Embracing Change, Building Our Future
Dear Chapter Members,
It’s an honor to serve as your President during such a pivotal and promising time. Change is in the air—and I believe it’s something we should be genuinely excited about.
One of our most exciting developments is the launch of our brand-new brick-and-mortar ACI Certification Center. This dedicated space represents a major step forward in our commitment to excellence. It’s not just a facility—it’s a foundation for the future of workforce development, hands-on training, and professionalism in our region.
In addition, we’re making strategic adjustments to how we deliver our certification programs. We’re transitioning from an all-weekend format to a more flexible weekday-first schedule, while still offering some weekend options. This change is designed to make our programs more accessible and responsive to today’s working professionals.
We are also focusing on growing our membership by engaging more contractors and engineers. Their insights, field experience, and technical knowledge are essential to building a chapter that reflects the full scope of our industry.
Navigating this level of change requires not only vision but steady leadership, and I’m proud to say we have both. With a highly experienced Vice President (Jim Ayala) and a Board of Directors rich in industry knowledge, we are well-equipped to guide these transitions thoughtfully and effectively.
All of these efforts are in response to a simple truth: as the industry evolves, so must we. These changes position us to stay ahead of market demands, meet new expectations, and create a chapter that is not only relevant but thriving.
I invite you to join us on this journey. Together, with purpose and unity, we’ll build what comes next.
With gratitude and optimism,
Michael D Smith
President, Northern California and Western Nevada Chapter ACI
michaeld.smith@cemex.com
CEMEX
LEED Green Associate
Infrastructure Solutions and Sustainability
SouthWest, USA
(916) 884-4760