Kauffman to serve as IPF Executive Director as Stupar Announces Upcoming Retirement

Lester Kauffman, President of BAC Local 5 Pennsylvania, will be Executive Director of the International Pension Fund (IPF) effective March 1, 2023. Kauffman is succeeding David Stupar, who is retiring. IPF recently celebrated its 50th anniversary and is approaching the milestone of having paid out over $4 Billion in benefits to retired BAC members.

Stupar, a member of BAC Local 2 Michigan, has served as Executive Director of IPF for the last 30 years, and indeed has served in various capacities for nearly every BAC-related fund at the International Union level for an impressive 45 years. He has held a variety of leadership positions, including Executive Director of the International Health Fund and the LOEPF.

“Under Dave's stewardship the BAC Benefit Funds have experienced significant growth while continuing to provide superior service to BAC members across the US and Canada,” said BAC President Tim Driscoll. "On behalf of the IU, I thank Dave for his decades of service to BAC members and their families.”

Lester Kauffman will also serve as Executive Director of IPF Canada, and of the BAC Save Retirement Savings and 401(k) Plans. Kauffman served as President of BAC Local 5 Pennsylvania for the past seventeen years, and as a local field representative for six years prior to that. He brings a wealth of benefits experience to the IPF Executive Director position, having served on, and chaired, several local benefit plans during his 35-year career with BAC. Additionally, at the International level, Kauffman served on the LOEPF Advisory Committee and the International Healthcare Task Force.

“Throughout his career with BAC Local 5 PA, Les has demonstrated a keen understanding of the important role that benefits play in attracting and retaining the skilled craftworkers that our industry relies on,” said Gregory Hess, IPF Co-Chair, Secretary/Treasurer of the International Council of Employers of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers, and President and CEO of Caretti Inc. “He is ideally suited to further strengthen the International benefit programs that he will oversee.”