TALKING SMART is the podcast of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers, a diverse union of more than 230,000 members. Each month, we bring you news, guests and discussions of interest to working families across the United States and Canada.
"I Built That, And So Can You" - A Conversation with Local 24 Member Roger Hoover
A lot has changed in the many decades since sheet metal workers first organized in 1888. Back then, “tin knockers” were known for their snips and hammers; today, technological advancements like AutoCAD and artificial intelligence have not just shaped the way we work, but the world in which we live.
However, one thing has not changed: the pride that comes with being a skilled tradesperson. Being able to drive past a building and say, “I built that.”
That precise feeling is what Local 24 (central Ohio) member Roger Hoover drew upon when he titled his 2026 book, I Built That! And So Can You. Now available for purchase via Braughler Books, the 128-page book was called a “must read for students” by the Urbana Daily Citizen.
Working in the industry as an apprentice, draftsman, foreman, estimator, field supervisor, project manager and instructor — Hoover’s book has plenty of insights for both current members and future sheet metal workers. It includes stories from throughout Hoover’s career, which spans from the years predating the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to the high-tech data centers of today that thousands of SMART sheet metal workers are helping build today. He has witnessed many innovations throughout his years in the trade — and he played a key role in more than a few.
Hoover has also played a part in helping our union and our industry expand. Starting in the 1990s, he partnered with SMACNA to deliver leadership classes across the United States and Canada, and he authored the Basic Sheet Metal Estimating Manual through the same partnership.
Today, with the publication of I Built That! And So Can You, he aims to keep spreading the gospel about working in the sheet metal industry, particularly to young people who may otherwise think the only road to job security is a college degree.
In this episode, Roger speaks with Talking SMART about his career, some of his most memorable stories, what inspired him to write the book and more.
3 Apr 2026
Talking SMART, Season 1 Episode 4: Taking on the loneliness epidemic
We hear about anxiety, stress and burnout all the time, but loneliness — the feeling of being cut off or unseen, even when surrounded by others — has become one of the most serious public health challenges of our time, and it’s hitting working people hard. Loneliness impacts every element of a person’s life, from their happiness at home to their ability to do their job.
To help us understand the loneliness epidemic and what we can do about it, we’re joined by Dr. Michael Barnes, head of the Michael Barnes Family Behavioral Institute and a member of SMART Local 15. Dr. Barnes works with SMART to assist members with mental health, substance abuse and peer support, including initiatives like the SMART MAP, and he is a leading expert in the field. In this episode, he discusses resources available to SMART members and the importance of putting solidarity into practice in order to help members feel less alone. SMART membership can be an antidote to loneliness, as long as we ALL work to make sure our brothers and sisters feel welcomed in our union.
“We can be the answer to loneliness for a lot of people, but we can also be the opposite of that,” Barnes said, adding: “People do care, and it is our responsibility to self-assess. If we’re lonely, if we’re struggling, there are services. It’s a matter of having the courage to ask. There are risks; the other side of that is for individuals who don’t have risks to recognize that they don’t have to have a PHD to help someone.”
This season of Talking SMART focuses exclusively on mental health and the resources available to SMART members. Make sure to subscribe on your preferred podcast program.
Talking SMART brings listeners the voice, stories and power of SMART union members across North America. Members are invited to send feedback and questions to info@smart-union.org.
5 Feb 2026
Talking SMART, Season 1 Episode 3: We don’t leave any member behind
Even the strongest among us can fall: to exhaustion, to despair, to the weight of the fight. But in this union, we don’t leave any member behind.
In the third episode of Talking SMART, we’re joined by Sheet Metal Occupational Health Institute Trust (SMOHIT) Administrator Aldo Zambetti and Jeremy Holburn of the SMOHIT Helpline, a 24/7 helpline that SMART members and families can call whenever they need support (1-877-884-6227). Brothers Zambetti and Holburn talk about the SMART Member Assistance Program (MAP), the resources available to members and local unions when it comes to mental health support, the importance of talking about your own experiences with mental health, and much more.
“We spent so much time dealing with on-the-job safety, workplace safety [in the past], and we sort of stayed away from work-life balance, we stayed away from things that make us not so safe. When we’re dealing with emotions, and depression, and anxiety, and any time of mental situation or emotional situation that we might be going through, and how it affects us on the jobsite.”
This season of Talking SMART focuses exclusively on mental health and the resources available to SMART members and their families. Make sure to subscribe on your preferred podcast program.
Learn more about SMOHIT here: https://www.smohit.org/
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
15 ratings
Contact TALKING SMART
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Host of TALKING SMART?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
