The greatest honor of my life has been to serve the members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. From my days as a wireman back in Mansfield, Ohio, to serving as Fourth District vice president, I have made the mission of this union my calling. And I have devoted everything I have to making it a better place and to helping it grow and build power.

That is why I am truly humbled to take on the new challenge of serving as your International secretary-treasurer.

Brother Sam Chilia leaves behind a legacy of success and commitment that is hard to match. The tools he has passed on to me have helped the IBEW meet the pressing challenges of our time — from economic recession and a hostile legislative landscape for organized labor to spiking health care costs and the across-the board squeeze felt by all retirement funds — and emerge from them stronger than before.

Thanks to his efforts, our benefit funds are healthy and growing and serve as a model for the entire labor movement.

I am committed to continuing that legacy.

Over the years I've seen how the IBEW can change the lives of working families for the better. Every new contractor or member I have helped sign up over the years re-emphasizes to me just how important the work we do is.

One of the things I have learned is that being a leader of this union means being part of something much bigger than any of us as individuals.

Because of this union, more than 700,000 workers across the United States and Canada have a voice in their workplace, the right to safety on the job and decent wages and benefits. Most of all, they enjoy the respect and dignity that comes with carrying an IBEW card.

We in the IBEW play such an important role in the lives of our two great nations. A stronger IBEW means a growing middle class and a stronger democracy.

I look forward to serving you in the years to come as we work to ensure a healthy future for all electrical workers.

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