President
Bill OlingerLocal 38 President Bill Olinger is a third generation union plumber, who has spent 50 years as a member of Local 38, 27 as an officer.
Bill entered the Local 38 apprentice program right after graduating from San Francisco’s George Washington High School, and turned out in 1963. He spent 14 years as a construction plumber before joining the San Francisco Water Department. Brother Olinger started as a plumber in 1971 and by the time he retired 30 years later was the Water Department Superintendent.
Bill began serving Local 38 as a member of the Finance Committee, which he was named to in 1980. He moved to the Executive Board in 1986,, was named Vice-President in 1989, and finally has served as President of Local 38 since 1992.
Brother Olinger’s grandfather was a UA Plumber in Local 442 (one of the four local’s that would eventually be merged into Local 38) and his father was a member of both Local 442 and Local 38.
Vice President, Business Agent
Steve JenningsLocal 38 Business Agent Steve Jennings has served on the Local 38 staff since 1993, first as the Organizer and Jurisdiction Coordinator, before being named to the position of Business Agent.
In addition, Steve has been a union officer since 1976, first as the Refrigeration Examiner, then on the Executive Board, and now in his current position as Vice-President.
A graduate of Wilson High School in San Francisco, Brother Jennings turned out from the Local 38 apprentice program in 1969, and spent his time in the field working for Gilmore Air Conditioning, York Air Conditioning, MCC Powers, and the City of San Francisco.
Steve is another Local 38 officer who comes from a proud tradition of service to his union. His father, Bill Jennings, was a Local 38 Business Agent for 19 years, and his brother Gordon is also a Local 38 member.
Recording Secretary
Roger "R.J." Ferrari
Brother Ferrari was named to the position of Recording Secretary after spending two years as a member of the Local 38 Finance Committee.
A plumber who spent eight years in the field, turned out in 1995, R.J. worked for J. Gibbs, F.W. Spenser, D.P.W., Inc., Park Merced and Columbia Mechanical.
He has spent the last 4 years at the San Francisco Water Department.
Business Manager/
Financial Secretary Treasurer
Larry J. Mazzola, Sr.Business Manager Larry Mazzola is truly a native son of Local 38. His father Joe Mazzola was one of the premier labor leaders in San Francisco history, and led Local 38 to a position of prominence among local unions throughout the country. Larry has continued and expanded on that proud tradition.
Shortly after graduating from the Local 38 apprentice program in 1965, Larry was named Assistant Apprentice Coordinator, then Organizer, then Business Agent, and finally Assistant to the Business Manager.
Brother Mazzola was named Business Manager following the untimely death of his father in 1989, and has since won five elections, four on white ballots (no opposition). Larry is President of the San Francisco Building Trades Council, a Vice President of the San Francisco Central Labor Council, U.A. Vice President for the western states, and is the President of the San Francisco Airport Com-mission.
Assistant Business Manager
Larry Mazzola, Jr.Larry Mazzola, Jr., continues a proud Local 38 and family tradition, following in his grandfather's and father's footsteps as a Local 38 officer. A graduate of Sacred Heart High School in San Francisco, Brother Mazzola entered the Local 38 apprentice program in 1989, graduating in 1994. Larry has also studied labor history and labor studies at S.F. City College and College of San Mateo.
During and immediately following his apprenticeship, Larry worked for Fahy Plumbing, Western Plumb-ing and Heating and Marelich Mechanical.
Brother Mazzola has served on the Local 38 staff for 14 years, including five years as the Assistant Apprentice Coordinator, five years as a Business Agent, and more than 4 years in his current position as Assistant to the Business Manager.
Business Agents
Local 38 Business Agent Bill Blackwell, comes from a family with a proud history of service to Local Union 38. His father, Bill Blackwell, Sr., served as the union's Inside Sentinel for 20 years, and spent 10 years on the local's Executive Board.
Brother Blackwell entered the Local 38 apprentice program at the age of 22, after serving four years in the U.S. Navy. He spent most of his apprenticeship working for Pribuss Engineering, where he remained when he turned out.
Eventually Brother Blackwell moved to Park Merced, where he spent ten years working his way up to the position of General Foreman. He joined the Local 38 team as a Business Agent in May, 2005.
