Meslin named 11th GVP; Butler, Dunne appointed International reps

On February 9, 2026, SMART General President Michael Coleman announced the election of SMART Local 28 (New York City and Long Island) Business Manager Eric Meslin to the SMART General Executive Council (GEC), following former Fifth General Vice President Bob Butler’s appointment as SMART International representative. In addition, former Local 44 Business Manager Don Dunne was appointed an International representative for the mid-Atlantic region.

Eric Meslin is a third-generation sheet metal worker whose lifelong commitment to Local 28 and the labor movement has propelled him through a distinguished career of union leadership.

He began his apprenticeship in 1998, earning journeyperson status four years later. In 2006, he was elected to Local 28’s Executive Board, where he continued to serve through subsequent reelections in 2007 and 2010.

In 2013, Meslin was elected to represent the membership full-time as a business representative. During this period, he was also appointed as a labor-side trustee to both the Joint Labor Management Committee and the Joint Apprenticeship Committee. He was reelected as business repre­sentative in 2016.

The members of Local 28 elected Meslin as president and business manager in 2019, reaffirming their confidence in his leadership with reelections in 2022 and 2025. He serves as chairman of the Local 28 Trust Funds and also chairs the Local 28 Political Action League. Meslin sits on the Executive Boards of the New York State Building Trades Council, the New York City Building Trades Council and the Nassau Suffolk County Building Trades Council, and he serves as a delegate to the Metropolitan Association of Presidents and Business Representatives. In 2020, Meslin was appointed by SMART General President Emeritus Joseph Sellers Jr. to the Board of Directors of NEMI (National Energy Management Institute), where he served as a trustee.

In 2024, SMART General President Coleman appointed Meslin as a trustee of SASMI (Stabilization Agreement of the Sheet Metal Industry). The following year, in 2025, Meslin was elected president of the New York State Council of Sheet Metal Workers, representing Locals 28, 38, 46, 58, 71, 83, 112 and 137.

Meslin is married and the proud father of three daughters. His commitment to family mirrors the dedication he brings to the members of Local 28, and he often credits his wife and daughters for their unwavering support as he continues to serve our union and the broader labor community.

Newly appointed International Representative Bob Butler has been a member of Local 17 (Boston, Mass.) for 40 years. He stepped into local leadership in 1997 as trustee and was subsequently elected to the local’s Executive Board. Butler was elected as a business representa­tive in 2002, a position in which he served until his election as business manager in 2012.

With Butler’s extensive knowl­edge of the trade and his experience in union leadership, he was elected president of the SMART Northeast Regional Council (NERC) in 2021 and led the four locals within this region. In 2022, Butler was appointed as a general vice presi­dent on the GEC, where he served until transitioning into his new role.

Alongside Butler, former Local 44 (Northeastern Pa.) Business Manager Don Dunne was also appointed an International represen­tative in February. Dunne has been a member of Local 44 since 1998 and graduated from the apprentice­ship in 2002. Shortly thereafter, he served as a trustee until his election as recording secretary in 2006. That same year, he expanded his contri­butions by becoming a part-time welding instructor for Local 44’s apprenticeship program, sharing his knowledge and skills with the next generation of sheet metal workers.

Dunne’s leadership continued to grow as he was elected business representative in 2012. His commit­ment to the membership was further recognized in 2018, when he was elected business manager. In 2021, he was reelected to serve as both business manager and financial secretary-treasurer.

Dunne also served as trustee for Local 44’s Funds and the Joint Apprenticeship Training Center. In 2021, he was appointed co-chair of SASMI. Beyond his roles within Local 44, Dunne has held several prominent positions in related organizations.

Congratulations, brothers!