CLEVELAND, September 19 — Chairman Ken Kertesz was reelected by acclamation to his fourth term at the Pennsylvania State Legislative Board’s quadrennial meeting in Hershey, Pa., from September 13-15, 2014.
Brother Kertesz is a Delaware & Hudson locomotive engineer and member of BLET Division 263 in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. He first joined the Brotherhood on January 1, 1974. The 2014 quadrennial marked the third consecutive time he has been elected to the Chairman’s position by acclamation.
Also elected by acclamation were: 1st Vice Chairman Jim O’Neill, Division 483 (Philadelphia, Pa.); 2nd Vice Chairman Jeff Johnson, Division 71 (Philadelphia, Pa.); and Secretary-Treasurer Tim Laveing, Division 325 (Wilkinsburg, Pa.).
Members of the Board’s Executive Committee were also elected by acclamation: Pete Fernandez, Division 757 (New Castle, Pa.); and Steve Gothreau, Division 276 (Allentown, Pa.).
Representing the BLET National Division at the meeting and addressing the delegates were: National President Dennis R. Pierce; First Vice President E. Lee Pruitt; National Secretary-Treasurer William C. Walpert; Vice President and National Legislative Representative John P. Tolman; and National Vice President Stephen J. Bruno.
“Congratulations and thank you to Brother Kertesz and all members and officers of the Pennsylvania State Legislative Board,” President Pierce said. “Brother Kertesz and his officers will have a lot of work ahead in the realm of politics as Pennsylvania will once again play an important role in the November elections and again in 2016. I have every confidence they will do a fine job.”
Sereena Hogan, Vice President and National Legislative Representative of the BLET Auxiliary, was also in attendance and addressed the delegation.
Additional BLET guests included: Dave Kearsing, New York State Legislative Board Chairman; Matt Kronyak, New Jersey State Legislative Board Chairman; and Tim Price, 1st Vice Chairman of the Ohio State Legislative Board.
Other guest speakers included: State Representative Jim Marshall (R-14); Pennsylvania AFL-CIO President Rick Bloomingdale; Pennsylvania AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Frank Snyder; and Mark McDermott, a motivational speaker from Washington state who, among other items, discussed labor history.
The BLET Pennsylvania State Legislative Board represents more than 2,300 active and retired members from seven different railroads belonging to 19 different BLET Divisions. Brother Kertesz is its third chairman of the Pennsylvania State Legislative Board since it was founded in 1986.