Joe Pickens

Joe Pickens is the Program Administrator for the National Energy Management Institute (NEMI). In this role, he serves as a liaison for SMART local unions and SMACNA contractors, helping identify solutions and opportunities in the market. 

The Virginia resident entered the apprenticeship at SMART Local 100 in the Washington, D.C. area in 2008, eventually graduating first in his class. From the start of his career through 2021, Pickens worked for ADJ Sheet Metal. During his time there, the company tripled in size to more than 300 employees, and Pickens gained experience in many different areas of the industry. 

This experience led to him teaching a variety of courses at his local union’s training center, and in 2023 he was named training coordinator. Pickens became a general fund trustee in 2022, where he is still a dues-paying member. He holds over a dozen industry certifications and has participated in extensive instructor training from the International Training Institute (ITI), the education arm of the unionized sheet metal, air conditioning and welding industry, over the years.