Third District International Representative Michael J. Flanagan retired August 1 after more than four decades of service to the IBEW.

“It’s been an honor and a privilege to be a part of the IBEW and to be able to improve wages, benefits and working conditions for the members and local unions that I serviced,” he said.

Born in Buffalo, N.Y., he started his career in 1966, working as a meter reader at Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation. He held many other utility company positions until being elected business manager and financial secretary of Buffalo, N.Y., Local 1339 in 1975. After serving in the position for nearly 13 years, he was appointed to the International staff in 1986, servicing utility local unions in New Jersey until 1989 and in New York thereafter. He also served in the United States Army Reserve from 1966 to 1972.

In 1988, Brother Flanagan was part of the first International team sent to Japan to exchange ideas and learn about the philosophy of that country’s labor leaders.

One of his proudest accomplishments came in the early 2000s, when he helped organize workers at Rochester Gas and Electric Company, something the IBEW had been trying to do for several decades.

“Nothing had ever worked,” he said. “But finally the employees came to us and it was a terrific win.”

In retirement, Brother Flanagan plans to spend more time with his three daughters and eight grandchildren. He also plans to ride his motorcycle more than he has before.

The staff, members and officers of the IBEW thank Brother Flanagan for his dedicated service and wish him an enjoyable and well-deserved retirement.

Seventh District International Representative Michael P. Blanchard retired August 1 following more than 40 years of service to the IBEW.

Three days after graduating high school, the native Texan followed in his father’s footsteps and was initiated into Beaumont Local 479 in 1968. As part of his apprenticeship, Blanchard earned an associate’s degree in vocational electricity from Texas’ Lamar University. For the next several years, he worked as an inside wireman and took every opportunity to travel the nation, carrying his card to more than 35 different locals.

“Being a part of the IBEW gave me the chance to see what it was like to work alongside brothers around the country,” Blanchard said. “It was a great experience.”

He later found his niche in union leadership. Blanchard served on numerous local committees, was a member of the executive board and was elected business manager and financial secretary of Local 479 in 1986.

International President J.J. Barry appointed Blanchard to the Seventh District office in 1993. Tasked with coordinating organizing efforts in the construction field, Blanchard helped spearhead a petrochemical plant campaign in the late ‘90s which became the Gulf Coast Initiative. The first goal of organizing 1,000 new workers inside of 18 months was a success, so he ramped up his efforts to double that within the next six months. Rather than picket contractors, Blanchard oversaw production of a weekly newsletter that he and his team distributed to nonunion worksites from Mobile, Ala. to Corpus Christi, Texas. The 14,000 copies circulating amongst unorganized workers helped draw scores of electricians into the IBEW and allowed Blanchard to keep anti-union opposition at arm’s length. “The nonunion bosses knew that you don’t pick a fight with a man who buys ink by the barrel,” he said. “It was a successful way to boost the membership.”

Blanchard was a member of the resolution committee at the IBEW’s 34th convention in 1991. He also served as secretary-treasurer for the Sabine Area Central Labor Council.

His family includes his wife, Carmen, and son, Jason. With a lake 30 feet from his back door at his home in Village Mills, Texas, Blanchard looks forward to spending more time fishing and doing outdoor activities in his retirement—including traveling with Carmen and hitting the open road in his Corvette.

The staff, members and officers of the IBEW thank Brother Blanchard for his service and wish him an enjoyable retirement.

First District International Representative Charles McKenzie retired effective August 1.

Born near Stratford, Ontario, Brother McKenzie moved to Kitchener after completing high school and went to work as a tool-and-die maker. He befriended a member of Kitchener Local 804 who convinced him to become an apprentice electrician. He started his apprenticeship May 1963.

There was little opportunity for apprentices to be involved in the local. Brother McKenzie took a lead role in creating an apprenticeship committee to communicate their concerns to Local 804’s leadership. “I made sure to never miss a union meeting,” he said.

Soon after completing his initiation into the IBEW, Brother McKenzie became an active organizer, successfully salting different worksites, including one campaign which brought 27 new workers into Local 804.

In 1973, McKenzie became vice president and then assistant business manager in 1975 before being appointed business manager in 1980.

In 1976, Brother McKenzie worked with other Local 804 leaders to create a pension plan for local members, and he was a founding director of the Union Benefit Plan Service, the company established by union trust funds in 1983.
In addition to his leadership role with the IBEW, he was also active in the wider-Ontario labor movement, serving on the education and apprenticeship reform committees of the Ontario Federation of Labor and on the employment insurance committee of the Canadian Labor Congress.

In 1987, McKenzie joined the First District staff. He originally serviced construction locals throughout Ontario, but over time he was responsible for servicing members in everything from paper mills to telephone companies.

He was responsible for leadership and steward training sessions throughout the province. McKenzie also served as a board member for 11 years and then as chairman for the Electrical Utility Safety Association of Ontario.
In looking back at his career in the IBEW, Brother McKenzie says: “My biggest reward was serving our members. They are really what the IBEW is about.”

Brother McKenzie’s family includes his wife, Chris, two sons, one stepson, one daughter, one stepdaughter and eight grandchildren. His sons, Brett and Blaine, followed their father into the trade and are active members of Local 804, with Brett previously serving as business manager of the local.

He plans to spend his retirement traveling and practicing his golf swing.

The officers and members of the IBEW wish Brother McKenzie health and happiness in his retirement.

International Representative Randal Middleton has been appointed director of the Manufacturing Department. He succeeds Bobby R. Roberts, who retired August 5.

A native of Flint, Mich., Middleton was initiated into Milwaukee, Wis., Local 663 in 1981. Local 663 represents electricians at several Milwaukee-area manufacturing plants.

“We can’t be a first class economy without manufacturing,” Middleton said. “We need to enforce existing trade laws so we can level the playing field for workers.”

Elected Local 663 business manager in 1996, Middleton worked as a journeyman wireman for AC Spark Plug, which was spun off by General Motors to become Delphi in 1999. The plant closed in 2008.

Offered a position with management soon after completing his apprenticeship, Middleton turned it down, preferring to get active with the union. He became shop chairman before being elected financial secretary in 1993.

“The company was ignoring a lot of our contract, and my coworkers needed to have a voice,” he said.

As Local 663 business manager, he was responsible for representing seven different manufacturing facilities. The many trades of other unions that had members at the plant also turned to Brother Middleton to represent them in bargaining. “Some workplaces had more than a half dozen unions,” he said. “And I was selected to chair the joint union committee and bargain for all of them.”

Middleton also served on the EM-5 council, which represents IBEW members at the General Electric Co. In 2007, he was appointed International Representative in the Manufacturing Department by International President Edwin D. Hill.

Married for nearly 30 years, he has four children and three grandchildren.

The officers and members wish Brother Middleton great success in his new position.