NEW RIVER RESIDENT PREDICTS FIRST 100 DEGREE DAY, WINS WEEKEND STAY AT FOUR SEASONS
Pictured are Carrie White and Carol Goguen, Executive Director SMACNA Arizona.

Carrie White of New River has won a weekend getaway at the Four Seasons Resort in Scottsdale for correctly guessing Phoenix's first 100 degree day as part of the SMACNA Arizona (the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors National Association) 100 Degree Contest.

White, a teacher, correctly predicted Sunday, May 18 as the first 100 degree day to be recorded by the National Weather Service this year. She was only off by six minutes, predicting 12:33 p.m. as the time for the mercury to reach the century mark. The temperature first reached triple digits at 12:39 p.m.

The fourth-annual contest was designed to be a fun way for people to get ready for the hot months ahead and to help them learn more about SMACNA Arizona's member contractors and the quality, training and craftsmanship they provide. Each entrant was required to enter the contest via SMACNA Arizona's website, smacna-az.org.

Previous winners of the contest are Jessica McLeod of Phoenix last year, David Cooper of Goodyear in 2006 and Monica Lagno of Ahwatukee in 2005.

SMACNA is an international association of union contractors in the sheet metal and air conditioning industry representing 4,500 contributing contractor firms. The organization is committed to upholding the highest standards of quality and excellence in all facets of the sheet metal and air conditioning industry.

SMACNA conducts many programs in Arizona and nationwide that benefit the construction industry. Their inspectors training programs, leadership seminars and resource library are just a few of the assets they offer the industry. To reach this goal, SMACNA Arizona has contributed more than $2.5 million statewide toward skills training and apprenticeships programs over the past three years.

Here is a photo from the Phoenix Greyhound Park Event on July 26, 2007

In March 2003, the Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee (JATC) has been honored with gold status accreditation by the International Training Institute (ITI). More than 100 criteria had to be met and demonstrated with proof to satisfy the ITI standard, including a library of reference material and a registered apprenticeship program. Proof of compliance with various federal and state agencies was also necessary to establish the high standard achieved by the JATC.

From left to right: George Sapien, JATC assistant coordinator, Carlos Ramirez, SMACTIP president, John Sapien, JATC committee chairman, Ted Lewis, business manager for the local union 359, and Lou Maple, apprentice coordinator, display the plaque recognizing their gold status accreditation.

 

LOCAL SHEET METAL CONTRACTORS DONATE MUCH-NEEDED REPAIR SERVICES TO CITY OF PHOENIX

SMACNA Cares, the month-long community outreach project spearheaded by Valley sheet metal contractors has led to new HVAC repair and equipment for ten local families. In June 2003, thanks to the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors of America (SMACNA) Arizona Chapter, ten homes will be much cooler and more comfortable this summer. SMACNA contractors and employees donated time and materials to install new air conditioning and evaporative cooler units to needy families.

The homes were chosen with the help of the Emergency Home Repair Program administered by the city of Phoenix Neighborhood Services Department. Recipients were selected from a group of low-income homeowners applying to the city of Phoenix for loans to maintain or repair their homes.

From left to right: Richard Thake, David Williams and Dan Chacon of Bel-Aire Mechanical guide in the new air conditioning unit as a crane operator lowers it to the roof.

 

LOCAL SHEET METAL CONTRACTORS SEND CARE PACKAGES TO U.S. TROOPS

From left to right: (Photo 1) Carol Goguen, executive director, SMACNA-Arizona; Devin Boisvert, staff member, SMACNA-Arizona; Regina Ramirez, SMACNA-Arizona contractor; and Sherry Talley, staff member, SMACNA-Arizona.

From left to right: (Photo 2) Regina Ramirez, SMACNA-Arizona contractor and Carol Goguen, executive director SMACNA-Arizona, stand by the packages filled with goodies.

In March 2003, in support of American troops overseas, the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors National Association (SMACNA) of Arizona compiled care packages to send to soldiers in Iraq and Kuwait.

SMACNA-Arizona was able to get a jumpstart on showing their support thanks to websites such as www.operationmilitarypride.org. Care packages included necessities such as travel-size bottles of mouthwash, toothpaste, tissues and hand sanitizer, as well as more hard-to-find "state-side" items, such as magazines, candy, beef jerky, nuts and powder Gatorade.