SMACNA Greater Chicago

05/29/2026

Bulldog Cartage started as a simple storage solution. Today, the company has grown into a go-to partner for handling materials on complex infrastructure projects, from secure storage to just-in-time deliveries. With a focus on people, smart solutions and teamwork, they keep projects running smoothly while investing in the community they call home.

Read the full article 👉 https://loom.ly/ei6z61c

05/25/2026

Memorial Day is a time to remember. SMACNA Greater Chicago honors the brave men and women who gave their lives in service to our nation — their courage and sacrifice will never be forgotten. 🇺🇸

05/22/2026

Look who’s making headlines!

At SMACNA Fab Forum, The Hill Group shared how data, technology, and hard-earned lessons are reshaping estimating, fabrication, and field operations.

05/21/2026

Just wrapped an intensive coaching workshop, and the takeaways are gold for any field. Think activities, role plays, and real case studies — all designed to build the confidence to coach your whole team toward better performance and productivity.
Shoutout to Darryl — fantastic instructor with great energy! One attendee said it best: “This gave me the confidence and experience to actually coach my team, not just react.”

05/14/2026

This week, we held our Advanced Estimating workshop led by Kevin Dougherty. This isn’t just about crunching numbers. We’re helping estimators think differently — treating estimating as a full process from job inception to job completion. It’s about shifting from “just doing takeoffs” to thinking like a businessperson and taking a big-picture approach to every opportunity.

Feedback from attendees: “I received useful information for my job, and Kevin is an excellent instructor.” He kept everyone engaged.” “The class offered valuable insight into identifying less obvious estimating components.” Thank you, Kevin, for sharing your knowledge with our group!

05/13/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us yesterday for our May membership meeting! SMACNA Greater Chicago was pleased to host Christina Wernick of Laner Muchin as our guest speaker.

Christina gave a timely and thorough update on the recent changes to the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act, including the new apprentice fringe benefit provisions set to take effect July 1, 2026.

We also had the pleasure of welcoming our newest Associate Member, Lennox, represented by Jaylen Thompson.

Our next business meeting will be in September, but we hope to see you before then at our Annual Golf Outing and our Summer Outing at the Chicago Air and Water Show. More information will be shared soon.

05/10/2026

Today, we're cheering on every kind of mom in the SMACNA Greater Chicago family — the women who always show up, lift others up and continue to inspire 🌺 Happy Mother's Day!

04/30/2026

Last summer, SMART Local 265 moved into a new Downers Grove training center designed to keep up with fast-changing technology and workforce needs. With upgraded equipment, a growing apprenticeship program and strong contractor partnerships, the union continues to innovate while training the next generation of the industry.

Read more 👉 https://loom.ly/sLB6cs0

04/30/2026

New program, new instructor!

Doug Reitz of Maxim Consulting Group led Project Rescue this week, showing us how to get ahead of troubled projects with tools that work. The class was packed with real stories, clear strategies, and feedback that builds people up.

The reviews: “Great speaker,” “very informative,” “easy to talk to.” Attendees walked away with skills in communication, cost tracking, and a better understanding of the GC/client/sub dynamic. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us Doug!

04/23/2026

YES+Metal & Meals Event: Huge thanks to SMART Local 265, Training Director Joe Carone, and all the union officials, instructors, and speakers for hosting us at the Training Center yesterday.
We loved watching the apprentices in action and getting a closer look at the laser table tech. The great food, drinks, and conversations were the perfect way to wrap things up.

We appreciate everyone who participated yesterday and hope to see you at future events! Don’t know about YES+? Click here to find out more: https://www.smacnagreaterchicago.org/yes