John Chiarenza, 37, joined the Local 38 apprenticeship program in 1988, after graduating from Terra Linda High School in Marin. A second generation plumber who turned out in 1993, he worked for Marelich Mechanical for 10 years including running such jobs as the St. Ignatius Gymnasium and the Buck Center. Eventually he found his way to the City of San Francisco, spending six years at San Francisco International Airport before taking a position with the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department.
Brother Chiarenza began teaching in the Local 38 apprentice program in 1998. He taught first through fifth period apprentices at the Joseph P.. Mazzola Training Center in Santa Rosa, as well as teaching the Medical Gas Certification course in the North Bay. He is a graduate from the five year UA Instructor Training program in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Local 38’s North Bay Business Agent Frank Reardon is another officer with a proud tradition of service to Local 38. His grandfather, Frank McDermott, was a Business Agent and Apprentice Coordinator for Local 38, while his father, Don Reardon, was the Steamfitter Superintendent at UC hospital for 26 years. His two brothers are also Local 38 members.
A graduate of San Mateo Junior College, Frank graduated from the Local 38 apprentice program in 1984. He worked for Service Engineering, Spencer Plumbing, and Scott Company, but spent the majority of his career, 18 years, at Western Plumbing and Heating.
Brother Reardon served as the Local 38 Steamfitter Examiner for 13 years before being named Business Agent in 2004. He also taught Steamfitting in the Local 38 Apprentice Program.
Field Organizer, Executive Board
Brother Tony Guzzetta is a bit unusual for a Local 38 officer, as he is the only one who completed a college education before deciding to enter the union apprentice program. Tony graduated with honors from San Francisco State University in 1978 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science.
Brother Guzzetta entered the Local 38 apprentice program in 1978, turning out as a Jjourneyman Steamfitter in 1972.
Brother Guzzetta spent 17 years working for Powers (the company, he notes, changed names five time during his tenure), and has spent the last 5 1/2 with KML Associates.
Tony has been a member of the Local 38 Executive Board since 1993. He was appointed to the position of Field Organizer in July, 2005.
Finance Committee
David Aliano
Brother Aliano has been a Local 38 plumber for almost 20 years.
A Graduate of the Local 38 Apprentice Program, David worked for F.W. Spencer & Co., University Mechanical and Engineering, and James A. Nelson, before going to work for the San Francisco Housing Authority.
Brother Aliano has been at the Housing Authority for the past 15 years, including the last year he spent as a shop steward.
His Father, Joe Aliano, is a 40-year member of Local 38 who served as the union's Plumbing Examiner.
Bill Kidd
Finance Committee member Bill Kidd is just happy to be able to give something back to the union that has given him 42 good years. “I’m very happy to get a chance to contribute,” he says. “It’s a big thanks for 42 years.”
Brother Kidd graduated from the Local 38 apprentice program in1968, and spent much of time in the field working for Scott Mechanical and the Golden Gate Bridge District. He has served on the Local 38 Finance Committee for just under two years.
Bill comes from another dedicated Local 38 family. His father, Delmar “Red” Kidd spent 48 years as a Local 38 fitter, including serving on the Local’s Executive Board. His brother , Don Kidd, is a Local 38 plumber, and his nephew, Bob Christman is a San Francisco Plumbing Inspector and currently teaches in the Local 38 apprentice program.
Elvin "Lorenzo" Blackmon
Elvin "Lorenzo" Balckmon joins the Local 38 Finance Committee after more than 20 years in Local 38, having entered the Local 38 apprentice program in 1983, and turning out as a journeyman plumber in 1988. At the time he joined Local 38, Brother Blackmon was working for the San Francisco Housing Authority.
Since coming to Local 38 he has worked at Fahy Plumbing, Roundtree, Therma and F.W. Spencer & Son. The Mission High School graduate is currently working as a foreman for Broadway Mechanical.
Brother Blackmon and his wife Edolia have two sons, Elvin Jr., currently serving with the Air Force in Afghanistan, and Andre, currently a Local 38 apprentice working for ACCO.
Executive Board
Mike Brennan
Executive Board member Mike Brennan is truly unique among Local 38 officers; he is the only one who is not a native San Franciscan. In fact, Mike isn’t even a native of the United States, having been born in Dublin, Ireland, and moved to San Francisco when he was 17 years old.
