General Chairman Chris R. Hyde was reelected at the quadrennial meeting of the CSXT Eastern Lines General Committee of Adjustment, which was held via Zoom on April 21, 2024. Brother Hyde began serving as General Chairman on January 1, 2023, following the election of Gary D. Best to the office of National Vice President.
The CSXT-Eastern Lines General Committee of Adjustment represents more than 1,700 active and retired members from 18 different BLET Divisions.
Also elected were: Vice General Chairman Jamie L. Truesdale, Division 598 (Greenville, S.C.); First Vice Chairman Troy L. Bryant, Division 532 (Richmond, Va.); Second Vice Chairman Roger D. Bickerstaff, Division 684 (Birmingham, Ala.); Third Vice Chairman David P. Wyatt, Division 216 (Tampa, Fla.); Fourth Vice Chairman S.A. (Anthony) Sirmans, Division 648 (Waycross, Ga.); Secretary-Treasurer Robbie W. Clark, Division 779 (Manchester, Ga.); and Alternate Secretary-Treasurer Jon H. Hull, Division 332 (Montgomery, Ala.). Brothers Truesdale, Bryant and Wyatt were appointed to serve as Trustees.
Brother Hyde is a second-generation locomotive engineer who hired out with CSX in 1994. He earned promotion to locomotive engineer in 1995 and joined BLET Division 314 (Rocky Mount, N.C.) in 1996. He was Local Chairman of Division 314 for 20 years (2003-2023). Only five men have served as General Chairman of the CSXT Eastern Lines GCA since it was founded in 1967: M. L. Geiger, 1967-1985; Paul T. Sorrow, 1985-1991; Tony Smith, 1991-2013; Gary D. Best, 2013-2022; and Chris R. Hyde, 2023-present.