Angie Simon

Co-Founder, Heavy Metal Summer Experience; Former President, SMACNA

Angie Simon is a past SMACNA President (2019-2021) and Advisor to the Board of Western Allied Mechanical in Menlo Park, California. Simon has risen through the ranks at Western Allied Mechanical, starting as a project manager in 1987.Under her guidance and leadership, the company has grown its annual revenue from $50 million to more than $110 million. She is applauded as a trailblazer and visionary for her passion to retain and recruit a more diverse workforce, both at Western Allied Mechanical and across the industry. She is also the Co-Founder of the Heavy Metal Summer Experience, a summer camp for high schoolers to teach them about the sheet metal and mechanical industry.

Simon is the first female to serve as SMACNA president and the first woman among all signatory associations to be elected this distinguished role. A proud supporter of women in the workplace, she was the first woman to serve on SMACNA’s Board of Directors in 2008 and became the first woman president for SMACNA’s Bay Area Chapter. She has held various leadership roles at SMACNA’s national and local levels and been a member of the Steering Council for Women in Construction Leadership, SMACNA Employees’ Pension Plan Trustees, Sheet Metal Industry Labor Management Cooperation Fund, and more. Simon continues to advocate for women in the industry and work with SMACNA chapters to host roundtable discussions about diversity in the workplace. Simon graduated in 1986 from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo with a degree in mechanical engineering.

Guy Gast

Former President, SMACNA; Former President, The Waldinger Corporation

Guy Gast is the retired past President of The Waldinger Corporation - Iowa Division. The Waldinger Corporation employs over 2000 construction and service professionals in the Midwest and is a premier MEP and truck-based service provider. 

From 2015-2016, he served nationally as President of SMACNA. For over a decade, he has been both a contributor to and Chair of the New Horizons Foundation. He chaired the 2022 Futures Study Task Force. In December 2020, SMACNA honored him as the 2020 Contractor of the Year award recipient.

Chris Gourley

Principal, Hermanson

Christopher Gourley is a seasoned industry leader with nearly 30 years of experience and a deep passion for mentorship, relationship-building, and community impact. Throughout his career at Hermanson Company, Chris has worked in nearly every facet of the trade, starting as a material handler, apprentice, and foreman, and advancing into roles in project management, sales, and business development.

In 2010, Chris played a pivotal role in establishing Hermanson’s Seattle office and later helped replicate that success in Bellevue, laying the groundwork for the company’s continued growth. Since 2015, he has served as a Principal at Hermanson and, since 2019, as Director of the Special Projects Division, where he leads strategic initiatives and high-performing teams.

Chris is a dedicated advocate for workforce development and industry innovation. As a member of SMACNA’s Board of Directors and National Nominating Committee, he champions training, technology, and safety while fostering collaboration across the trades. He remains active in both SMACNA and BOMA and is committed to giving back through volunteer work and local charities. Each year, he donates his time to bring joy as Santa Claus to those in need, as well as to his coworkers, family, and friends.

Outside of work, Chris enjoys hands-on projects, traveling, racing, off-roading, and spending time on the river with family and friends.

Bryce Barler

Operations Manager, Southland Industries