Mike was initiated into Local 38 in 1975, and worked most of his career, 21 years, in the Metal Trades. He spent the entire time at Service Engineering, working his way up to Superintendent, before leaving for three years in the building trades, and then settling in with the San Francisco Department of Public Works, where he has spent the past nine years.
Brother Brennan served as Local 38’s Marine Examiner for 15 years before being named to the union Executive Board in 2004.
Jim Giambruno
Plumbing Examiner Jim Giambruno is a first generation member of Local 38, who spent ten years serving as the union’s Plumbing Examiner, before being named to the Executive Board.
Brother Giambruno entered the Local 38 apprentice program after graduating from South San Francisco High School in 1982.
He turned out as a journeyman plumber in 1989, and worked for signatory construction contractors for 12 years. In 1996 Jim went to work for City and County of San Francisco, where he has worked for the Sheriff’s Department, the Airport, and currently is working for the San Francisco Water Department.
Dan McCormick, III
If the name Mazzola is synonymous with Local 38, then the name McCormick comes a close second. Dan McCormick, III’s roots with Local 38 run deep, as does his dedication to the local and the members.
A graduate of Westmoor High School, Brother McCormick actually joined Local 38 as a shipyard worker four years before entering the apprentice program to become a plumber. Upon turning out, Dan worked as a building trades journeyman for nine years, and joined the San Francisco Water Department in 1999.
He began his service as a Local 38 officer in 1991, when he was named to the post of Inside Sentinel. He became a member of the Local Executive Board in 2003.
Dan’s family connection to Local 38 is impressive. His grandfather, Dan McCormick served as a Local 38 Business Agent, his father, Dan McCormick, II, is a member, apprentice teacher, and served on the Local 38 Executive Board. Brother McCormick’s grandmother, Marge, worked in the dues office for 27 years, and both his sisters, Maryk and Kathy worked for the Trust Funds and Union, respectively, for more than 20 years.
Examining Board
Plumbing
Kevin CarlomagnoBrother Carlomagno, the Plumbing Examiner, turned out as a journeyman plumber in 1995, and worked construction with A. Rud and Sons and Marelich Mechanical.
He currently works for the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department.
Steamfitting
Joe Lewkowitz, III
Like many Local 38 Officers, Brother Lewkowitz grew up a Local 38 kid. For example, he spent nine years at Camp Konocti, including a stint as a CIT. Not surprisingly, Joe understands exactly what a union can mean to working families.
A graduate of St. Ignatius Prep, Brother Lewkowitz joined Local 38 in 1986, after completing several years of college. He has worked construction for Spencer and Powers, and has done service work with ACCO.
Joes father, Joe Sr., and his uncle Jack are both retired members of Local 38. Joe was appointed Steamfitter Examiner in 2004, and won his first election to the office in December 2004.
Refrigeration
Scott Turner
Brother Turner was named Local 38 Refrigeration Examiner in October of 2006. A graduate of the Local 38 Apprentice Program, he currently works for Comm Air/Carrier. He has been a member of Local 38 since 1999.
Marine
Kirby WebbMarine Examiner Kirby Webb has worked in the shipyards since becoming a Local 38 member in 1974, and is one of two Local 38 officers who didn’t graduate from the union’s apprentice training program (it’s not required for metal trades journeymen).
Brother Webb started at Willamette Shipyard and then went to Todd Shipyards in Alameda, working at a time when shipyard work had yet to leave San Francisco. Eventually, Kirby wound up at Southwest Marine in 1978, where he has worked ever since.
Kirby was named Marine Examiner in 2004, and elected to his first term in December of that year. Like most other Local 38 officers, Brother Webb continues a family tradition of Local 38 membership. His grandfather and father were both members, as is his uncle.
Inside Sentinel
Bob Costello, Jr.Brother Bob Costello, Jr., is another proud multi-generational member of Local 38. His father, Bob Costello, is well known to Local 38 members, both as a Local 38 Business Agent, and as a U.A. International Representative.
A native San Franciscan, Bob entered the Local 38 apprentice program upon graduating from Sacred Heart High School in 1977. During his 28 years with Local 38 he has worked for Johnson Controls, Scott Company and Marelich Mechanical. For the past 14 years he has worked as a utility plumber of the San Francisco Water Department.
Bob was elected to Local 38’s Steamfitting Examining Board in 1992, where he served until being appointed as Inside Sentinel in 2002. Brother Costello was elected to his first full term as Inside Sentinel in 2004.
