Mike Bredl reflects on his SAIA presidency
As Mike Bredl prepares to hand over the SAIA presidency at the Annual Convention in Nashville, he reflects on what changed during his term, what didn’t, and what the industry still needs to focus on next
When Mike Bredl took on the presidency of the Scaffold & Access Industry Association, he set himself two priorities: strengthen the credibility of SAIA’s training offering and ensure members felt the association was delivering real value. Simple in principle, harder in practice. “When I stepped into the role, I was really focused on two things, training credibility and making sure SAIA was delivering real value to our members,” he says. “If you’re a member, you should feel like SAIA is helping you run your business better, keep your people safer, and stay connected to the industry. If we weren’t doing that, we needed to fix it.”
PROGRESS MADE, BUT WITH MORE TO DO
Bredl inherited an industry he describes as “solid, but a little fragmented”, with strong companies but varying approaches to training, standards, and workforce development.
That picture has improved. “I think we’re more connected and a bit more aligned as an industry. There is more engagement and more focus on training and standards than there was before. But I don’t think anyone would say we’ve solved the big challenges.”
The labor shortage remains, alongside differences in how consistently standards are applied. “We’re in a better position than we were a couple of years ago, but consistency across the industry is still something we’re continuing to work on.”
Looking back, Bredl sees clear progress, particularly in the tools and structure now available to the industry, even if adoption is still developing.
Bredl points to training, certification, and standards as the most tangible areas of advancement. During his term, SAIA relaunched its Supported Scaffold Competent Person Training (CPT) and introduced the Suspended Scaffold Competent Person Training (CPT), developed through the ATI Committee with contributions from past presidents Jim Holcomb, Michael Paladino, and Tracy Dutting-Kane.
Work has also continued on a scaffold apprenticeship program to create a more structured entry point into the trade, alongside ongoing ANSI standards development, including the reaffirmation of ANSI/SAIA A92.24 Standard and the introduction of the ANSI/SAIA A11.6 Standard. At the same time, access to these resources has improved through a new website, updated materials, and multilingual content.
“Companies and workers now have better tools, and better access to those tools, than they did a couple of years ago. That’s something real.”
The remaining challenge is ensuring those tools are consistently used across the industry. Not every company is investing in training to the same degree, and not every worker is entering the industry through a structured pathway.
“Until training becomes a baseline expectation across the entire industry, not just something the top tier companies prioritize, we still have work to do.”
That theme carries into other areas, particularly safety, where progress is visible but not uniform.
On safety, Bredl takes a balanced view. “I think it’s a little bit of both,” he says, referring to the mix of real improvements and better reporting. “There is definitely more awareness and better resources today than there were a few years ago. But I don’t think we can sit here and say the entire industry has turned a corner.”
Instead, he sees a difference between companies that are heavily invested in training and those still developing their approach. “So we’re moving in the right direction, but we’re not where we need to be yet.”
The same dynamic applies to workforce development. The skilled labor shortage remains one of the industry’s most persistent challenges. “We’ve been talking about the labor shortage for years, and the reality is, it’s not going to fix itself.”
Addressing it requires a shift in how the industry presents itself. “What’s going to make a difference is turning this into a real career, not just a job. That means having clear entry points like apprenticeships, showing people there’s a path to grow, paying competitively, and recognizing skills and certifications across the industry. Until more of the industry buys into that and treats this like a profession, not just a position to fill, the shortage isn’t going anywhere.”
Alongside these core areas, SAIA has also strengthened its engagement with members and the wider industry. The association delivered record attendance at its 2024 Annual Convention & Exposition in Denver, reintroduced regional events in 2025, and maintained strong participation across Committee Week. Membership retention has remained above 90%, alongside increased sponsor involvement and the introduction of new webinar initiatives.
PROGRESS MADE, BUT WITH MORE TO DO
Taken together, these trends highlight both progress and the need for continued focus.
One risk the industry needs to remain aware of is complacency. “We’ve made progress as an industry, but there’s a tendency to think we’re further along than we actually are.”
Bredl points to the combination of factors the industry is managing, including labor shortages, compressed schedules, evolving equipment, and varying training practices. “That’s where the real risk starts to build.”
These pressures are made more complex by the pace of change across the industry.
Some companies are adapting quickly to new materials, site conditions, and expectations, while others are still working to keep up. “Training is improving, but the reality is the jobsite is changing fast. In some cases, faster than training is being adopted across the board.”
This balance between growth and consistency also shaped some of the more challenging decisions during Bredl’s term. “The harder call is making sure growth does not dilute training quality, technical credibility, or the association’s standards-first identity.”
Looking at SAIA itself, Bredl sees the next phase as building on a strong foundation. While the association has expanded its programs, standards, and resources, the focus now is on demonstrating their impact across the industry.
“It’s harder to clearly show how much that’s actually changing behavior out on jobsites across the entire industry. Until we can measure that, we’ve built a strong foundation, but we’re still working toward full impact.”
At the same time, SAIA has continued to strengthen its international presence. The association has expanded its relationships with organizations including the National Access & Scaffolding Confederation (NASC), formalized alliances with groups such as ASSP, and supported the development of the International Association of Scaffolding & Access (IASA). International membership has also grown over the past two years, contributing to a more connected global approach to training, safety, and best practices.
WHAT COMES NEXT
As Bredl prepares to hand over to incoming president Matt Morgan, the focus is on continuity and execution. “The strategic plan is in place, the priorities are clear, and there’s a lot of good work already in motion.”
The next step is ensuring that strategy translates into consistent, day-to-day impact across the industry. Delivering that level of follow-through remains an ongoing focus.
Bredl’s closing message reflects that direction. “Access companies can’t keep doing things the way they’ve always done them and expect better results.”
Raising standards across training, safety, and workforce development will continue to shape the industry’s future. “The companies that commit to raising the bar are going to lead this industry. The ones that don’t are going to get left behind.” The direction is clear, and the opportunity is there for those ready to take it.
Bredl has had to make many challenging decisions during his presidential term.
“Companies and workers now have better tools, and better access to those tools, than they did a couple of years ago.”
