INDEPENDENCE, Ohio, March 22 — Sean P. Simon was elected by acclamation to his second term as Chairman of the New Jersey State Legislative Board at the Board’s triennial meeting in Newark, N.J., on March 15, 2016.
A Norfolk Southern locomotive engineer, Brother Simon hired out on Conrail in March of 1994. He earned promotion to locomotive engineer in August of 1995 and joined the Brotherhood effective October 1, 1997. He is Local Chairman and Legislative Representative of Division 226 in Newark, N.J.
Also elected by acclamation were: 1st Vice Chairman David Ziegler, Division 53 (Jersey City); 2nd Vice Chairman Andrew D. Arias, Division 157 (Jersey City); and Secretary-Treasurer Bob Fallon, Division 497 (Jersey City). These Brothers were also elected to serve as delegates to Teamsters Joint Council 73, along with: Richard E. Medei, Division 226 (Newark); Matthew C. Kronyak, Division 235 (Union City); and Michael A. Picariello, Division 601 (Newark).
Representing the BLET National Division at the meeting were: E. Lee Pruitt, First Vice President; John P. Tolman, Vice President and National Legislative Representative; Vincent G. Verna, Director of Regulatory Affairs; and Matt Kronyak, Special Representative and Director of Mobilization-Eastern Region. Also in attendance was: Brother Fred M. Cox, Vice General Chairman of the Norfolk Southern-Southern Lines General Committee of Adjustment; and Cliff Nolan, Director of Organizing and PAC Chairman of Teamsters Joint Council 73.
“I am proud to congratulate and thank Brother Simon and all members of the New Jersey State Legislative Board for their active service to our Brotherhood,” BLET National President Dennis R. Pierce said. “Like all of our State Legislative Boards, our Brothers and Sisters in New Jersey will have a lot of hard work ahead of them in advance on November’s elections.”
Brother Simon briefly served as President of Division 601 after joining the Brotherhood in 1995. After Norfolk Southern and CSX took over Conrail, he flowed over to NS. Shortly after the split date, Brother Simon joined the reactivated BLET Division 226 and was elected to serve as its Legislative Representative. He has also held the office of Local Chairman of Division 226 for three terms. He was elected 2nd Vice Chairman of the New Jersey State Legislative Board in 2010, and 1st Vice Chairman in 2013. He was elevated to the office of Chairman when former Chairman Matt Kronyak was appointed as a Special Representative for the BLET National Division in 2014.
The New Jersey Legislative Board represents 850 members from PATH, New Jersey Transit, CSX, Norfolk Southern, Conrail and the New York, Susquehanna and Western (NYS&W) railroads.