CLEVELAND, May 4 — General Chairman Tony Smith was reelected by acclamation to his sixth consecutive term of office at the fifth quadrennial meeting of the CSX Eastern Lines General Committee of Adjustment in Troy, Ala., on April 24.
Brother Smith is a member of BLET Division 332 (Montgomery, Ala.) and first joined the Brotherhood on July 1, 1979.
Also elected by acclamation were: Vice General Chairman Warren E. Hinely (Division 903, Savannah, Ga.); Secretary-Treasurer Mike L. Tanner (Division 769, Sanford, Fla.); and 1st Vice General Chairman Gary D. Best (Division 498, Abbeville, S.C.). Additional elected officers include: 2nd Vice General Chairman Chris R. Hyde (Division 314, Rocky Mount, N.C.); 3rd Vice General Chairman Jeff M. Dziwulski (Division 309, Jacksonville, Fla.); 4th Vice General Chairman Otto G. Valdes-Castillo (Division 49, Miami, Fla.); and Alternate Secretary-Treasurer Jason D. Wise (Division 435, Hamlet, N.C.).
BLET National President Dennis R. Pierce represented the National Division at the quadrennial session, along with First Vice President E. Lee Pruitt and National Vice President Gil L. Gore. President Pierce was assigned to all CSX General Committees during his term as a National Vice President, a post which is now filled by Vice President Gore.
“I congratulate all officers of the proud CSX Eastern Lines General Committee of Adjustment,” President Pierce said. “Brother Smith has been a rock of stability since taking office 21 years ago. Members all along the CSX Eastern Lines benefit from having one of the most hard nosed and tenacious General Chairmen in the Brotherhood.”
Also in attendance was special guest Paul T. Sorrow, BLET National President Emeritus. President Sorrow retired effective July 1, 2010, and was assigned to assist the CSX Eastern Lines GCA for many years as a Vice President. He also served as General Chairman of the GCA for six years (1985-1991). In fact, he is one of only three men to serve as General Chairman of the CSX Eastern Lines GCA since it was founded in 1967. The other two are M.L. Geiger (1967-1985) and Tony Smith (1991 to present).
In addition to the election of officers, the delegates to the quadrennial session addressed key concerns of the membership and conducted business for the good of the order.
The CSX Eastern Lines General Committee of Adjustment represents approximately 1,300 members from 21 different divisions who work in six different states — Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.