Retirement of Robert Arnold, International Union Secretary-Treasurer
Robert “Bob” Arnold, Secretary-Treasurer of the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers, retired effective December 31, 2022, after serving three years as International BAC Secretary-Treasurer.
Prior to joining the BAC Executive Board, Arnold served as the National Director of Apprenticeship and Training for the International Masonry Training and Education Foundation (IMTEF) for eight years, and before that, as Director of the Illinois District Council Training Center. A proud member of BAC Local 21 Illinois, he began his career as a bricklayer in 1978.
“As Secretary-Treasurer, Bob’s responsive and commonsense approach has been essential to our ability to continue to deliver the critical services that our members rely upon,” said President Tim Driscoll. “His sound reasoning and steadfast nature throughout the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic, which began almost immediately after he took once, has been invaluable.”
SULLIVAN INSTALLED AS SECRETARY-TREASURER
On January 1, 2023, President Driscoll appointed Executive Vice President Jeremiah “Jerry” Sullivan, Jr. to serve as Secretary-Treasurer of the International Union to fulfill Brother Arnold’s term.
Since joining the BAC Executive Board in 2020, Sullivan has overseen numerous programs including the International Union’s critical functions of benefits administration, collective bargaining, safety, and government relations.
Before joining the International Union Executive Board, he served as President of Local 1 New York for ten years, and as Secretary-Treasurer for the prior thirteen years. Brother Sullivan also served for over a decade on the IU Executive Council as Regional Vice President and as Trustee on the Board of the International Masonry Institute. He joined BAC in 1981 as a bricklayer.
“Jerry is a creative and determined trade unionist,” President Driscoll said. “He came to the IU Executive Board with a tremendous breadth and depth of experience, and his service since then has proven him to be a passionate and stalwart leader for all BAC members across the International Union. I am confident that he is the right leader to help our Executive Board steer BAC through the coming years.”
HOCEVAR NAMED EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
President Driscoll appointed Keith Hocevar to serve on the Executive Board as Executive Vice President to fulfill the term of Sullivan.
Hocevar, a 25-year member of BAC, joined the International Union staff in 2015 as a Regional Representative and advanced to Regional Director for the BAC North Central Region in 2017. Brother Hocevar previously served as an Executive Vice President of the BAC Ohio Kentucky Administrative District Council and Field Representative for BAC Local 16 Ohio.
“Keith has proven to be a smart and strategic leader with tremendous energy,” said President Driscoll. “I look forward to working closely with him to continue to strengthen this union for future generations of BAC craftworkers.”