Best Practices Presentation and Second Harvest Food Bank

The Joint Best Practices Market Expansion Task Force highlights 25 years of labor and management collaboration dedicated to strengthening our industry and delivering real results. Discover how proven ideas from the field are turned into practical solutions that support market expansion, workforce recruitment and retention, and leadership development. Attendees will learn about ready-to-use tools, marketing resources, and real-world strategies that can be replicated locally, along with initiatives like the Emerging Leaders Program that are preparing the next generation of industry professionals. Join us to see how sharing what works—and working together—continues to move our industry forward. We’ll also hear about this year’s conference charity, Second Harvest Food Bank, and how participants can help make a meaningful impact in the local community.

Speakers:

Darrell Roberts
SMART, Best Practices Market Expansion Task Force Co-Chair

Darrell L. Roberts is assistant to the general president at SMART. Previously, he served as the SMART director of organizing and spent nearly 14 years as the executive director of Helmets to Hardhats (H2H). He has served in the United States Navy as a hull technician and attained the rank of petty officer second class. He served in the Army National Guard as a staff sergeant. In March 2003, he was activated for a yearlong deployment to Kosovo, where he served as an infantry squad leader.

Darrell worked in the field for many years as a union sheet metal worker. He serves on the U.S. Department of Labor Advisory Committee on Veterans Employment, Training, and Employer Outreach (ACVETEO), as well as the Veterans Advisory Committee on Education (VACOE) for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. He is a lifetime member of the VFW and a member of the American Legion, as well as a board member of the American Chestnut Land Trust (ACLT). He holds a master’s degree in executive leadership from Georgetown University and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the National Labor College. Darrell resides with his family in southern Maryland.

Kathy Kerber
KSM Metal Fabrication, Best Practices Market Expansion Task Force Co-Chair

Kathy Kerber is President of KSM Metal Fabrication in Troy, Ohio, a specialty sheet metal contractor focused on aerospace manufacturing. With deep experience in both operations and workforce development, Kathy brings a balanced labor–management perspective to advancing the sheet metal industry.

She is actively involved at the local and national levels, serving as Secretary/Treasurer of her local Sheet Metal Board and as a Trustee for local JATC and Pension Funds. Nationally, Kathy serves on the SMACNA Board of Directors, is Co-Chair of the Labor-Management Best Practices Task Force, and Chair of the SMACNA Women’s Committee.

Kathy will share how the Best Practices Task Force supports collaboration between labor and management nationwide, and how these partnerships strengthen contractors, workers, and the industry as a whole.