Professional Organizations

Trades Women Build Nations brings union sisters together

More than 2,700 union women — more than 200 sheet metal sisters — and their allies gathered Oct. 4-6 in downtown Minneapolis for Trades Women Build Nations, a meeting of the…

Local 40 lab video helps educate all to value of fire life safety

Sheet Metal Workers International Association Local Union 40 in Connecticut created its Fire Life Safety lab two years ago to share it with politicians, fire officials and other Sheet Metal, Air, Rail…

Fifth annual Safety Champions Conference set for March

The Sheet Metal Occupational Health Institute Trust (SMOHIT) plans to host the 2020 Safety Champions Conference March 22-24 at the Westin Riverwalk, San Antonio, 420 W. Market St. The conference continues SMOHIT’s…

California sheet metal veteran makes mentorship a priority

Once on the dentist track, Bob Dak’s career has served generations of apprentices CITY OF INDUSTRY, Calif. – Bob Dak was well on his way to a career in dentistry when…

Indiana apprenticeship focuses on service

Sheet Metal Workers Local 20 training centers in Gary and Evansville, Indiana, are meeting industry demand for more service specialists with new five-year service-specific apprenticeship programs. Sean Webb, who instructs general…

SMART Heroes second location celebrates first graduating class

SMART Heroes Local 9 in Colorado Springs celebrated its first graduating class Oct. 7. Three participants completed a seven-week course to earn the equivalent of their first-year sheet metal apprentice…

Five locals earn Platinum Designation at Eastern Regional Apprenticeship Conference

Mike Harris, program administrator of the International Training Institute (ITI), presented five sheet metal training centers with Platinum Accreditation during the Eastern Regional Apprenticeship Conference this spring. Locals who earned the designation include Local 85 in…

Celebrity Speakers signs world record Everest climber Apa Sherpa

Riveting speaker focuses attention on education, opportunities for his people LAS VEGAS – Bruce Merrin’s Celebrity Speakers Bureau has agreed to represent world record mountaineer and inspirational speaker Apa Sherpa…

Philadelphia passes fire life safety legislation

Earlier this year, Philadelphia joined the growing list of cities, counties and states with fire life safety ordinances, laws and legislation to regulate the inspections of fire and smoke dampers and smoke…

Valley Bank chosen No. 1 lender of SBA 504 loans in Nevada

Lending program allows businesses to expand while saving thousands HENDERSON, Nev. – The Small Business Administration (SBA) has chosen Valley Bank of Nevada as the leading lender in Nevada of…

Sheet metal’s top Testing, Adjusting, Balancing honor goes to Davor Novosel

Davor Novosel, retired National Energy Management Institute Committee (NEMIC) chief technology officer, was recently inducted into the Testing, Adjusting and Balancing Bureau (TABB) Hall of Fame during the 2019 International Certification Board (ICB)/TABB Conference…

SMART Heroes graduates 39 new members in first half of 2019, announces second location

The first half of 2019 was a busy time for the SMART Heroes program, located at Western Washington Sheet Metal near Seattle. The program graduated 39 new sheet metal apprentices during three seven-week sessions,…

Ohio apprentice training coordinators use Skills USA to scout the future

Ohio sheet metal apprentice training coordinators, business managers, organizers and agents look for the best students to recruit to their apprenticeship programs, and over the years, they’ve found the state Skills…

ICB Conference takes on 18th year with camaraderie, grass roots successes, teamwork

The 18th annual sheet metal industry International Certification Board (ICB) Conference was held May 5-7 in Seattle with more than 150 attendees, including training coordinators, instructors, business managers, contractors, trustees and other…

Second SMART Heroes program set for Colorado

Partnership between sheet metal union, Fort Carson puts veterans to work COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – SMART Heroes, a program established to help soon-to-be or recent military veterans transition into a sheet…

Sheet metal locals share hosting duties for Mid-Atlantic state competition

Sheet metal locals in the Mid-Atlantic states came together May 2-4 at Local 27 in Farmingdale, New Jersey, to share camaraderie and competition during the region’s annual contest. Participating locals…

Northwest Apprentice Contest welcomes students from seven states

For the third year, sheet metal apprentices, coordinators, instructors, business managers and contractors came together in Portland, Oregon, for the Northwest Apprenticeship Contest, which hosted sheet metal students from Washington,…

Henderson Development Association names new board members

Stephanie Garcia-Vause, Irene Bustamante Adams join advocacy organization HENDERSON, Nev. – The Henderson Development Association (HDA) has named Irene Bustamante Adams and Stephanie Garcia-Vause to its 2019-20 board of directors.…

International Training Institute welcomes new field representative, Lisa Davis

Lisa Davis took a somewhat unconventional path to becoming a sheet metal worker. After graduating from the University of California at Davis with a bachelor’s degree in biology, Davis changed…

Training centers rise to the challenge of accreditation

The International Training Institute (ITI) Accreditation Board periodically reviews and adjusts the requirements for its sheet metal training centers to attain accreditation. The board, which is made up of four members representing…

Hawaii sheet metal workers partner with local officials to bring fire life safety to forefront

Sheet Metal Workers Local 293 in Honolulu has been making strides partnering with city and fire officials to bring fire life safety to the public consciousness. Over the last year, Art…

Sheet metal worker extends career with computer knowledge

His body could no longer do the work, but his mind wanted to learn MEMPHIS – Like many people who enjoy working with their hands, John Sciara never thought about how…

Indiana local hosts Ultimate Apprentice Contest

Indiana Sheet Metal Workers Local 20 apprentices from Evansville, Fort Wayne, Gary, Indianapolis, Lafayette, South Bend and Terre Haute competed in the Indiana Ultimate Apprentice Contest April 4-6 at the…

Henderson Chamber names 2019-20 executive board members

New members take office July 1, sworn in during September Chamber Address HENDERSON, Nev. – The Henderson Chamber of Commerce has named the members of its 2019-20 board of directors.…

Companies contribute to program helping veterans find careers

SMART Heroes provides course to help veterans enter sheet metal apprenticeship FAIRFAX, Va. – To date, more than 10 classes and 142 veterans have graduated from SMART Heroes, a program that…

Henderson Mayor to speak during Aug. 13 Chamber breakfast

Debra March presenting Henderson Strong Comprehensive Plan implementation efforts HENDERSON, Nev. – The Henderson Chamber of Commerce will host its monthly networking breakfast featuring guest speaker Henderson Mayor Debra March, from 7…

Region hosts first sheet metal apprentice contest in a decade

After a decade away, Midwest states participated in the first Great Plains Apprentice Contest Feb. 21 and 22 in Kansas City, Missouri. Twenty-eight sheet metal apprentices from six states and…

Chamber to host annual CONNECT Expo + Mixer + Start Tank

Henderson event to include over 100 booths for business-to-business connections HENDERSON, Nev. – The Henderson Chamber of Commerce will host the 10th annual CONNECT Expo + Mixer + Start Tank…

Workshop to help grow your business in the digital world

Henderson Chamber’s Roadmap to Success series continues Aug. 15 HENDERSON, Nev. – As part of the Henderson Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Roadmap to Success workshop series, Michael Mellstead from the Las…

Henderson Chamber of Commerce to host July networking mixer

Event scheduled for July 25 at Reflection Bay Golf Club HENDERSON, Nev. – The Henderson Chamber of Commerce will host its monthly networking mixer from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, July 25 at Reflection…