5 minute read
Heard Around the 2024 PinP Conference
Diversity improves the workforce by making it more reflective of the community. We can all learn a lesson from people who are different from ourselves. Diversity makes us more empathetic and helps us become better people in the long run.”
— Jan Chappell, Local 85 president, SMART recruitment & retention council recording secretary, BE4ALL committee member, journeyperson
“We came to take advantage of networking opportunities and to learn how to improve communication.”
— John Szymczk, operations manager at SSM Industries. Adam Renick of Renick Brothers Construction and Local 12
“This is a great opportunity to meet people from across the country—across different climates even— and get an idea of where the industry is heading.”
— Adam Sohm, MechOne Inc, emerging leader, SMART Heroes graduate
“You’ll never accomplish more on your own than you will together. If you are under stress, you can assume your counterpart is, too.”
— Mike Coleman, SMART general president
“This conference is when we get to meet our peers and our contractors, to revisit goals, to plan together. We spend more time talking with contractors than we did 10 years ago. Our work has become a collaboration.”
— Reed Ausmus, Local 19 training coordinator, with his wife, Michelle Asmus.
Kolby Hanson of Local 55 in Pasco, Washington, comes to conferences to hear about industry standards from a national perspective. Bette Price, chapter executive of Eastern Washington SMACNA, is preparing for negotiations this year. “Labor and management are well represented at this conference.”
— Bette Price, chapter executive, Eastern Washington SMACNA
“I’m here to learn. It’s only the second session, and I have learned so much already.” – Natasha Scott, SMART International Women’s Committee “Victoria’s talk was inspirational. I will definitely be buying her book. I hope to gather knowledge here that I can take back to my Local and help the new generation coming up build a better Local for us.”
– Stacy DeMonbrun, SMART International Women’s Committee
Let’s all assume the best of each other because that is how to build the strongest teams. We need to have trust in each other to reach the finish line, and that calls for transparency, dialog, and mutual respect. That is how we build an intentional, accountable, aligned vision for the future.
— Carol Duncan, SMACNA National
“Top performers can get neglected. Instead of giving them ways to help them grow, we often end up putting all the things that should be done by others on them. We need to set them up for success.”
Tara Amis, Kentucky Manufacturing Extension Partnership
We use our partnership to expand our bandwidth and achieve things we wouldn’t be able to afford or achieve alone.
– Cheryl Sprague, chapter executive for SMACNA Sacramento Valley
“There are a few of us Canadians here, and I am excited to learn and take in the information I hear and to ensure we have a healthy industry now and into the future.”
– Rob Weiler, Local 562, Kitchener, Ontario
“I’m here to learn more about how to become the best leader I can be.”
— Candice Budde, fourth generation at Budde Sheet Metal Works, Inc.
“Leadership is not for the weak. You’ve got to get down in the ditch and get dirty. If it was easy, everyone would do it.”
— Kevin Brown, keynote speaker and author of “The Hero Effect”
Technology is making collaboration between the trades easier than ever. With the technologies that are out there, we can all get on the same page.”
— Andy Lambert, director of digital products at Milwaukee Tool
“We have a leadership crisis in organizations. One trillion dollars is lost every year due to low engagement. By investing in future leaders, studies show you receive a 400% ROI and dramatically improve retention.”
— Steven English, Building a Leadership Culture: Inspiring and Developing Tomorrow’s Leaders
“When someone fails to meet the minimum score and we tell them to try again, it’s dehumanizing. We lose them. The policies we have in place aren’t working.”
— Will Scott, Collaboration for Progress session
“Everything I’ve accomplished as a sheet metal worker has given me an amazing life. I want to create opportunities for the next generation. We’re writing the rules.” — Jennifer Lohr, vice president Fisher Balancing, Be4All Committee, Newtown, Pennsylvania
I came to the conference to find ways to build better working relations with our union partners.”
— Tish Suhr, CFO of Stromberg Metal Works, Inc, Beltsville, Maryland
“Unionized labor needs to stand out from the competition.”
— Tim Aley, vice president of W. E. Bowers in Beltsville, Maryland, first-time attendee
“I thought it would be a good learning experience.”
— First-time attendee Brad Aldag, Aldag/Honold Mechanical, Sheboygan, Wisconsin, and his wife, Kristina
“In growing market share, labor and management have to step out of their comfort zones and have people ready to go and trained up so they can step up.”
— Joe Powell, SMART general secretary-treasurer
