SMACNA-SoCal Industry Reporter, Summer 2021

Industry Reporter

SUMMER 2021

Superior Duct Fabrication Women in Construction: Gina Medel

SMACNA-SOCAL UPDATE MOVING INTO SUMMER As we move into the summer months, there is a renewed sense of optimism as the situation relating to the COVID-19 pandemic improves and businesses start to make a comeback while determining what their “new normal” will look like moving into the rest of this year and next. There is no doubt our members will be experiencing a range of change, and we will be here to support their endeavors every step of the way.

I would like to note that the SMACNA Southern California Labor Committee has finally negotiated a three-year agreement that allows our member firms to keep working as the industry recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Make no mistake, negotiations were tough. As Management Chair, I would like to recognize my team for the dedication and countless hours donated towards this very important cause. Thank you goes out to Kent Cooper, Los Angeles Air Conditioning; Pete Fortin, ACCO Engineered Systems; Mike Hilgert, Superior Duct Fabrication; Kevin Michel, Xcel Mechanical; Karen Fox, Precision Air Balance; and Gina Medel, Penn Air Control, Inc. Now that the COVID-19 crisis is coming to a slow close we have the wonderful opportunity to attend the SMACNA

By / Hector Vargas, SMACNA-SoCal President

Convention, October 24-27 in Maui, Hawaii, at the Grand Wailea, as well as our own Annual Dinner Meeting and Dance at the Langham Hotel, Pasadena, California, on Saturday, October 30, 2021. I hope to see all of our members at one of these events.

I would also like to recognize the passing of Mr. Jordan Ehrenkranz. Please visit page 7 in this issue of the SoCal Industry Reporter to read more about Jordan’s life and work for our association and industry. Jordan dedicated many years representing the best interest of SMACNA members and the betterment of our industry, and we send our deepest regrets and solace to his family. ▪

IN THIS ISSUE ...

FEATURES

Winter 2021

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Superior Duct Fabrication

Women in Construction: Gina Medel

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DEPARTMENTS

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SMACNA-SoCal Update Meet the Board SMACNA-SoCal News Local 105 2021 Holiday Calendar

SMACNA-SOCAL INDUSTRY REPORTER

Official Journal of Record for SMACNA-SOCAL

MEET THE BOARD MEET THE BOARD: MICHAEL REED Michael Reed is vice-president/branch manager of Limbach’s Southern California branch in Seal Beach, California. Limbach is a full-service HVAC contractor completing sheeting and piping fabrication and installation on commercial and institutional projects. Reed moved to Southern California in February of 2019, having been a New York City SMACNA member for five years and serving as a trustee on the Joint Labor Management Board.

Reed may be new to Southern California, but he is a veteran in sheet metal, recently celebrating 31 years in the industry.

“My father was a sheet metal worker, and his uncle owned a business so there are three generations in the industry,” Reed says. “I started as a union sheet metal worker and have been able to grow my career, having worked in almost every facet of the industry.”

Reed completed an apprenticeship, worked as a foreman, then went on to CAD operation before transitioning into project management and executive level positions.

“Sheet metal is all I have known and something I am passionate about,” he says. “Our industry is unique because in sheet metal we are working with raw materials and creating something new. I like the creativity in that.”

When it comes to a mantra for success, a positive mindset can make all the difference. “I feel like it comes down to work ethic in this industry,” Reed says. “You have good days and bad days, but success comes from showing up with a positive state of mind.”

The sheet metal industry has faced many changes over years, and above all technology has been its most important change... and challenge.

“Everything is a crunch,” Reed says. “There is no time to take a breath. There are tight project expectations on scheduling, timing, and labor, and technology is a big part of that. Everyone is constantly available, they expect a reply to an email in 30 seconds, and that you have your phone at the ready.”

The sheet metal industry is positioned to create an important opportunity for itself—attracting the next generation workforce, which is essential to ensuring the industry lives on into the future.

