3 minute read
Letter From the President
Hello, everyone! I’m Bill — a chimney sweep and now your new President of the National Chimney Sweep Guild (NCSG) Board of Directors. I’m very honored to serve in this board position. I wasn’t always a sweep, but my past in the trades helps me in this industry. We are the Swiss army knife of the trades!
Many of us chimney sweeps came from the fireplace world, and that was my path into this family as well. I was sent to sweep a chimney by the owner of the shop without any formal training. This home had glazed creosote in its flue. I called back to the shop to ask how to remove it since the tools he provided wouldn’t work. The boss man told me to sweep it and collect the payment. That was the day it all changed!
In Pennsylvania where I reside, we have a very active state guild. I attended my first Pennsylvania Guild of Professional Chimney Sweeps workshop in 1996 where I connected with a group of tradesmen willing to share everything they know. These gents welcomed me into their homes and shared their knowledge, meals, and a drink or two during these events. That was it — I was hooked!
The state guild led me to the NCSG conventions. During these conventions, I volunteered to scan people into classes. You get to meet quite a few folks during this task! At one of these events, a NCSG board member, Thomas Rhines from Michigan, asked if I would serve on the board. I was elected to serve as the Region 2 Director at the Portland convention. That was the start of my board service.
One of the questions I’m often asked is “what benefits do I get from my membership?” I think our Director of Education Bob Ferrari answered that question at the Annual Membership Meeting in Orlando this year. The NCSG pursues training, certification, and advocacy for all sweeps in America — not just its members. We are a sweep family nationwide.
It’s been a busy few years in the Guild — the OSHA lawsuit is behind us, the accredited certification program is on a roll, the registered apprenticeship program has been recognized by the Department of Labor, the HAM house is traveling all around the country teaching the principles of air movement through a home, and the CSR 360° program is gaining momentum. I want to personally thank NCSG Past Presidents Tom Hunkele and Matt Mair for their leadership through these important milestones.
Last September, the NCSG Board of Directors voted to move forward with the virtual reality (VR) training program. This platform can safely teach a new apprentice what to expect before they enter a customer’s home. Its boundaries are limitless. Just say YES!
