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Features

SMACNA Contractors Spread Holiday Joy—and Toys
General Sheet Metal earned the Hardest Working Elf award at the 2025 SMACNA Oregon & SW Washington holiday event.

SMACNA Oregon and ASHRAE Partner for Commissioning Event
SMACNA and ASHRAE Oregon have partnered to bring members an event covering everything you need to know about TAB and commissioning.

Construction Outlook 2026
Data centers, immigration, and AI shape the outlook on construction for 2026 and beyond.

Departments

• Executive Director’s Report: Hometown leader at the top of SMACNA National
• Industry News
  • Committee Applications Now Open Year-Round!
  • 2026 Safety Awards and Safety Survey Now Open
  • New Retainage Law Goes Into Effect for Oregon Contractors
  • Employment Law Update for SMACNA Oregon & SW Washington Contractors
  • February 24 & 25 | SMARTMAP Training hosted by Sheet Metal Institute
  • February 27 | Crab Feed at Milwaukie-Portland Elks Lodge
  • Summer 2026 | SMACNA Oregon & SW Washington ASHRAE Event 
  • April 29-30 | Regional Apprenticeship Competition at the Sheet Metal Institute
  • June 10 | Open Board Meeting 
  • June 19 | SMACNA Oregon & SW Washington Golf Tournament
• Government Affairs: SMACNA Urges Immediate Action on Tariff Related Cost Increases

By Chris Schneider, Executive Director, SMACNA Oregon & SW Washington

Big and exciting changes are underway at SMACNA National, starting at the very top. In January of this year, SMACNA Chief Executive Officer Aaron Hilger elected to leave the SMACNA National organization. In his stead, Frank Wall was appointed as the organization’s new Chief Executive Officer, effective January 20, 2026. Wall looks to advance SMACNA’s mission of creating a competitive advantage for members, through industry education, labor relations, standards development, industry representation, and business studies. 

If Frank Wall’s name sounds familiar to you it is because he was born and raised in Northeast Portland and he spent his career advancing the signatory mechanical industry in our region. Wall was executive director of the Plumbing and Mechanical Contractors Association of Oregon. There, he helped the association develop a partnership between labor and management to promote progress by uniting in the common goals of professionalism, quality, productivity, cost-effectiveness, safety, and expanding the market share of the union mechanical, industrial, and service contracting industries. His goals were achieved through education, labor relations, public relations, and government affairs, both locally and nationally.

Wall also served as president of the Portland Executives Association, vice chair of the Oregon Workforce Development and Talent Board, and member of the State Prevailing Wage Committee. He served on the Portland Public Schools CTE Advisory Council and was a board member on the Oregon Building Congress and the Emerald Cities Coalition. He was presented the Driving Force Award by Governor Kate Brown in 2018, recognizing his outstanding accomplishment in workforce development in the state of Oregon.

From this role he was promoted to the Mechanical Contractors Association of America’s National Association where he most recently served as executive director of operations. At the national MCAA office, he served as executive director of the John R. Gentile Foundation and handled the day-to-day operations of the association.

“We are pleased to be led by a professional with the leadership and industry skills necessary to navigate the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead,” said SMACNA President Todd Hill. “He is the right person to take the helm in achieving our objectives.”

As this year proceeds, I am excited about the opportunity to bring Frank out home to Oregon to visit our chapter. ■

SMACNA is pleased to announce that members may now apply for committees at any time. The application window is no longer limited to specific dates. Committees play a vital role in supporting the Executive Board and guiding the association by sharing best practices across various subject areas. Although not all committees have vacancies, a year-round application process allows SMACNA to respond quickly to unexpected openings. You are encouraged to apply for committee positions at any time. The main application review begins in May. Committee selections are made by the outgoing and incoming presidents after the July Board of Directors meeting. Applications received after the review has started may be considered in the next cycle. Appointment notifications are sent before the annual convention, typically in mid to late September. Terms begin on November 1 and last four years. For questions about the committee application process, contact Beth Thurston at bthurston@smacna.org .

The Awards for Safety Achievement and Safety Innovation, along with the 2026 Safety Survey, are now open for applications.

SMACNA safety awards are designed to ensure eligible contractors receive the recognition they deserve for promoting a strong safety culture and increasing awareness of evolving best practices. 

There are three awards for SMACNA member contractors to apply for: two Safety Achievement Awards and the Safety Innovator of the Year Award.

Members who win Safety Achievement Awards will receive certificates from SMACNA and recognition at the convention and in SMACNA publications. The Safety Innovator of the Year winner will receive a trophy at the SMACNA annual convention, be featured in SMACNA publications, participate in a podcast, and receive a $5,000 donation to the charity of their choice, generously sponsored by our Premier Partners, Milwaukee Tool, and Federated Insurance. 

For contractors to be considered for awards, they must complete the 2026 Safety Survey. Data collected by the survey allows fellow contractors to compare their performance to their peers. In addition, SMACNA chapters are eligible for a Safety Survey Participation Award. Chapters that achieve 80 percent of their members submitting the SMACNA Safety Survey will be recognized with certificates and in SMACNA publications. This award does not require an application. SMACNA’s Safety Director will review survey submissions to determine winners.

Take a moment to learn more about the safety awards: smacna.org/business-resources/business-management/safety-health/safety-awards-program ■
Scan the QR code to complete the 2026 Safety Survey

General contractors and subcontractors working in Oregon are reminded of their ability to use a surety bond in lieu of cash for retainage in contracts entered into after March 7, 2024. House Bill 4006 allowing this passed unanimously during the 2024 short legislative session. The state law is designed to help contractors manage cash flow, reduce progress payment delays, and generally reduce overall cost.

SMACNA Oregon & SW Washington, Plumbing and Mechanical Contractors’ Association Oregon, Ironworkers Local 29, and other contractor groups and unions supported HB 4006 to eliminate the current “escrow account” requirement, while providing contractors a new surety bond option for the 5% owner holdback. This option will be available for both private and public contracts; however, private projects are limited to 20,000 square feet or larger. 

If you would like to review how this law works, a webinar sponsored by SMACNA and other signatory contractor groups is available at vimeo.com/941401487 It is approximately 90 minutes. The presentation was led by two experienced attorneys working in construction, along with a representative from one of the Northwest’s largest bond companies admitted in Oregon. These attorneys helped draft the law.

SMACNA Oregon & SW Washington continues to monitor the implementation of this new law and anticipates there may be some resistance to it. Some adjustments or clarifications may be needed in the next legislative session. It is therefore important to gather information and details about issues, problems, and pushback that arise and let the lobby team know of them so they can be addressed. Reach out to cschneider@smacna-oregon.org to discuss. ■