CLEVELAND, November 5 — James P. Louis was elected Chairman of the New York State Legislative Board at meetings held in Grand Island, N.Y.
Brother Louis is a member of BLET Division 421 (Buffalo, N.Y.), and he joined the BLET in 1987. He also serves the Brotherhood as Alternate General Chairman and Secretary-Treasurer of the Conrail SAA/CSXT Northern District General Committee of Adjustment.
Also elected at the meeting were: Vice Chairman David Kearsing, Division 46; Secretary-Treasurer James Daddino, Division 269; and Alternate Secretary-Treasurer Gregory Lund, Division 421.
Brother Louis has the formidable task of filling the shoes of outgoing Chairman John Collins (Division 421), who held the job for the past 23 years.
“I would like to thank John Collins for his 23 years of service to the Brotherhood,” Louis said. “As our Board’s longest running chairman, Brother Collins spent years mentoring BLET members and officers of the New York State Legislative Board.”
BLET National President Ed Rodzwicz thanked Brother Collins for his years of dedicated service to the Brotherhood and to the New York State Legislative Board.
“Brother Collins provided valuable veteran leadership for our membership and has been a steadying force within our Brotherhood for many years,” President Rodzwicz said. “Thank you for your faithful service to the Brotherhood and congratulations on your retirement.”
Brother Louis is a CSX locomotive engineer who hired out as a trainman for Conrail on August 6, 1976. He earned promotion to locomotive engineer on July 9, 1987. His service to the New York State Legislative Board began in 1989 as Legislative Representative of BLET Division 659, and he has served the Board continuously ever since.
“I know Jim Louis will prove to be an able successor to John Collins, and I know he and his Board will do an excellent job representing the interests of all locomotive engineers and trainmen in New York state,” President Rodzwicz said.
He and his wife Janet have two sons, Shaun and Chris, who are both Eagle Scouts. Brother Louis also serves as a Committeeman for the Town of Tonawanda Democratic Party, and has completed numerous BLET Education & Training Department and International Brotherhood of Teamsters training workshops over the past five years.
The New York State Legislative Board represents 1,200 members throughout New York, including both freight and passenger lines.