“We need to go out and find the right talent and be smart about it,” he says. “That might mean visiting vocational schools or high schools to show students what we do and to introduce them to our trade.”

Limbach is bringing high school students into each of its branches to complete internships over the summer, and the objective is walking them through what the sheet metal industry is like.

“In the future, we will be missing people at the field level,” Reed says. “There are a lot of talented people out there who don’t know what sheet metal is, and it is up to us to promote it, especially as a SMACNA-union joint venture.”

Recruitment is just one way SMACNA fills an important role in the sheet metal industry to support contractors and raise the bar on industry standards.

“We have smaller companies that rely on SMACNA to negotiate for them and to discuss and decide on best practices,” Reed says. “SMACNA is an advocate for contractors, providing them the resources and support to fight for themselves.”

During his two-year term, Reed hopes to initiate lunch and learns between SMACNA members and the engineering community. These events bring the parties together to discuss the advantages of using signatory contractors, how ductwork is fabricated and installed, and the advantages of using SMACNA-specific specifications.

“This would create opportunities to talk about how SMACNA can help the engineering community, teach them SMACNA philosophies on specifications and best practices, and maybe achieve some specification and tolerance changes that will help us be more successful in the future,” Reed says. ▪

PUBLISHER / EDITOR

Industry Reporter

SUMMER 2021

Jessica Kirby Direct: 250.816.3671 jessica.kirby@pointonemedia.com

CREATIVES Lara Perraton 877.755.2762 lperraton@pointonemedia.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Superior Duct Fabrication Women in Construction: Gina Medel

Natalie Bruckner Robin Brunet Hector Vargas

COVER PHOTO Courtesy of GES Sheet Metal, Inc.

While information contained in this publication has been compiled from sources deemed to be reliable, the publisher may not be held liable for omissions or errors.

Contents ©2021 by Point One Media Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or duplicated without prior written permission from the publisher.

Printed in the USA. Postage paid at La Verne, California.

To update or cancel subscriptions please call 1.877.755.2762 or email circulations@pointonemedia.com

Summer 2021

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Superior Duct Fabrication Trust. Hard work. Quality.

By / Robin Brunet • Photos courtesy of Superior Duct Fabrication

Mike Hilgert

Taylor Hilgert-Mortensen

© Can Stock Photo / IMaster

When Mike Hilgert opened Superior Duct Fabrication in Pomona, California, in 2002, his primary goal was to excel in his chosen trade and provide for his family. “I’d always wanted to own a small sheet metal company and run it well,” he says. “I just had no idea where it would take me.”

Now, as Superior edges closer to its 20th anniversary, Hilgert pauses to consider his current circumstances. Superior is the leading manufacturer of ductwork and sheet metal products for the HVAC industry on the west coast, with a growing presence in Las Vegas, Idaho, Colorado, and Oregon. Over 275 employees have facilitated the company’s growth, aided by being members of Locals 105 and 88 in Nevada, and Local 104 in Camarillo, California.

Over the years, Hilgert and his team have completed a wide array of notable projects in California and Nevada, including the Morongo Casino, Allegiant (Raiders) Stadium, and Tesla Giga Factory. Other clients have included Disneyland, Paramount and Universal studios, a variety of airlines, automotive giants, major universities, and hospitals.

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Ashley Hoppe

Hilgert discusses his company in an amiable and easy-going fashion, and he laughs when he is reminded that he has achieved all this and is still a young 55. “I was obliged to work hard: I’ve got five daughters!” he says. “Fortunately, two of them—Taylor and Ashley—are now heavily involved in the sales side of the business.”

Taylor Hilgert-Mortensen, Superior’s sales director, says, “The key to our success is to never deviate from our core values.

As Dad has stated many times, we don’t just want a client’s next job. We want the next ten years’ of jobs, and in order to get them we need their trust. We earn trust by providing outstanding work. It sounds easy on paper, but it takes time and a lot of effort.”

