SNIPS October 12, 2010 : Page 1

7 th Marrio Convention October 12, 2010 MACNA Annual hi Published by: Published by y: Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa • Phoenix, AZ • SHEET METAL AND AIR CONDITIONING CONTRACTORS’ NATIONA DAILY EVENTS Tuesday 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Convention registration 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Product show continental breakfast 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Product show 10 a.m. to noon.. . . . . . . . . Business development sessions 11 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.. . . . . . . . . . . New technology sessions Noon to 1:30 p.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Spouse luncheon 1:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. . . . . . . . . . New technology sessions 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.. . . . Business development sessions 2:30 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. . . . . . . . . . . New technology sessions Chapter night Wednesday 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Convention registration 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. . . . . . . . . . . .Congressional Insiders Club breakfast 8:45 a.m. to 9 a.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SMACN IFUS contributors meeting 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SMACNA annual business meeting 10:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Labor forum 11:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . President’s lunch 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. . . . .Business development sessions 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. See you next year in Colorado Springs, Colo. The SMACNA Convention Daily is produced by Snips and BNP Media. Sally Fraser, publisher and advertising sales; Michael McConnell, editor; Karen Talan, production; and Nicole Kevonian, art direction. rrio Convention October 12, 2010 MACNA Annual hi Published by: Published by y: Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa • Phoenix, AZ • SHEET METAL AND AIR CONDITIONING CONTRACTORS’ NATIONA DAILY EVENTS Tuesday 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Convention registration 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Product show continental breakfast 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Product show 10 a.m. to noon.. . . . . . . . . Business development sessions 11 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.. . . . . . . . . . . New technology sessions Noon to 1:30 p.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Spouse luncheon 1:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. . . . . . . . . . New technology sessions 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.. . . . Business development sessions 2:30 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. . . . . . . . . . . New technology sessions Chapter night Wednesday 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Convention registration 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. . . . . . . . . . . .Congressional Insiders Club breakfast 8:45 a.m. to 9 a.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SMACN IFUS contributors meeting 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SMACNA annual business meeting 10:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Labor forum 11:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . President’s lunch 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. . . . .Business development sessions 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. See you next year in Colorado Springs, Colo. The SMACNA Convention Daily is produced by Snips and BNP Media. Sally Fraser, publisher and advertising sales; Michael McConnell, editor; Karen Talan, production; and Nicole Kevonian, art direction. Central Central Calif. contractor to lead association in coming year P ossibly the most common question Jim Boone gets asked is “What the heck is New England Sheet Metal doing in Fresno, Calif.?” Fortunately, the president and CEO of the family-owned mechanical contracting firm has a good explanation: In the early 1900s, Armenian immigrant Arakel K. Yazijian came to the United States, settling in Worcester, Mass., and tried to earn a living as a metalworker. The harsh New England winters were di f f icult for Yazijian, and relatives sug-gested he relocate to central California’s San Joaquin Val-ley, where the temperate cli-mate was similar to that of his homeland. An Armenian population was already estab-lished in the city of Fresno. So in 1920, he opened his own sheet history wasn’t what Boone expected when he agreed to take a turn as SMACNA presi-dent, but he said he knows how important the association and its services are right now. “It would be less dif f icult for anyone going in as president if everything was booming,” he said, adding that now “the focus needs to be on survival mode. Contractors need us (SMACNA) more than ever.” That ’s why he sees an important part of the job of president as helping to keep member’s spirits up during tough times. “It’s going to be a tough Jim Boone metal shop in an empty horse stable adja-cent to Fresno’s downtown. Even though he was thousands of miles from Massachu-setts, Yazijian decided one thing would not change: the company’s name. And that’s how New England Sheet Metal Works came to California. “It can be an icebreaker and an interest-. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Pre-dinner reception 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dinner, show (Ultrasonic Rock Opera) ing topic to discuss,” Boone said. And it’s a story he may be telling more frequently in coming months, as Boone prepares to take over as SMACNA’s 2010-2011 president fol lowing Wednesday’s luncheon ceremony. In the next year, the 60-year-old will be traveling across the country as the association’s representa-tive, meeting with contractors, sheet metal workers and politicians as he discusses the state of the industry and the issues of top concern to SMACNA members. Coming into the presidency at a time when sheet metal contracting is experienc-ing one of the deepest recessions in U.S. year,” Boone said. “The important thing is to reas-sure them that state and local SMACNA chapters are here to help them.” The industry’s troubles have not escaped central California or New England Sheet Metal Works, Boone said. Currently, the company employs about 130 sheet metal workers, plus 100 or so plumbers, and expects to end the year with $35 million to $40 million in revenue. A few years ago, annual revenue topped $50 million. “The only thing that saves us is the basis of our economy is agriculture” and people have to eat, he said. Fresno is among the largest farming com-munities in the United States, representing more than $3.5 billion in economic activity for the region’s economy, according to the website City-Data.com. Boone said he figures any real sustained improvement in the construction market in the Golden State is about a year away. But he added that New England Sheet Metal is faring better than some other companies because it offers design-build among its services. The need for hospitals continued on page 3

