On June 20^th-23^rd, the Southern States Millwright Regional Council (SSMRC) was the first council in the Southern district to participate in the UBC Journeymen: Building Leadership for a Strong Future program held in Las Vegas, NV. This program is designed to give journeymen a greater understanding of the Brotherhood and how their leadership affects the present and future of the Brotherhood. 145 Journeyman millwrights were chosen from across the SSMRC to participate. The Journeymen that were chosen have proven themselves through strong leadership and a good work attitude on and off the jobsite. Executive Treasurer Secretary for the SSMRC, Dennis Donahou, is a strong supporter and says, “The Strong Journeymen Leadership program is one of the UBC’s most innovative programs. It allows Councils to send rank and file journeymen who have exhibited leadership abilities on the job sites to the International Training Center (ITC). Once there, they are given information on the direction the UBC is headed and an overall picture of today’s Carpenters Union.”

     These Journeymen, over the course of the program, were schooled in UBC history, and given insight on things that they could do to better themselves as a member through leadership and example. Randy Eppard, Director of Education and Training for the ITC said, “The Journeymen Millwrights selected for this program were identified as the future leaders of the UBC. They were recognized as members who were already influencing others on the job site and they came to the ITC fired up and ready to strengthen their leadership skills. They were engaged, forward thinking, and extremely grateful to be part of such a select team…they genuinely exceeded our expectations.”

    To learn from some of the most experienced journeymen in the UBC, a leadership panel was formed who shared some of their own experiences and history with the Brotherhood. The panel went on to answer questions the participants had on being a stronger leader. That panel was comprised of District Vice-President Danny Maples, Executive Secretary Treasurer Dennis Donahou, SSMRC Eastern Region Director Steve Cothron, SSMRC Western Region Director Rick Halford, and Florida Training Director Frank Gray.  

     By using the question and answer format from a panel, the learning was on both sides of the table. SSMRC Western Region Director Rick Halford said, “The journeyman leadership conference was just as insightful for the staff as it was for the journeyman supervisors that attended.” Florida State Training Director Frank Gray also declared the conference a success. “The 145 Journeymen Millwrights that participated in this program were absolutely the most well informed and highly motivated individuals I have had the pleasure of working with in my 35 year career as a Training Director. Each of them expressed a strong desire to work for continued improvements both in our Millwright Council Training Programs, and in each Local Union represented in the Southern States Millwright Regional Council. I was honored to have the opportunity to answer their questions concerning training and extremely proud of the professional manner each journeyman millwright displayed during the three days they participated in this new Program.”

     During the program, the journeymen were introduced to the two concepts, Transformational Leadership and Constructive Culture that the UBC has developed to help further the skills and knowledge the journeymen already have. Transformational Leadership is a style of leadership that encourages the leaders to get involved on a personal basis with their fellow journeymen. These leaders learn to consider individualism, intellectual stimulation, motivating factors, and influences. Constructive Culture addresses how individual people function together to create a team by recognizing abilities, wants, suitable tasks and how to best use the synergy of the group to maintain the highest output possible.

     Over the course of the program the journeyman who attended was able to learn about the UBC and its history and how to become better and stronger members through both theory and the first hand guidance of those Brothers and Sisters who had come before them. The course was highlighted by General President Doug McCarron who, on Sunday, sat down with the attending journeymen and conducted a personal question and answer session with them. Mr. McCarron was well received by those in attendance, who appreciated the chance to come and speak with him on the issues concerning them.  EST Dennis Donahou summed up his thoughts by saying, “As the EST of the SSMRC I was very proud of our nearly 150 Journeymen who attended the program. They were very attentive and eager to learn. I enjoyed the time I got to spend with these strong journeymen and I look forward to the results of their training.”