Friends and co-workers reflect on their favourite memories with Bruce Sychuk over his 24-year career as executive director of SMACNA-BC
By / Jessica Kirby • Photos by Dean Kalyan
Bruce Sychuk began his apprenticeship as a production worker in 1976 for Coast Metal Products. That company also had a sheet metal shop called Tacey Sheet Metal, and Sychuk found their work more interesting than production work.
“They told me to go get an apprenticeship, and so I did,” he says. “And I stayed with Tacey throughout that time.” At the end of his fourth year, several employees were laid off, including Sychuk, who went on to a brief stint at BC Ventilation and seven years at United Metal Fabricators. From there, he went to work at JK Campbell and Associates to build the BC pavillions at Expo. When that job was complete, he worked six months at Alliance before settling into 12 years at Apollo Sheet Metal.
“I loved sheet metal because I was 17 in grade eleven and a half and needed a good job,” Sychuk says. “A family friend was managing Coast Metal Fabrication and encouraged me. I liked the trade, and I like challenges.”
He found plenty of those working on-site at some of the province’s most prestegious jobs, since discovering early on that shop work was too mundane and repetitive. He becamse a foreman on Children’s Grace Hospital and oversaw a team of 60. United did a lot of industrial and HVAC work, which took Sychuk on a long job at YVR in the old international terminal.
“It was just good work,” he says. “It was dirty work, too. Industrial was really where you learned how to do your rigging and crane operation and you don’t have to lift anything.”
Sychuk has likely worked on every pulp mill in BC and every cold facility, not to mention Neptune on North Shore, Vancouver Terminals in Coquitlam, Skookumchuck to the coal mines, and on the Island in Westmin Mines, Elk Falls Mill, and Crofton Mill. Let’s not forget several shopping malls, airports, GM Place, the Vancouver Library, and countless hospitals.
Several years into an illustrious career, Sychuk was approached by a board member from SMACNA-BC about taking on the exeutive directorship. “I think they felt that I could look after things for the betterment of the industry,” he says. “I beleive they saw in me honesty, integtrity, and an in-your-face directness. There are no flowers with me, no beating around the bush.”
The move to the SMACNA-BC office in 1998 was a good one and, in his own words, a job he could “get old at, that was not out in the weather bashing tin.”
There were challenges to overcome; for example, public speaking. “The only speaking experience I had was in site meetings, so the worst experience in my whole life was when I had to do a technical fire/damper duct inspection program for the engineers at UBC in a lecture theatre,” Sychuk says. “I had to wrangle my way through PowerPoint, and I had minimal computer skills. I tell you, it was two weeks of gut wrenching and not sleeping, but I got through the presentation and generated an hour and a half of Q&A. I found out at that point that as long as I know what I am talking about, I can talk forever.”
His most important accomplishment was establishing transparency and communication among the membership and between the association and Local 280. “Our labour relations are second to none,” he says. “It had no teeth when I started, but now we communicate. We are not afraid of each other and we are respectful of each other. It has been a pleasure and honour to represent the industry as it has progressed. SMACNA-BC was easy to work for because it is a first-class, top of the list organization. Nothing SMACNA does is second class.”
Another important acheivment was bringing communication to the membership through Sheet Metal Journal—what used to be a 300-person mailout is now a glossy, professional magazine with 2,200 on its subscription list.
“One thing I know is that I am not afraid to change,” Sychuk says. “I really like to be progressive. That is why, when I saw the other magazines out there, I realized something like that would be a great fit for our association.”
He also brought new ideas and suggestions to the board of dicrectors to stimulate conversation among them. “In most associations, you can go into a board meeting and see items moved, seconded, carried—it gets boring,” Sychuck says. “At SMACNA-BC, we talked about things that caused real conversation and that challenged people. Otherwise it would have just been crickets all the time.”
Deciding to retire was a simple: “I’m tired,” Sychuk says. “I have worked since I was nine years old delivering the Star Weekly, The Province,and The Sun and mowing lawns. If I wanted anything, I had to buy it myself. That meant riding up the hill at 4:30 am to get the papers.”
Sychuk’s retirement goals are also simple: To get the price of his golf membership down to 140 rounds and to spend time with his family.
“We proved for two years that we can live together,” he says. “I want to rest for a bit, then tinker around. We might drive across Canada and the United States. I am also looking forward to just not doing anything.”
