Martin and Hilger Address SMART Leadership Conference

SMACNA President Tom Martin and CEO Aaron Hilger spoke to attendees at the 2025 SMART Leadership Conference in New York. Martin and SMART General President Michael Coleman have worked closely together since their days in Cleveland. Martin shared recent updates from SMACNA and discussed how both organizations are addressing common challenges.

Later in the meeting, Hilger addressed some of the industry's big-picture issues, including tariffs and challenges resulting from changes in federal funding for projects.

During his remarks, Hilger lauded the strong relationship between contractors and labor: “We are nothing without each other,” Hilger said. “We can’t do our jobs without the contractors; we can’t build without you. This is a partnership — and we win when we work together.”