For Fabrication Foreman, Tina Dannewitz, shifting her first love of fashion design to sheet metal fabrication was an easy transition.  “Watching sheets of metal being molded and formed into functional pieces is highly satisfying—sheet metal is now my design medium,” says Tina.

After studying fashion design and working twenty years in the food service industry, Tina took a friend’s advice, finished ANEW’s pre-apprenticeship program, joined Local 66, and was dispatched to Hermanson in 2013.  Except for her apprenticeship rotation, Tina has worked at Hermanson ever since. 

Tina runs the assembly department at Hermanson’s Kent fabrication shop where you will find her managing workflow, adding sound liner, assembling, and sealing components.   She takes pride in providing a quality product that both the field installers and clients know will be fabricated per specifications.

Much of Tina’s day is spent keeping the fabrication department running smoothly.  Her project management skills include assigning tasks to her crew, quality control checks, inventory control, and maintaining the product delivery schedule.  Not only is Tina a supervisor, but she is also a mentor to her crew, ensuring that they have opportunity to hone their skills and work on tasks that highlight their strengths. 

Currently, Tina and her crew are working on components for the Climate Pledge Arena, NSAT at Sea Airport, and tenant improvements at the Watershed Building.  Tina recalls one of her favorite projects being the duct work at St. Michael’s Hospital in Silverdale (formerly known as Harrison Hospital).  The mechanical room required massive duct runs that were both challenging and fulfilling to complete.

“I absolutely love working for Hermanson, they are my family,” says Tina,” This is where I started my sheet metal career and this is the company where I eventually want to retire.”   The pride Tina shows in her craft and her ability to mentor the next generation of craft workers, is what makes Tina our Foreman Focus for November 2020.