From left: Vince Verna, BLET VP&NLR; Tommy Perez, Div. 647; Manny Perez, Div. 647; Robert Lopez, Div. 134; Consuelo Hernandez, Arizona State Representative; Eddie Strom, Div. 28; Kevin Onnembo, outgoing Arizona SLBC; Darice Gilliam, new Arizona SLBC; Brendan Sullivan, BLET Director of Political Affairs; and Lee Candelaria, Div. 383.
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Darice Gilliam was elected Chair of the BLET’s Arizona State Legislative Board at the board’s quadrennial meeting earlier in April. The board represents more than 1,300 active and retired members from six BLET Divisions across the Grand Canyon State.
A second-generation railroader who has had a 30-year career in railroading, 27 years as a BNSF engineer, and married for 29-years to a now-retired engineer, Gilliam is a member of BLET Division 383 (Fort Mojave, Ariz.). She makes history as the first woman to win election to the office of State Legislative Board chair since the BLET was founded in 1863.
“I am grateful for this opportunity to move forward the legislative priorities of the Arizona board,” Gilliam said.
Also elected at the meeting were: 1st Vice Chairman Manual Perez III, Division 647 (Phoenix, Ariz.); 2nd Vice Chairman Lee Candelaria, Division 383 (Fort Mojave, Ariz.); Secretary-Treasurer Edward Strom, Division 28 (Tucson, Ariz.); and Alternate Secretary-Treasurer Thomas Perez, Division 647 (Phoenix, Ariz.). Elected to serve as Trustees were: Lee Candelaria, Division 383 (Fort Mojave, Ariz.); Robert Lopez, Division 134 (Winslow, Ariz.); and Manual Perez III, Division 647 (Phoenix, Ariz.).
One of the speakers addressing the April 9 meeting where Gilliam won election was Arizona State Representative Consuelo Hernandez (District 21), who Gilliam called “a committed rail safety advocate.” Hernandez, whose district includes Union Pacific’s Nogales rail yard, is a member of the Arizona House Transportation Committee and the sponsor of a rail grade crossing safety bill introduced last year.
Darice Gilliam with husband Ken and their son Kayden