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Committee Announces SIU Election Results

February 2009

A committee of rank-and-file SIU members recently released its official report on the voting for national officers of the Atlantic, Gulf, Lakes and Inland Waters District/NMU. Voting took place Nov. 1 through Dec. 31, 2008. The union’s tallying committee consisted of 20 Seafarers (two members elected from each of the SIU’s 10 constitutional halls). The group certified the reelection of Michael Sacco as president of the SIU; election of Augie Tellez as the union’s executive vice president; reelection of David Heindel as secretary-treasurer; and election of George Tricker as vice president of contracts and contract enforcement, among other results. The tallying committee’s report will be submitted for approval by the membership at union meetings in March. Additionally, the committee reported that the proposed constitutional amendment was approved by a landslide. The amendment concerns the per diem for members who serve on union finance, credentials, tallying and constitutional committees. According to the report, each of the four contested races for office was decided by a large margin. The committee disclosed the election of the following officers, who will serve four-year terms: Michael Sacco, president; Augie Tellez, executive vice president; David Heindel, secretary-treasurer George Tricker, contracts and contract enforcement vice president; Joseph Soresi, Atlantic Coast vice president; Dean Corgey, Gulf Coast vice president; Nick Marrone, West Coast vice president; Tom Orzechowski, Southern Region, Great Lakes and inland waters vice president; Kermett Mangram, Government Services and fishing industries vice president; Archie Ware, assistant vice president in charge of contracts and contract enforcement; Nick Celona, assistant vice president in charge of the Atlantic Coast; Ambrose Cucinotta, assistant vice president in charge of the Gulf Coast; Bryan Powell, assistant vice president in charge of the West Coast; Jim McGee, assistant vice president in charge of the Southern Region, Great Lakes and inland waters; Chester Wheeler, assistant vice president in charge of Government Services and fishing industries; Pat Vandegrift, Piney Point port agent; Robert Selzer, New York port agent; Joe Baselice, Philadelphia port agent; Georg Kenny, Baltimore port agent; Thornton Elliot, Mobile port agent; Chris Westbrook, New Orleans port agent; Kenneth Moore, Houston port agent; Tracey Mayhew, Oakland port agent; Becky Sleeper, St. Louis port agent; Todd Brdak, Algonac port agent. The committee met during the week of Jan. 5 at the union’s headquarters in Camp Springs, Md. “Everyone pitched in and worked hard,” noted John Cain, committee chairman. “The entire committee has been outstanding. All the ports they came from should be proud, because they’re all top-notch.” Co-Chair Louella Sproul added, “Everybody worked as a team and did an excellent job. This is truly the best group I’ve ever seen.” Serving on the committee were Glenn Williams and Brandon Maeda from Piney Point, Michael Keogh and James Darden from Algonac, Nelson Poe and Gerard Costello from Baltimore, Rafael Pereira and Cain from Houston, Michael Congress and Marshall Turner Jr. from Mobile, Joseph Birke and Jack McElveen from New Orleans, Terry Mouton and Raymond Henderson from New York, Roger Reinke and Sproul from Oakland, Michael Kirby and John Haller from Philadelphia, and David Stavron and Michael Sanders Jr. from St. Louis. “The members of the union tallying committee wish to congratulate the elected officers and jobholders,” the group said in its report. “We extend our best wishes for the next four years. We hope that you will carry on the tradition of our union and advance the strength of the maritime industry.” ###