New Leaders Listen, Share and Learn

JOURNAL: ISSUE 2 - 2015

The 2015 BAC New Leaders Program was held April 14-17 at the BAC/IMI International Training Center in Bowie, MD. Thirty-three Local and ADC representatives from across the U.S. attended.

As one of the International Union’s keystone educational programs, the meeting serves as a comprehensive orientation for newly appointed or elected Local/ADC officers and staff. The program’s more than 20 sessions are designed to familiarize participants with the IU programs, resources and personnel. Equally important, said BAC President James Boland, is “the opportunity to learn from one another, share experiences and successes, and develop relationships that can help see you through the rough patches.”

In addition to a series of overviews on key union functions by IU officers and staff, guest presenters included Prairie Wells, a former BAC organizer for Local 2 NY/VT, currently AFL-CIO Deputy Director of Governance, Organizational, and Leadership Development and Dr. Sam White, a labor historian at West Virginia University.

From left, Thomas Pinto of Local 1 PA, Kenneth Vairo of Local 1 NY, IU Education Coordinator Kiehl Christie, IU Organizer Francis Jacobberger, Don Grande of Local 1 NY, Jerome Gondeck of Local 1 MN/ND, Warren Souther of Local 1 AK, Richard Riley of Local 15 MO/KS/NE, Lynn Canfield of Local 5 NJ, William Bonlender of Local 8 WI, Pablo Rivas of Local 5 OK, William Reilly of Local 7 NY/NJ, Craig Heckel of Local 4 WI, Michael Hyatt of Local 5 WI, Richard Pacheco of Local 3 MA/ME/NH/RI, Martin Norman of Local 2 WA/ID/MT, Jose Cruz of Local 8 Southeast, Brian Collier of Local 8 OH, Michael Bontempo of Local 8 Southeast, Marvin Monge of Local 15 MO/KS/NE, James Ritchie of Local 2 MI, Jesse Sanden of Local 2 WA/ID/MT, Phillip Husband of Local 8 Southeast, Justin Gartrell of Local 6 OH, Noah Carmichael of Local 7 OH, Hector Arellano of Local 21 IL, Matthew Stafford of Local 1 PA, Dennis McGrath of Local 18 OH, William Eberhart of Local 1 WV, Jeremy Rivas of Local 4 IN/KY, Clay Roach of Local 5 PA, James Dailey of Local 3 MA/ME/NH/RI, Glenn Kelly of Local 8 Southeast, and Justin McEwen of Local 2 WA/ID/MT.