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. ■
