INDEPENDENCE, Ohio, March 11 — Cory L. Runion was reelected by acclamation to his fourth term as Chairman of the Wyoming State Legislative Board following triennial meetings that concluded on February 17 in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
Brother Runion, a member of Division 115 (Cheyenne) is a Union Pacific locomotive engineer who joined the Brotherhood on December 1, 2000. He was elected Vice Chairman of the State Legislative Board in 2007 and assumed the Chairman’s office on September 28, 2008, following the retirement of former State Chairman Terry R. Jones. He was reelected by acclamation in 2010 and 2013.
Also elected by acclamation to three-year terms were: Vice Chairman Terry L. Cooke, Division 103 (Cheyenne); 2nd Vice Chairman George W. Johnson, Division 207 (Casper); Secretary-Treasurer A.P. (Tony) Lecholat, Division 624 (Sheridan); and Alternate Secretary-Treasurer Larry L. Nelson, Division 94 (Gillette).
Elected to the Audit Committee were: Steve S. Dyer, Division 31 (Bill); Larry L. Nelson, Division 94 (Gillette); and Rick D. Greene, Division 44 (Cheyenne). Alternates to the Audit Committee are Mike L. Fielder, Division 869 (Greybull) and Terry L. Cooke, Division 103 (Cheyenne).
Representing the National Division at the meeting were First Vice President E. Lee Pruitt and Vice President & National Legislative Representative John P. Tolman.
“I thank Brother Runion and all members of the Wyoming State Legislative Board for their ongoing service to our Brotherhood,” BLET National President Dennis R. Pierce said. “Under the leadership of Brother Runion, I have every confidence they will continue performing an excellent job representing the interests of our Brothers and Sisters in the proud state of Wyoming.”
Special guests from the BLET included: Dave Geisler, General Chairman, Union Pacific-Eastern District; James Wilmesher, Colorado State Legislative Board Chairman; David B. Ditzel, Special Representative and BLET Short Term Disability Liaison; and Paul T. Aird, Special Representative, Director of Organizing and Director of Mobilization-Western Region.
First Vice President Pruitt spoke about the BLET National Division’s move into a new headquarters building and gave an update regarding national contract negotiations. Vice President Tolman discussed the upcoming national elections. Special Representative Aird gave a PowerPoint presentation regarding the BLET’s mobilization network.
Additional guests included: Kim Floyd, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Wyoming AFL-CIO; Steve Fender, Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Region 6 Director; Eldon Offutt, FRA Deputy Regional Administrator; and Mark Williams, FRA Chief Inspector. The AFL-CIO’s Floyd discussed Wyoming elections and how they impact labor, while the FRA’s Fender discussed the reporting of rail incidents.
The Wyoming State Legislative Board represents more than 1,000 active and retired members from 9 different BLET Local Divisions.