The officers are saddened to report the passing of retired First District International Vice President Donald Lounds on Jan. 12.

A native of Oshawa, Ontario, Brother Lounds was initiated into Local 894 in 1960. Two years later, Lounds began serving on the executive board of the local, which has since been amalgamated into Toronto Local 353. He was elected business manager in 1970.

"Donald Lounds was a good and loyal servant who performed well in whatever role he was asked to play," says retired First District Vice President Ken Woods, who preceded Lounds in office.

In 1974, Lounds was appointed to the First District staff and assigned to Alberta and the Northwest Territories, primarily servicing the telephone industry. He served as an appointee of the provincial government on a workers' compensation board and the Canadian Standards Association.

In 1979, Brother Lounds was reassigned to the First District Office and served as executive assistant to Woods from 1987 until he succeeded him in 1997.

"Donald really had my back in some of the tougher straits we were negotiating," says Woods.

At the time of Lounds' retirement in 2003, he was a member of the executive board of the Canadian Building and Construction Trades and a general vice president of the Canadian Labour Congress. He also served on the boards of the Construction Sector Council and the Canadian Labour and Business Centre.

In retirement, Brother Lounds split his time between Haliburton, Ontario and Port Orange, Fla. He enjoyed golfing and fishing.

On behalf of the membership and staff, the officers send our deepest condolences to Brother Lounds' family.

The IBEW regrets to report that former Eleventh District International Representative Jerry Harris died Dec. 14. He was 71.

Brother Harris was initiated into Kansas City, Mo., Local 53 in 1967. He later transferred his card to the now-defunct Sedalia, Mo., Local 814. He worked as an outside construction lineman until 1982, when he became a journeyman lineman, employed by Missouri Public Service.

Local 814's executive board appointed him business manager five years later. Harris led the local through turbulent times for the utility industry, particularly as deregulation gripped the country.

He served as a member of the Missouri Public Service Commission's task force on utility restructuring, helping to stop the deregulation of the state's utility industry. He also served as a leader of Missourians for Affordable Reliable Electric Service, a statewide coalition formed to save good energy jobs and affordable power for consumers.

"In those days, discussing deregulation could be pretty combative at times," Harris told the Electrical Worker in 2008. "We had heavy opposition from some staunch supporters in the Republican Party. But through the efforts of the Brotherhood and our allies in the state Legislature, we were able to keep good-paying union jobs in place for working families."

Then-International President J.J. Barry appointed Harris to the Eleventh District office in 1998, where he serviced construction and utility locals in Iowa and Missouri.

"Jerry was one of those rare people who took that extra step to help a member out," said Mike Baker, who succeeded Harris as Local 814 business manager. "He always had the IBEW at heart."

Brother Harris retired in 2008.

A native of Nebraska, Harris served in the United States Navy after graduating from high school. He was also a member of Scottish Rite Masonic Lodge and served as a deacon for the Golden Valley Christian Church.

He is survived by his wife, Judy Ann, two children and four grandchildren.

The officers, staff and members of the IBEW offer our condolences to his family and many friends.