Sychuk has done plenty of travelling over 24 years with SMACNA-BC and has met some of the greatest people there are—this camaraderie will be what he misses most.
“Also, the leadership we have had in the boards of directors and in the membership—they are all generous and genuinely like to have a good time. Together, we got SMACNA-BC on the map.”
Sychuk will work with incoming executive director Jeremy Hallman of Apollo Sheet Metal over July and August. As he prepares to leave his desk at the helm for the last time on August 31, the feeling is bitter sweet and his message is a familiar one:
“I’ll miss the people—they are all true professionals, and it has been good. I hope they remember to get their prices up and avoid the race to the bottom. Profit is not a dirty word!”
Phil McDonald, 2022-23 president of SMACNA-BC, says Sychuk has spent most of his life in the sheet metal industry and it was along this journey that the two of them met.
“Instantly, Bruce made a huge impact on me and the paths I took to where I am today,” McDonald says. “Through advice or casual conversation, he has been one of my mentors and able to relate to me without judgement. He is one of a few people that can walk into a room of perfect strangers and walk out with people knowing that they just met Bruce from SMACNA-BC.”
Sychuk’s care for SMACNA and the Local—and the people involved in both—is evident and something McDonald says makes his tenure stand out. “He has given SMACNA-BC more than anyone could ask of him, and I am so happy that he is retiring at a point where he can enjoy a lot of precious time with his wife, Rocky, who has supported him and us.”
McDonald says he has many, many memories with “Papa Spruce” but one of his favourites is when he drove to the SMACNA-BC AGM and realized he’d forgotten his suit, which he needed for the board photos afterward.
“Bruce asked Jud Martell if I could borrow his suit jacket, which I felt would not fit,” McDonald says. “Graciously, Jud lent it to me. It fit perfect, and I was able to save face, thanks to Bruce and his quick actions.”
Dan Talliefer, outgoing 2021-22 SMACNA-BC president, also has 100 Bruce stories to share, but of course only a few are retirement-tribute appropriate.
“Bruce’s passion for the industry is equally matched by his love of golf,” Talliefer says.
Fortunately for Bruce, in his position as Executive Director of SMACNA-BC, many industry events revolve around a golf course. Whether it was a local SMACNA-BC function or a national association event, golf clubs were typically towed along with luggage and laptops.
“Bruce was always able to coordinate such events, give speeches, attend breakfast, lunch, and dinner meetings, and somehow never miss a tee time,” Talliefer says. “I wish him well in retirement and fully expect he will celebrate many joyous days with Rocky and continue to work on lowering his handicap.”
Bernie Antchak, principal with Northwest Sheet Metal, has been on the SMACNA-BC board for several years and has, over the time, had many laughs with Sychuk.
“One memory that never seems to fade away is one we had in Hawaii back in my very early days as a board member,” he says. “I met up with Dan Mauro and Bruce by the pool early afternoon and asked Bruce for some advice on a speech for chapter night that evening. We started having drinks at the pool and continued talks about the speech and other topics. Well, hours later we were still by the pool and many, many drinks later, the chapter dinner was only an hour out. I went to my room to change then headed off to chapter night. Feeling zero pain, Bruce introduces me and asks for me to perform a speech. Well, the rest is history…”
He also recalls going to Boston with Bruce and Rocky for a councillors meeting and catching a few Red Sox games.
“We shared some great times there,” Antchak says. “We’ll definitely miss Rocky, too. She is an absolutely beautiful person.”
“Bruce was always kind to me and my family,” he adds. “He represented SMACNA-BC with a passion and will be missed. I have nothing but respect for Bruce and what he did for our industry.”
Sychuk’s legacy doesn’t stop at the border. After a quarter century of international travel, he was bound to make lasting connections in the United States, several of whom were keen to share their favourite memories.
“I was privileged to meet Bruce Sychuk very early in his career as chapter executive for SMACNA-BC,” says Deb Wyandt, chapter executive for Capital District SMACNA and Florida SMACNA, and previous executive director of labor relations for SMACNA National. Wyandt has attended many SMACNA-BC conventions and is always keen to present on labour relations success and challenges across SMACNA chapters and to share updates on her fabulous farm life.
“I was impressed with the knowledge Bruce brought to his new job because of the hands-on experience he established working in the sheet metal trade,” she says.
