LONG BEACH, Calif., August 25 — Brother G.N. “Nick” Johnson was reelected by acclamation to his third term as Chairman of the Arizona State Legislative Board at the Board’s quadrennial meeting in Long Beach, Calif., on August 22, 2016.
A member of BLET Division 28 (Tucson, Ariz.), Brother Johnson is a Union Pacific locomotive engineer who first joined the Brotherhood on April 1, 1999. Most recently, he was elected by acclamation to the chairman’s office at the Board’s meeting on October 23, 2012. He was first elevated to the office of chairman on August 1, 2011, after former chairman Vincent G. Verna was appointed to serve as the BLET’s Director of Regulatory Affairs out of Washington, D.C.
Also elected by acclamation were: 1st Vice Chairman Manny Perez III, Division 647 (Phoenix, Ariz.); 2nd Vice Chairman Richard Kolomitz, Division 134 (Winslow, Ariz.); Secretary-Treasurer Stephen Whitman, Division 28 (Tucson); and Alternate Secretary-Treasurer Jake Howard, Division 383 (Fort Mohave, Ariz.). Elected by acclamation to serve as Trustees were: Kevin Onnembo, Division 123 (Phoenix, Ariz.); Manny Perez III, Division 647 (Phoenix, Ariz.); and Richard Kolomitz, Division 134 (Winslow, Ariz.).
Guest speakers included: BLET National President Dennis R. Pierce; Vice President & National Legislative Representative John P. Tolman; National Vice President Mike Twombly; Union Pacific-Western Lines General Chairman Bill Hannah; and Director of Regulatory Affairs Vince Verna.
“I am proud to offer my congratulations and thanks to Brother Nick and all officers of the Arizona State Legislative Board,” President Pierce said. “I thank them for their dedication to serving our Brotherhood. They will have much work to accomplish over the next several weeks in advance of the November elections, but I have every confidence that they will rise to the task.”
Additional special guests included: Brian P. Carr, UP-Western Lines 1st Vice General Chairman; Cory Runion, Wyoming State Legislative Board Chairman; and Bob Hagan, BLET Director of Political and Legislative Affairs.
Brother Johnson coordinated the date and location of the Board’s 2016 quadrennial meeting to coincide with the beginning of the BLET’s Regional Meeting in Long Beach, Calif. The location gave members and delegates of the Arizona State Legislative Board the opportunity to meet with as many National Division officers and Staff as possible.
The BLET’s Arizona State Legislative Board represents approximately 600 active members throughout the state.