CLEVELAND, June 4 — Clay E. Craddock of BLET Division 762 was elected Chairman of the Canadian National-Illinois Central (CN-IC) General Committee of Adjustment at the GCA’s quadrennial session in Tunica, Miss., on May 22, 2012.
Brother Craddock has held continuous membership in Division 762 (Memphis, Tenn.) since he first joined the Brotherhood on October 1, 1980. Immediately prior to his election, Brother Craddock served the GCA as Second Vice General Chairman, a position he held since 2008.
Also elected were: First Vice General Chairman W. D. “Billy” Evans, Division 203 (Jackson, Miss.); Second Vice General Chairman and Secretary-Treasurer Charles R. Lough Jr., Division 131 (Chicago); Third Vice General Chairman Tim B. Dunn, Division 24 (Centralia, Ill.); and Fourth Vice General Chairman and Alternate Secretary-Treasurer Tom P. Bloom, Division 114 (Waterloo, Iowa). Brother Evans also serves the Brotherhood as Chairman of the Mississippi State Legislative Board.
Alternate officers elected were: W. J. “Bill” Clayton, Division 315 (Clinton, Ill.; Second Alternate Vice General Chairman Lanie M. Keith, Division 593 (Meridian, Miss.); Third Alternate Vice General Chairman W. P. “Pat” Randolph, Division 512 (Belleville, Ill.); and Fourth Alternate Vice General Chairman J. S. “Shawn” Early, Division 8 (Slater, Mo.).
BLET National President Dennis R. Pierce represented the National Division at the meeting, along with First Vice President E. Lee Pruitt, Vice President Marcus J. Ruef, Vice President Steve Bruno and Vice President Cole W. Davis. Wisconsin Central General Chairman John Reynolds also attended the meeting.
“I congratulate these Brothers and thank them for their dedication to our Brotherhood,” National President Pierce said. “I have every confidence they will do an excellent job of representing our Illinois Central members.”
The delegates were honored to host two retired General Chairman who served the GCA for many years. Brother James L. McCoy served as Illinois Central General Chairman from 1986-1996 and Brother John R. Koonce served from 1996-2011. Brother McCoy also served the Brotherhood as an International Vice President from 1996 to 1999 and then as First Vice President, the union’s second-highest office, from 1999-2001.
President Pierce also thanked outgoing General Chairman Mark D. Whitchurch for his dedicated service to the GCA as General Chairman and Secretary-Treasurer.
The General Committee represents about 800 members from 19 different Divisions. The GCA also represents multiple railroads, including CN properties (Illinois Central, Chicago Central & Pacific, Cedar River Railway), Kansas City Southern properties (MidSouth Rail Corp., SouthRail Corp, Gateway & Western), and the IC Electric Division of Metra in Chicago.