🎉 Local 159 Member of the Month – May 2025: Chase Michaels

District Council 16, Local 159 is proud to honor Chase Michaels as our May 2025 Member of the Month—a standout journeyman who represents the next generation of union excellence.

Chase’s journey into the trades was guided by family—his father, a Local 159 painter himself, helped introduce him to the industry. Aside from a short stint at Raising Cane’s, painting has been Chase’s one and only career path. He joined the apprenticeship early on and has embraced the opportunities and challenges that have shaped him into the respected tradesperson he is today.

Fittingly, Chase was nominated by Rob Wilkerson, last year’s May honoree and one of the most highly respected painters in Local 159. For someone like Rob to recognize Chase’s hard work and dedication speaks volumes about the kind of worker—and teammate—Chase is.

During his time in the apprenticeship, Chase witnessed the program shift from a four-year schedule to five years, as well as a change from weekly evening classes to a more focused, week-long session each quarter. He welcomed the change. “I liked being able to focus fully on school for an entire week,” he says. “It made a big difference not having it constantly hanging in the back of my mind.”

Chase began his career at Midwest Pro, but about five years ago, he made the move to Anning Johnson, where he continues to thrive. His growth hasn’t gone unnoticed—Chase was honored as Apprentice of the Year at Anning Johnson and has also taken home awards at company picnics for his great attitude and team spirit.

Among his many positive influences, Chase credits Rob Wilkerson, the Van Leers, Darrell, and several others who have mentored and supported him. He’s especially thankful to Darrell for having the confidence to give him a shot on a swing stage—something Chase takes pride in to this day.

Some of the projects Chase is most proud of are his swing stage jobs. He enjoys driving past completed sites and saying to himself, “I swung the outside of that.” He’s particularly proud of his work on The Horseshoe—a job that reflects both skill and commitment.

When asked what advice he would give to apprentices or new members, Chase doesn’t hesitate:

“Don’t be afraid to make mistakes—that’s how you learn. This is the time to try new things. Make the mistakes now while you’re in training.”

He also stresses the importance of financial responsibility.

“We make great wages, but don’t spend it all. Save some for a rainy day or when the jobs get slow. Don’t go buy the boat just yet,” he says with a smile.

For Chase, High Performance / High Value is all about pride, professionalism, and mindset.

“We’re selling our work to distinguished customers. We need to show up every day with a positive mindset and do our best. That’s what it’s about.”

He adds that even when you’re on a tough job—like the time he spent months caulking baseboard—it’s important to stay focused and not give up.

“Those jobs are temporary. Keep pushing. Better opportunities always come.”

Though he hasn’t yet tapped into benefits like the pension or 401(k), Chase is incredibly thankful for his health insurance and the wages that are helping him save for his first home.

Chase brings hard work, a great attitude, and a team-first mentality to every job site. He’s a big part of the positive culture at Anning Johnson and is already being recognized as a future leader within the company.

Congratulations, Chase Michaels, on being selected as Local 159’s May 2025 Member of the Month. Your dedication, humility, and work ethic are what make Local 159 strong. Keep up the great work—we’re proud to have you in our union family!