Central Calif. Contractor To Lead Association In Coming Year

Possibly the most common question Jim Boone gets asked is “What the heck is New England Sheet Metal doing in Fresno, Calif.?” Fortunately, the president and CEO of the family-owned mechanical contracting firm has a good explanation: In the early 1900s, Armenian immigrant Arakel K. Yazijian came to the United States, settling in Worcester, Mass., and tried to earn a living as a metalworker. The harsh New England winters were di f f icult for Yazijian, and relatives suggested he relocate to central California’s San Joaquin Valley, where the temperate climate was similar to that of his homeland. An Armenian population was already established in the city of Fresno. So in 1920, he opened his own sheet metal shop in an empty horse stable adjacent to Fresno’s downtown. Even though he was thousands of miles from Massachusetts, Yazijian decided one thing would not change: the company’s name. And that’s how New England Sheet Metal Works came to California. “It can be an icebreaker and an interesting topic to discuss,” Boone said. And it’s a story he may be telling more frequently in coming months, as Boone prepares to take over as SMACNA’s 2010- 2011 president fol lowing Wednesday’s luncheon ceremony. In the next year, the 60-year-old will be traveling across the country as the association’s representative, meeting with contractors, sheet metal workers and politicians as he discusses the state of the industry and the issues of top concern to SMACNA members. Coming into the presidency at a time when sheet metal contracting is experiencing one of the deepest recessions in U.S.History wasn’t what Boone expected when he agreed to take a turn as SMACNA president, but he said he knows how important the association and its services are right now. “It would be less dif f icult for anyone going in as president if everything was booming,” he said, adding that now “the focus needs to be on survival mode. Contractors need us (SMACNA) more than ever.” That’s why he sees an important part of the job of president as helping to keep member’s spirits up during tough times. “It’s going to be a tough year,” Boone said. “The important thing is to reassure them that state and local SMACNA chapters are here to help them.” The industry’s troubles have not escaped central California or New England Sheet Metal Works, Boone said. Currently, the company employs about 130 sheet metal workers, plus 100 or so plumbers, and expects to end the year with $35 million to $40 million in revenue. A few years ago, annual revenue topped $50 million. “The only thing that saves us is the basis of our economy is agriculture” and people have to eat, he said. Fresno is among the largest farming communities in the United States, representing more than $3.5 billion in economic activity for the region’s economy, according to the website City-Data.com. Boone said he figures any real sustained improvement in the construction market in the Golden State is about a year away. But he added that New England Sheet Metal is faring better than some other companies because it offers design-build among its services. The need for hospitals And other public buildings to regularly upgrade to meet new seismic building standards to withstand earthquakes has also helped keep the company busy. Boone has been working at New England Sheet Metal since 1976. He came to the company through his wife, Kathy, whose father, Ara Yazijian, was company president at the time. Boone acknowledged he didn’t know anything about sheet metal contracting or HVAC beyond the thermostat on a wall. His college degree was in business administration. But he took a correspondence course in mechanical engineering through the University of California-Berkley and worked his way up. He eventual ly became president/ CEO of New England SheetMetal after the passing of his father-in-law, growing it from a $10 million company to where it is today. His son,Son-in-law and nephew all work there today. In addition to 34 years with New England Sheet Metal, Boone has had a long history with SMACNA at the local, state and nationalLevels. He joined the Cal- SMACNA board in 1986, becoming executive committee secretary a year later. He was elected state association president in 1991 and stayed on Cal-SMACNA’s board through 2005. Boone has served two terms on the nat iona l SMACNA board and was elected to the executive committee in 2007. He is also a labor panelist, member of the employees’ pension plan trust, the products and programs coordination committee, the technical resources committee and the national joint adjustment board. He served on the search committee that selected new SMACNA Chief Executive Offi cer Vincent R. Sandusky and is a member of the College of Fellows.

Publication List
Using a screen reader? Click Here