Hilgert was introduced to the sheet metal trade at 19. “I wanted to be the best at whatever I did,” he recalls. “I liked working with my hands, so I went through apprenticeship.” The birth of his first daughter a year later doubly motivated him to forge a career.

For the next 16 years, Hilgert perfected his skills with another manufacturer. “I worked my way up to become supervisor, but after the owner died in 1997, I thought it was a good time to start planning a venture of my own.”

After purchasing equipment from a small company, Hilgert gave his notice, and the rest is history. But hard won history.

“I had an incredible break in getting about $300,000 of equipment for only $40,000, but for the first couple of years it was non-stop work to develop a solid client base,” he says. “I had a shower and a couch in my office, both in constant use.”

The project that first put Superior on the map was undoubtedly Morongo Casino, which Superior won before the company was even fully set up.

With Superior’s company culture based on the common goal of providing excellent customer service, Hilgert and his team have built a strong foundation for success. “My management staff, sales team, and business development crew keep operations running smoothly and are the glue that holds this company together,” he says. “I feel lucky that they support my vision.”

Hilgert is also proud that a second generation of family members are assuming more prominence in Superior’s daily operations. “Taylor and Ashley value quality, they work hard, and have terrific people skills, so quite frankly I’m waiting for them to take over,” he laughs. “Maybe then I’ll be able to retire and relax.” ▪

“That was huge for us,” Hilgert says. Superior quickly grew thanks to good word of mouth and a healthy mix of experienced journeymen, certified welders, and well-trained apprentices who enabled the company to steadily broaden its scope of work and shop space (currently at 210,000 square feet).

Hilgert enjoys a close and active relationship with SMACNA Southern California. “I’m the immediate past president and sit on the board, and even though my colleagues are business competitors, we feel like family,” he says.

Meanwhile, Superior keeps growing. In 2019, it branched out to central and northern California with a new facility in Camarillo. “And we’re getting jobs in new states such as in Texas, where we’re helping to build a Tesla truck factory,” Mortensen says.

As he surveys a long list of projects currently underway (including jobs for Boeing and Amazon), Hilgert again professes to be surprised by how far he has come in a relatively short time span: “It doesn’t feel short because of so many projects, but 20 years ago when all I wanted to do was carve out my own niche in the industry, I never imagined this.”

Summer 2021

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Gina

Medel CFO, The Penn Air Group

By Natalie Bruckner

Gina Medel has always been proud of the fact that the industry in which she works has a profound impact on the health and safety of building occupants, and never before has that statement been truer than over the past year.

“Working in the sheet metal industry, I know we are giving back to our society, not just within healthcare facilities but for all buildings across the country,” says Medel, chief financial officer at The Penn Air Group. “Sheet metal is the life veins that deliver airflow to the building occupants and our testing and balance employees ensure that design intent is followed.

This is so important to myself and my colleagues, especially during a time of a global pandemic.”

While sheet metal may indeed be the life veins of a building, it is an industry that lies within Medel’s own veins. In 1999, while studying accounting, Medel joined Penn Air on a parttime basis and quickly grew within the testing, adjusting, and balancing department, delving deep into everything from accounting and job costing to making operational decisions.

With an in-depth knowledge of what it takes to run a sheet metal business, Medel soon discovered her forte and, in what was a natural progression, became CFO for the corporation in 2007.

“My colleagues and I always joke that we started working for Penn Air at the age of 10, which after being here for over 25 years would keep us at the young age of 35-ish,” Medel explains. “This helps us to always remember where we came

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from and the grassroots of how we all started from the bottom and grew exponentially with the corporation.”

When Medel joined Penn Air it was a fairly small operation.

Founded by Herman “Woody” Philhower in his spare room as a test and balance engineering firm, the company quickly gained a solid reputation and today has seven offices spanning from Guam to Puerto Rico. The company has become known for the team’s ability to address challenging business climates and serve diverse markets. “Being a part of the growth of Penn Air has been exciting and rewarding,” Medel says. “We now have several offices, and continue to expand, which gives employment to many people. . . and that is such a great feeling.”