Having so many wonderful memories of Bruce and Rocky, Wyandt had trouble choosing her favourite to share. She settled on the time Bruce and Rocky took her to visit the Capilano Suspension Bridge, which is among the longest and highest pedestrian suspension/swinging bridges in the world.
“Bruce was gracious enough to walk across the bridge with me, even though I’m certain he had done that many times before,” Wyandt says. “On our return trip over the bridge as we approached the middle of the bridge, Bruce asked me if I thought we could make the bridge swing. That was all it took for he and I to start rocking back and forth to succeed in getting the 137 meter (450 ft.) long bridge swinging, much to the horror of the other tourists on the bridge. It seemed like a really good idea at the time.”
Next came the announcement over the loudspeaker demanding that the man and woman in the center of the bridge immediately depart the bridge and cease swinging it.
“As Bruce and I did our walk of shame across the remainder of the bridge, Bruce muttered, ʻIt is probably a good thing we didn’t go to school together.’ I agree with Bruce that had we gone to school together, we would have been a terrible influence on each other. We would not have graduated, but we would have had a lot of fun and good stories.”
On a more serious note, Wyandt says, Bruce became one of the finest chapter executives in all of SMACNA. He worked hard with his Local 280 counterparts to develop one of the most successful labour-management partnerships in the industry, and no one has done a better job of engaging members and their families in SMACNA.
“The industry meetings won’t be nearly as fun after Bruce retires,” Wyandt says. “Bruce and Rocky will be dearly missed by their legion of SMACNA friends all throughout North America. I wish them the best in their next adventures.”
Randy Novak, Novak Heating Air Duct Cleaning, agrees that Sychuk is unforgettable. “His smile, his attitude and demeanor,” he says. “He brings a special energy that is contagious. He also has a knack for being a good listener and problem solver. Our industry needs more Bruces!
“I enjoyed spending time around Bruce in his working career, and I look forward to seeing him in his retirement career. I’m not going to wish him luck, as he doesn’t need any—he has earned a happy, healthy retirement! Thank you very much for all that you do.”
John Franco, director, meetings and convention for SMACNA National, says he has known Sychuk for 20 years and remembers clearly the first time he attended a SMACNA meeting as a planner.
“When the meeting concluded, Bruce pulled me aside and said, ʻI think you are going to be around for a long time as long as you stay out of trouble’,” Franco recalls. “His words meant so much to me, and since then, we have become great friends. I consider Bruce a mentor and dear friend who will be missed by the whole SMACNA organization. I wish Bruce and Rocky well in their next chapter of life!”
Tony Adolfs, executive vice president of SMACNA Greater Chicago, says he would be lying if he said he was happy when Bruce informed him he would be retiring later this year.
“Let me make it clear,” Adolfs says. “I’m extremely delighted and excited for Bruce and Rocky as they embark on the new phase of their lives. Bruce has been a stalwart supporter of our industry since joining the SMACNA ranks in the late 1990s, and he deserves the fruits of his labour. However, I’m personally saddened to hear Bruce is retiring, because he has become one of my dearest friends.”
Over the years, Adolfs and Sychuk have spent countless hours in committee and task force meetings, fought tooth and nail over a vast number of dinner tabs, tried to solve the industry’s and world’s problems as staff shuffled them out of hotel lounges at closing time, and played an immeasurable number of spectacular rounds of golf together.”
“During that time, he has become my mentor, confidant, cheerleader, swing coach, and counsellor,” Adolfs says.
The pair has some great memories together, including the time Sychuk purchased “Sox” tickets prior to his arrival to a meeting they were attending in Boston.
“Knowing that the Red Sox were not in town at the time of our meeting, I had to explain to him that he had tickets for the Chicago White Sox, 1,000 miles away,” Adolfs says.
There was also a time when Sychuk and Adolfs set out to play one of their favorite golf courses, Coyote Moon Golf Club in Truckee, California.
“It was early in the golf season and upon our arrival we were told that the course’s liquor license would not go into effect for a few more days and that they would not be able to sell us alcohol,” Adolfs says. “Bruce’s face went from sheer panic to utter joy when it was further explained that since we could not actually purchase alcohol, beer would be available at no cost throughout our round. I can’t think of anything that would have made this Canadian happier.”
“Bruce and Rocky, thank you for the memories and thank you for all that you have done for the sheet metal industry. You will certainly be missed. And Bruce, there will always be a spot in my foursome for you.” ■
