Installation of Grand Lodge Officers

Grand Lodge Officers

Left to right, seated, Jed Dodd, Bruce Glover, William E. LaRue, Mac A. Fleming, R. A. Bowden, T. R. McCoy, Jr., E. R. Spears. Standing, Henry W. Wise, Jr., Gary D. Housch, K. M. Deptuck, Larry W. Borden, E. L. Torske, Richard A. Lau, Louis R. Below, Richard B. Wehrli.

In accordance with the rules adopted by the Convention on July 13, 1998, the election of officers was a special order of business beginning at 10 a.m., Tuesday, July 14, 1998. Executive Board Chairman Ron Bowden served as Temporary Chairman during the election process.

The first nominating speech was for the position of President. James D. Knight, General Chairman of the Seaboard Federation, Lodge 2067, nominated Mac A. Fleming. Seconding nominations were given by Perry Geller, General Chairman, Consolidated Rail System Federation, Lodge 1396; Mark Hemphill, General Chairman, Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe System Federation, Lodge 2406; Roger Sanchez, General Chairman, Southern Pacific Atlantic Federation, Lodge 1507, who also addressed the delegates in Spanish; Leon Fenhaus, General Chairman, Chicago & North Western System Federation, Lodge 960; Herman Dixon; Denny French, Lodge 2619; Andre Trudel, Lodge 1184, who also addressed the delegation in French. There being no further nominations, Mac A. Fleming was elected by acclamation.

Next was the nominating speech for the position of Secretary-Treasurer. Perry Geller nominated William E. LaRue. Seconding nominations were given by Rick E. Phillips, Federation General Chairman, BMWE Eastern System Federation, Lodge 83; Edward Posas, Jr., Second Vice Chairman, Southern Pacific Atlantic Federation, Lodge 1338; Bill Konetzke, Assistant General Chairman, Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific System Federation, Lodge 1841; Lorenzo Ben, Lodge 2400; Hayward Granier, General Chairman, Illinois Central Gulf Federation, Lodge 1165. There being no further nominations, William E. LaRue was elected by acclamation.

Canada:

Vice Presidents (2). John Kruk, System Federation General Chairman, Canadian System Federation, Lodge 244, nominated Gary D. Housch. Seconding nominations were given by Ron Liberty, System Federation General Chairman, Western System Federation, Lodge 2697, and Gilles Beauregard, General Chairman, Canadian System Federation, Lodge 232. Ron Liberty nominated Kenneth M. Deptuck. Seconding nominations were given by John Kruk and Andre Trudel, General Chairman, BMWE Eastern System Federation, Lodge 1184. There being no further nominations, Gary Housch and Ken Deptuck were elected by acclamation.

Executive Board. John Kruk nominated Ronald A. Bowden and was seconded by Ron Liberty and Rick Phillips. There being no further nominations, Ronald A. Bowden was elected by acclamation.

Northeast Region:

Vice President. Stuart Hurlburt, Jr., General Chairman, Northeastern System Federation, Lodge 1368, nominated Henry W. Wise, Jr. Seconding nominations were given by Greg Barbati, General Chairman, Commuter Railroad System Division, Lodge 2908 and Charles Hansler, Vice Chairperson, Pennsylvania Federation, Lodge 935. There being no further nominations, Henry W. Wise, Jr. was elected by acclamation.

Executive Board. Greg Barbati nominated Jed Dodd and was seconded by Frank Cienski, Lodge 3068. There being no further nominations, Jed Dodd was elected by acclamation.

Northwest Region:

Vice President. Leon Fenhaus nominated Ernest L. Torske. Seconding nominations were given by David D. Joynt, General Chairman, Burlington System Division, Lodge 1214 and Evan N. Ostlund, General Chairman, Soo Line System Division, Lodge 1481. There being no further nominations, Ernest L. Torske was elected by acclamation.

Executive Board. Michael Garisto, Lodge 1734 nominated Bruce G. Glover and was seconded by Evan N. Ostlund. Russell D. Iwen, Assistant General Chairman, Soo Line System Division, Lodge 893, nominated Maynard Lowe. Seconding nominations were given by Robert Almaguer, Lodge 783, and Tom Cartwright, Lodge 63. Brother Lowe received 3,275 votes and Brother Glover 4,843. Bruce G. Glover was elected.

Southeast Region:

Vice President. Gary L. Cox, General Chairman, Southern System Division, Lodge 585, nominated Richard A. Lau, and was seconded by Hayward Granier. There being no further nominations, Richard A. Lau was elected by acclamation.

Executive Board. Jim Knight nominated Tom McCoy. Seconding nominations were given by Joe Pugh, retired General Chairman, Lodge 599, and Gary Cox. Randy Cook, General Chairman, Allied Eastern Federation, Lodge 1388 nominated Freddie N. Simpson and was seconded by Andrew Shelton, Lodge 670. Brother Simpson received 3,019 votes and Brother McCoy 4,616. Tom McCoy was elected.

Southwest Region:

Vice President. Bill R. Palmer, General Chairman, Missouri Pacific System Federation, Lodge 688, nominated Larry W. Borden and was seconded by Edward Posas, Jr. There being no further nominations, Larry W. Borden was elected by acclamation.

Executive Board. Roger Sanchez nominated E. Richard Spears. Seconding nominations were given by Edward Posas, Jr. and Dana Sconyers, Lodge 1251. There being no further nominations, E. Richard Spears was elected by acclamation.

Western Region:

Vice President. David D. Tanner, General Chairman, Union Pacific System Division, Lodge 918, nominated Richard B. Wehrli. Seconding nominations were given by David McMahon, General Chairman, Pacific Federation, Lodge 107, and Tony A. Wheeler, Vice General Chairman, Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe System Federation, Lodge 2404. Ben Murray, Vice Chairman, Mountain & Plains Federation, Lodge 779, nominated William F. Gulliford. Seconding nominations were given by Rod Kubesh, Lodge 14, and Joe Montoya, Lodge 1501. Brother Gulliford received 879 votes and Brother Wehrli 6,749. Richard B. Wehrli was elected.

Executive Board. William F. Gulliford, General Chairman, Mountain & Plains Federation, Lodge 779, nominated Mark Hemphill and was seconded by David McMahon. Raymond Ash, Lodge 1246, nominated John Villalobos and was seconded by Jaime Marquez, Lodge 1862, and Al Jimenez, Lodge 875. David D. Tanner nominated Louis R. Below and was seconded by Henry Jajuga, Lodge 227. On the first ballot, the votes were: John Villalobos 1,249, Mark Hemphill 2,935, Louis Below 3,496. As no individual received a majority, under the rules John Villalobos was dropped from the ballot. On the second ballot, Brother Hemphill received 3,884 votes and Brother Below 3,939. Louis R. Below was elected.

Conducting the installation of officers ceremony as the last order of business as the Convention closed on Friday, July 17 was Sol Hammons, retired Vice President, who asked the elected officers to place their right hand over their heart and their left hand on the right shoulder of the brother in front of them, ending with President Fleming to place his left hand on the Bible.

Brother Hammons then asked the officers to repeat after him: I, in the presence of our delegates and members, do solemnly promise that I will perform all the duties of my office as laid down in the Constitution and Bylaws of the Brotherhood to the best of my ability for the best interests of the membership as a whole. To all of this, I pledge my sacred honor.

Concluding the ceremony, Brother Hammons declared the Grand Lodge Officers duly installed by the authority of the Constitution and Bylaws and advised that "their success depends upon their fidelity and your cooperation. Work together in harmony at all times."