The Future Is Now

Prepare to get back to the future at the Partners in Progress Conference from February 27-28, 2024, in Orlando, Florida.

It is hard to believe it has been nearly a year and a half since the last Partners in Progress (PINP) Conference and that the next conference is fast approaching.

An incredible amount of time and commitment go into planning the sheet metal industry’s premier and largest attended labor-management meeting. Behind the scenes preparation requires identification of and site visits to hotels that have the meeting facilities and capacity to provide an effective and comfortable learning environment for attendees. Then it is necessary to negotiate affordable room rates, charges for meeting facilities, and food and beverage costs for the conference. Once the hotel arrangements are nailed down, it is time for the SMACNA and SMART Best Practices’ Market Expansion Task Force (BPMETF) members and staff and leadership of the two associations to review feedback and experience from previous conferences to determine content and logistics and line-up speakers. Those are just a few of the reasons the SMACNA and SMART began preparing for the 2024 conference within days of the March 2 closing of the 2022 conference.

New Venue, New Leadership, New Ideas and Best Practices

Based on feedback from previous conferences, the PINP planning committee and staff selected Orlando, Florida, as the venue for the 2024 Conference to lessen the travel time for those on the east coast. This is not the first time a meeting of this nature has been scheduled in Orlando. The 2018 conference was there, as well as the predecessor—the very first SMART-SMACNA Labor-Management Partnership Conference—in 2000.

The 2024 Conference will be held at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotel in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Rooms must be booked no later than January 19, 2024, although the safest approach is to book rooms early when registering for the conference.

New Leadership

The 2024 PINP Conference will give attendees an opportunity to hear from the new leaders of both SMART and SMACNA. Carol Duncan, the CEO and owner of General Sheet Metal in Clackamas, Oregon, will become President of SMACNA in October 2023. Michael Coleman, formerly SMART Assistant to the General President and Business Manager of Local 33, ascended to SMART’s General Presidency on June 1, 2023. Carol and Mike, having served as the Labor and Management Co-Chairs of the BPMETF, are uniquely qualified to inspire conference participants with their views on the importance of labor-management collaboration to shape the industry’s future.

New Ideas & Best Practices

The 2024 Partners in Progress Conference will provide an exceptional opportunity for all local union leaders, SMACNA member contractors, chapter executives, training coordinators, and future leaders to come together to strengthen existing relationships and discover innovative strategies to shape a more prosperous future.

As a keynote speaker, Victoria Labalme will share her recommendations to elevate attendees’ ability to communicate, connect, and come alive to win over the individuals they serve.

Kevin Brown, a branding and culture expert, will explain why success in business and life requires anything but conventional thinking and he will share his philosophy about “The Hero Effect”.

Educational tracks for the conference will provide valuable information on Industry Best Practices; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Innovative Recruiting and Retention Strategies; and Leadership Skills. Sessions will feature ways to foster and mentor emerging leaders, address future workforce needs, and employ technology to succeed in future markets.

Conference Schedule

Attendees are encouraged to arrive on Monday, February 26, in time for an early evening Networking Meet and Greet Reception. The conference officially opens Tuesday, February 27, and concludes on Wednesday, February 28.

Labor and Management JATC Trustees are encouraged to stay an additional day, February 29, for an educational program sponsored by the International Training Institute devoted to issues and updates of importance to training fund trustees.

Plan to Register Wednesday, September 6

Reduced Early Bird Registration fees that will save SMACNA and SMART members $200 will end on December 15, 2023. Hotel reservations are best made as early as possible before the cut-off date on Friday, January 19.

Find information on the 2024 PINP Conference at pinp.org. The knowledge that participants will acquire at the 2024 Partners in Progress Conference will be of immediate benefit in their local markets. Make it a priority for labor and management leaders and emerging leaders from your area to attend and be part of the conversation. The Future is Now ▪