/Business Manager; Dan
Sutter, Business Rep.; Ted Ramsdell, Business Rep.

Front Row, L-R: Francis Meyer; Dominic Petruso; Timothy Wilkinson;
Joseph Meeka III; Mark Grayson; Rodney Buchek; Donald Elders;
William Price Jr.; Michael Bishop Sr.; Ronald Deneke; Raymond Lawler;
William Griese; Hugh Henderson; Gregory Stumpf

70-year service awards:

Back Row, L-R: Jeremy Snyder, Financial Secretary-Treasurer (FST);
James Schulte, Business Rep.
Front Row, L-R: Floyd Walker; Vernon Kraemer; Ray D. Reasons II,
President/Business Manager; Dan Sutter, Business Rep.; Ted Ramsdell,
Business Rep.
Seated: Richard F. Sambo

Local 36 sheet metal worker-owner Rochelle Bonty was recognized by the Missouri Women in Trades (MOWIT) in early April, when she earned an honorable mention in MOWIT’s 2022 Contractor of the Year category. Bonty, the first Black woman in the Local 36 apprenticeship program, started her business – RMB Mechanical, a Local 36 signatory contractor – in 2020.

“I wanted to open my own business for my family, for the industry because the number of MBE/WBE [minority business enterprise/woman business enterprise] businesses are few, and for others who look like me so they can be inspired to do the same,” Bonty told the Labor Tribune. “It’s hard, but others need to see it’s not impossible.” 

Bonty entered the sheet metal trade out of a love for working with her hands and the desire to create something out of nothing; “I enjoy seeing the process of renovation and preserving the history of the city I grew up in,” she said. In 2020, that love for her craft spurred her to become a union signatory sheet metal contractor. She had been working at Ball Park Village for Clay Piping systems when the pandemic started – she was laid off, and although she returned to her previous employer, she began researching the process of starting one’s own business. Given the emphasis the pandemic has placed on indoor air quality, she immediately thought of HVAC duct cleaning.

“For me, that was the simplest thing to start, and I didn’t need as much money as opposed to taking on a major HVAC contract,” she told the Tribune. “I started making calls to businesses and asking if they needed their air ducts cleaned.” 

After contacting the St. Louis Development Corporation, they offered her a grant for air duct cleaning.

“That was my first contract,” she added.

Since then, Bonty’s trailblazing career has moved forward at breakneck speed. She recently became the first Black woman to serve on the board of SMACNA St. Louis, and she has aimed to inspire more women and high school graduates to join the trades via her work as a member of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) St. Louis chapter and as a St. Louis Building Union Diversity (BUD) program mentor. Such efforts are especially significant as SMART aims to strengthen our union by organizing, recruiting and retaining workers from across all backgrounds.

“I wasn’t sure if I could [have a career in the trades], but I did,” she said. “I hope to be an example for others so they can overcome their doubts and fears and do things uncommonly in the construction industry.”