The Circle of Life

When asked, “What do you do professionally?”  I said, “I have had the privilege of being Executive Vice President for the SMACNA Association of Oklahoma”.  Then you ask, “What do you do”?

If a pictorial dictionary of job descriptions existed, under the Chapter Executive Vice President listing, we would see a person with many hats stacked upon their heads.

First, there is the CEO’s hat, because a SMACNA Chapter is often times like running a small business.  There is also the Social Secretary’s hat for all the meetings and outings that you organize and run so smoothly.  There is the Mediator’s hat you wear when the constituents and partners’ don’t see eye to eye.  There’s the Financial Manager’s hat for times when you must do more with less and make the end product look twice as good.  There is the Marketing Director’s hat in which you promote each of your members businesses and industry.  There is also the Legislative hat, both National and at the state level.  Let’s say “educational” not lobby.

In this dictionary, the picture of the Chapter Executive Vice President has many arms, balancing numerous responsibilities, problems and tasks.  This person is an expert juggler, juggling many balls simultaneously.  Through all of this, the Chapter Executive Vice President keeps on smiling.

John Lindermulder, National President of SMACNA, and Vincent Sandusky, CEO of SMACNA wrote the above description for presentation at the retirement celebration.

Now, with that being said, let’s go a little deeper into how I have been blessed for the past Seventeen years of been given the opportunity of representing the Sheet Metal Contractors in Oklahoma.  Here is the list of Contractors I represented:

ACP Sheet Metal                                Nicoma Park

Air Engineering                                 Sheet Metal Services

Allstate Sheet Metal                          Southwestern Roofing

Dense Mechanical                             Standard Roofing

Glover Sheet Metal                            Stewart Environmental

Harrison-Orr                                     Swanda Brothers

Keas Stainless Steel Fab                   Trade Mechanical

Matherly Mechanical                        United Mechanical

Midwest Fabricators                        

These contractors are family owned, as the Association atmosphere is one big extended family.  We work together and also play together.  And because of this life style, they presented me with a retirement party at the NATIONAL COWBOY AND WESTERN HERITAGE MUSEUM in Oklahoma City, which will be one of the most cherished events of my life.  It doesn’t stop there, for my retirement gift they commissioned Julie A Rice, who is celebrated for her unique style of ink fingertip painting. 

Additionally, they presented me with a brand new Sony 17” laptop computer so I can keep in touch with the outside world.

Now, in the circle of life I will begin the last part of the circle and work for myself, “The worse boss I have ever had.” I will also reflect back on my professional life knowing that I was extremely blessed to have had been associated with so many wonderful people.

Thank you ever so much and may God bless you with the goodness of life.

Dean