2026
The second-ever BE4ALL Town Hall, took place May 28, 2026, in Seattle, Washington. The Town Hall — featuring SMART General President Coleman, SMACNA President Todd Hill and Funds Executive Director Michael Harris — brought hundreds of SMART members and dozens of SMACNA contractors together at Seattle’s Museum of Flight to speak directly with leadership about an important initiative to strengthen the unionized sheet metal industry.
Coleman, Hill and Harris delved into the importance of BE4ALL during the Town Hall. The event, moderated by Dushaw Hockett, was divided into two parts: a conversation between Hockett and the three leaders followed by a question-and-answer portion, in which Local 66 members spoke directly with International leadership about BE4ALL.
In dialogue with Hockett, the three sheet metal industry leaders talked about what BE4ALL is — and what it is not — and why it is so important to every single member of our industry.
The three leaders emphasized, the stakes are clear. BE4ALL is strategic. If we don’t recruit and retain, we will lose talent, our contractors will be unable to go after the work that supports members, our market share will suffer, and ultimately, our pension and benefit funds will feel the impact.
With around 180 in-person attendees at the Museum of Flight, plus 296 views via livestream, the event had its intended impact: raising awareness about a crucial effort to strengthen our union and our industry. As Harris noted, BE4ALL — like our union and the labor movement — has to be an initiative driven by the members, for the members. Union sheet metal workers in every state and province need to engage with BE4ALL in order to accomplish the initiative’s goals and create opportunity for all members.
Judging from reactions at the Town Hall, that message resonated.
“I’m a first year apprentice, I’m 24, I don’t know sh*t — and so you guys are telling me what’s expected of me,” said Local 66 member Carlos. “So, thank you.”
Watch the 2026 BE4ALL Town Hall now.
2025
On Thursday, July 17th, 2026, SMACNA and SMART hosted the first-ever BE4ALL Town Hall in Cleveland, Ohio—the hometown of both SMACNA President Tom Martin and SMART General President Michael Coleman, who paneled this industrywide conversation together.
Watch the 2025 Town Hall Now
The event brought together industry leaders and members from both organizations to learn more about how BE4ALL works for the future of the sheet metal industry, join in the conversation, and get their questions answered.
Corey Beaubien, President and Business Manager of Local 33, opened the program with a clear message: “The industry is growing, and we need to grow with it.”
President of SMACNA-Cleveland, Michael Steidel, then emphasized that the BE4ALL initiative is essential to the future of our industry, not only to meet workforce demands, but to ensure that our workplaces are welcoming.
In a powerful conversation moderated by Dushaw Hockett, President Martin and GP Coleman explored actionable strategies to recruit and support the next generation of apprentices. From communication and mentorship to foreman training and open-door leadership, they highlighted how BE4ALL is raising the standard for both workers and workplaces.
As President Martin shared: “We need to build a culture to build that respect to give people opportunities. As I traveled around the country, there are a ton of opportunities in our industry… and we want that opportunity for everyone. I think this program can do that.”
GP Coleman added: “And I think that makes us more competitive.”
A sincere thank you to everyone who joined us for the first-ever BE4ALL Town Hall.