However, the opportunities that came her way were not by chance, nor were they handed to her on a silver platter. Medel has never been one to shy away from hard work and is not one to give up. It’s this perseverance and determination that has helped her progress up the ladder, and in doing so, give back to others who wish to do the same.

“What I know to be true is, hard work, perseverance, and dedication are what is needed in any career,” she says. “There will be haters, obstacles, and failures along the way, but they are much needed. It’s the hard times that will make you stronger, and in those difficult times there are valuable lessons that are needed for your growth, to become the business woman you want to be. When your intentions are in alignment

with your dreams, you can achieve anything. Just don’t give up, be honest, be humble, and always stay kind,” she says.

For Medel, her passion for the industry runs deep, so much so that when she clocks off, she can often be found working on initiatives that help forge sheet metal forward to a healthy and diverse future. Sitting on SoCal’s and SMACNA California’s boards of directors, as well as various committees for Southern California, Medel brings a fresh outlook and optimism that inspires others, particularly young women entering the sheet metal sector.

“The leadership and direction the industry is moving towards in becoming more inclusive will be opening more doors to women in this industry,” she says. “We currently have strongminded, intelligent, ambitious, determined women who are taking action to encourage, inspire, and create the path for a generation of innovative women. We continue to advocate for those women interested in our industry to become part of our progress, our mentorship, and our leadership.

Creating committees and seminars that have an emphasis on empowerment for women in our industry would help to appeal to more women.”

“We currently have strong-minded, intelligent, ambitious, determined women who are taking action to encourage, inspire, and create the path for a generation of innovative women.”

With increasing efforts to diversify the industry and double the number of women in sheet metal within the next five years, Medel acts as a beacon of light, demonstrating what’s possible, and she is more than happy to assist other women so they can achieve their dreams, too.

“The advice I would give another woman entering the industry would be to give extreme focus, energy, and passion in what you choose to do because we have the power to create our visions,” she says. “Although we may have failures or setbacks, we must always maintain our values, be confident, determined, and engaged, be an inspiration to all generations, and surround ourselves with people who have similar mindsets of empowerment in order to continue striving to improve our future in the industry,” she says. ▪

Remembering

Jordan Ehrenkranz

It is with great sadness that we inform you that long time SMACNA Southern California member, builder, contractor, councilman, mayor, husband, father, raconteur, master of ceremonies, mentor, and friend Jordan Ehrenkranz passed away in his sleep on May 4, 2021. Jordan and his lovely wife Jennie were visiting family in Florida at the time of his passing.

Jordan grew up in the Santa Monica/Venice Beach area of Los Angeles, and started in the sheet metal trade as a 17-year-old apprentice in a Santa Monica sheet metal shop. He graduated as journeyman sheet metal worker four years later, making him one of the youngest journeymen in his trade. At 24, he started his own business in Los Angeles, and in 1967, he moved his business enterprise to Santa Fe Springs, California, when he acquired Ideal Heating and Air Conditioning.

Shortly after, he initiated yet another firm, Clas Glas, a fiberglass duct board supply and fabrication house. Jordan harnessed intelligence, grit, hard work, and determination to create a successful business career, which provided for his family.

Jordan always found time to volunteer to better the industry that provided his livelihood. He began his service with SMACNA Los Angeles in 1971, and participated in association affairs almost continuously since. Jordan served as president of SMACNA Los Angeles and Cal SMACNA; as Chairman of the Southern California JATC; as Chairman of the SMACNA Los Angeles Labor Committee; and as a member of the Joint Industry Council. He also served on Cal SMACNA’s Safety Committee and Investment Committee.

