General Chairman Jerry G. Sturdivant, Division 110, (Ludlow, Ky.), was reelected at the Norfolk Southern-Southern Lines GCA’s quadrennial meeting in Florence, Kentucky, on May 21, 2024. This is his third term of office. The Norfolk Southern-Southern Lines GCA represents more than 4,000 active and retired members in 40 BLET Local Divisions across 15 states.
Also elected were: 1st Vice General Chairman and Secretary-Treasurer Shane Hubbard, Division 343 (Princeton, Ind.); 2nd Vice Chairman Jack E Briles III, Division 165 (Louisville, Ky.); 3rd Vice Chairman James D. Conner, Division 409 (Columbus, Ga.); 4th Vice Chairman Alex K. Brendle, Division 166 (Charlotte, N.C.); 5th Vice Chairman J. Todd Sizemore, Division 423 (Tuscumbia, Ala.); and Alternate General Chairman Duane C. Lance, Division 786 (Macon, Ga.).
Regional Chairman (RC) positions and alternates were elected as follows: Coastal RC Dennis L. Cordell, Division 646 (Savannah, Ga.); alternate Coastal RC Thomas L. Price, Division 328 (Atlanta, Ga.); Eastern RC Richard W. Hege Jr., Division 375 (Spencer, N.C.); alternate Eastern RC Heath B. Swaney, Division 208 (Greensboro, N.C.); Southern RC William Brown, Division 230 (Meridian, Miss.); alternate Southern RC Joshua W. Simmons, Division 899 (Birmingham, Ala.); Central RC Eric L. Barnard, Division 205 (Chattanooga, Tenn.); alternate Central RC David W. Cook, Division 165 (Louisville, Ky.); Northern RC Tim M. Laveing, Division 325 (Wilkinsburg, Pa.); and alternate Northern RC Chad E. Bowling, Division 74 (Harrisburg-Enola, Pa.).
Brother Sturdivant began serving as General Chairman on January 1, 2019, following the installation of then-General Chairman Mark L. Wallace as BLET National Vice President. Sturdivant was reelected to a full four-year term in 2020. Sturdivant hired out in 1990 as a brakeman with NS, entered into engine service in 1992, and joined the BLET in 1993 after earning promotion to locomotive engineer. He was Local Chairman of Division 110 for 12 years (2000-2012) and served the NS-Southern Lines GCA as 1st Vice General Chairman and Secretary-Treasurer for seven years (2012-2019).