By / Kristine Hammond, SMACNA SoCal Executive Director
The SMACNA SoCal office had a busy summer!
One of our accomplishments was an upgrade to our online remittance reporting portal, WebERF. Technical upgrades have been made to the platform, including some modifications to the interface, but the reporting process will essentially remain the same. Most importantly, for the two trust funds administered through the SMACNA SoCal office—the Sheet Metal Industry Fund (SMIF) and the Labor Management Cooperation Trust (LMCT)—we have enabled payment by electronic funds transfer (EFT). In the future, we hope to enable payment by EFT to the other entity funds, as well.
EFT provides a safe, secure, and convenient way to make payments electronically and reduces risks and delays associated with sending checks through the mail. Contractors who prefer to continue paying by check may certainly continue to do so.
An EFT Authorization Form must be on file with our office before electronic payments can be initiated. Please reach out to Rubi Diaz, member services & administrative coordinator, if you have any questions. She can be reached at rubi@smacna-socal.orgor (562) 944-6345.
We hope this added payment option will make the monthly reporting and remittance process a little easier while giving contractors the flexibility to choose the payment method that works best for them.
The Education Committee wrapped up the summer with an in-person seminar on September 9 at The Westin Anaheim Resort. The seminar focused on two timely topics: artificial intelligence and construction contracts. Attendees explored practical ways AI can improve efficiency, decision-making, and business operations, and learned how to identify key contract provisions and potential risks.
Although the state legislature has adjourned for the 2026 session, we used this opportunity to follow up on connections made at our Day at the Capitol back in May by providing State Senator Bob Archuleta (District 30) a tour of the JATC on September 10 with the administrator, David Garcia. Although the City of Industry is in his district, Senator Archuleta never had the opportunity to see it firsthand. He was quite impressed with the facility and took time to speak with several of the apprentices.
These advocacy connections are an important part of the SMACNA mission and go a long way toward building relationships with policymakers and helping them better understand our industry, our workforce, and the significant investment our contractors make in apprenticeship and training. Opportunities like this allow us to demonstrate firsthand the important role our members and our skilled workforce play in Southern California’s economy.
Finally, I look forward to seeing you at the 2026 Annual Meeting & Dinner Dance on October 17 at the Balboa Bay Resort in Newport Beach. This special evening is a wonderful opportunity for members and their guests to connect over dinner, hear the chapter president’s annual report, and enjoy live entertainment and dancing. We will also conduct our biennial election of the board of directors for the 2026–2028 term.
For more information or to reserve tickets for this regular and associate members-only event, please reach out to Kim Williams, Office Manager and event planner extraordinaire, at kim@smacna-socal.org.
Thank you! ▪