Jordan served on the SMACNA Board of Directors, the Duct Manufacturers Council, as a Management Panelist for the National Grievance Committee, and on the National Apprenticeship Contest Committee. He did all of that and still found time to Chair the SMACNA Los Angeles Friends of the Industry Golf Tournament every year since its inception in 1990.

In 2011, Ehrenkranz was recognized with the Career Legislative Service Award—one of the highest legislative honors a contractor or chapter executive may earn within the organization—at SMACNA’s National 68th annual convention.

As difficult as it is to accept the loss of Jordan, we can find solace in knowing he is now at peace and with God. We have been blessed to have had him as long as we have. Our thoughts and prayers remain with Jennie and Jordan and Jennie’s six children and nine grandchildren.

Jordan Ehrenkranz loved life, living the sentiment that it is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness. Our memories of him will always burn brightly. ▪

Summer 2021

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SMACNA-SOCAL NEWS SMART Local 105 – SMACNA Southern California July 1, 2021, Wage Package Information At the May 14, 2021, SMACNA Southern California ratification meeting, members ratified the Collective Bargaining Agreement presented by the SMACNA Negotiations Committee. On May 26, 2021, the SMART Local 105 membership ratified the agreement presented by labor bargraining representatives.

The agreement has a term of three years and the total increase for the term is $9.25. The package is confirmed and will increase to $2.09 per hour on July 1, 2021.

Effective from that date onwards, the total package breakdown is as follows: Hourly wage (taxable) = $50.23 (+1.95) Retiree’s Supplemental Health Plan = .50 (+ .50) National Pension = 4.36 (+ .09) _____________ (+2.09) Please follow the Funds Payment and Remittance Reporting Procedure effective July 1, 2021. This procedure must be followed. ▪ Effective July 1, 2021, the Local Union 105 - Los Angeles / Orange Empire wage and fringe package shall be as follows: Hourly Taxable Wage (increase) * Savings Plan (Taxable) * 401(a) Plan - Mandatory * Retiree’s Supplemental Health Plan (increase) * Health Plan * Health Reimbursement Acct. (HRA) * Local Pension ** Local Training JATC *** National Training ITI *** National Pension (increase) *** NEMI *** SMOHIT **** LMCT/FP-ACC Total Wage Package: **** Industry Fund TOTAL:

Journeyman Wages

Foreman/Detailer General Foreman

$50.23 -10% $1.00 $0.50 $10.60 $0.50 $11.82 $0.70 $0.12 $4.36 $0.03 $0.02 $0.09 $79.97 $0.56 $80.53

$57.76 -10% $1.00 $0.50 $10.60 $0.50 $11.82 $0.70 $0.12 $4.36 $0.03 $0.02 $0.09 $87.50 $0.56 $88.06

$60.28 -10% $1.00 $0.50 $10.60 $0.50 $11.82 $0.70 $0.12 $4.36 $0.03 $0.02 $0.09 $90.02 $0.56 $90.58

The mileage rate established is fifty-six cents ($0.56) per mile. See Zone and Subsistence. ***** WORKING DUES RATE - NO CHANGE: Effective July 1, 2021, the dues check-off rate remains at two dollars and twenty-six cents ($2.26) per hour worked. *, **, ***, ****, *****: Please note that there are changes on the enclosure titled, “Funds Payment and Remittance Reporting Procedure effective July 1, 2021” for information regarding remittance payable names and the remittance mailing addresses.

SMART Local 105 2021 Holidays Holidays

LA/OE Commercial

© Can Stock Photo / april70

Day After 4th of July Monday, July 5, 2021

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Orange Empire Residential

LA/OE S & M

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Labor Day Monday, September 6, 2021

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Veteran’s Day Thursday, November 11, 2021

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Day After Veteran’s Day Friday November 12, 2021

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Thanksgiving Day Thursday, November 25, 2021

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Friday After Thanksgiving Friday, November 26, 2021

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Christmas Eve Friday, December 24, 2021

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New Year’s Eve Friday, December 31, 2021