Getting Involved and Making a Difference in Bay Area SMACNA
With 200+ contractors in District 1, the Bay Area SMACNA team relies on the leadership and volunteering spirit of its members to assist in guiding and growing the organization to meet current and future industry needs. There are currently 30 Bay Area SMACNA Board of Directors and many have dedicated their time and talents for years for the benefit of the industry.
Whether they are networking, sharing client experiences or joining committees, many have found their opportunity to give back professionally and personally satisfying.
“Participating on the Board of Directors has been very rewarding as I have built many lasting relationships that have benefitted both myself and our organization,” said Paul Irwin, past president. “It has also given me the opportunity to contribute and strengthen our industry’s continued success.”
Those seeking involvement with Bay Area SMACNA can find several opportunities to pursue. With some key leaders set to retire in the future, now is a great time for the next generation of leaders to put their hat in the ring. A few of the primary ways to both learn and contribute to the organization are through Board and committee membership, trustee appointments and other project teams.
The regional advisory meetings act as a nominating committee for the geographical areas they represent and are generally held in March of each year. Final votes on these and other nominations are tallied at the annual Advisory General Membership meeting in June. Members interested in serving on the board are encouraged to participate in various events and programs to learn more about the organization, meet other board members and network. As one experienced board member has shared, “If you want to get nominated, you have to show up and be known!”
In addition to the regional board positions, up to eight board members at large may also be elected. All terms for Board of Directors are for one year. Oftentimes, Advisory Boards will nominate existing board members to extend their term. The executive board’s terms are also for one year; however, they have often elected to rotate their role to ensure stronger successorship, including: Secretary to Treasurer, Treasurer to First Vice President, Vice President to President and Past President.
SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE
CONSTRUCTION/BUILDING COMMITTEE
FINANCE COMMITTEE
APPRENTICESHIP COMMITTEES
• CURRICULUM COMMITTEES
• EAST BAY, NORTH BAY, SOUTH BAY
• AND WEST BAY SUBCOMMITTEES
• STRUCTURE COMMITTEE
• FINANCE COMMITTEE
• CONSTRUCTION COMMITTEE
WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION GROUP
• STEERING COMMITTEE
• MARKETING
• PROGRAMS/EVENTS
• COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Two final categories exist to support the work of Bay Area SMACNA, including the appointment to serve as a trustee for one of several labor and management trusts or contributing on special project committees. Trustees on the pension, supplemental pension, health and welfare and training trusts typically serve for several years due to the learning curve and complexity of the role. On the other hand, special assignment committees such as the teams that worked on CAL SMACNA’s Choose Bigger campaign or that planned a JATC open house have a quicker turnaround and generally do not require formal appointments.
Contact Kathy de Jong or Sean O’Donoghue at 510-635-8212 with additional questions about the above committees, board nominations or volunteering with Bay Area SMACNA.