International Executive Council member William W. Riley's legacy in Miami goes far beyond the IBEW — something that drivers in his hometown are now reminded of every day.
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| International Executive Council Member and Miami Local 349 Business Manager William W. “Billy” Reilly is surrounded by family members after a hometown street was named in his honor on May 23.
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| Riley with Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber after the May 23 ceremony.
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City of Miami and Miami-Dade County officials honored Riley in a May 23 ceremony, announcing that two blocks of Northwest 16th Terrace between Northwest 17th Avenue and Northwest 15th Street have been renamed William "Billy" W. Riley Way.
The renamed street runs adjacent to the offices of Miami Local 349, where Riley has served as business manager since 2003 and on staff since 1978. He's been a member of the IEC since 2009, having been re-elected for a fourth time at the International Convention in Chicago about two weeks prior to the street ceremony.
Riley said he didn't find out about the ceremony until two days before it occurred, although some Local 349 staffers and office employees had been working with local officials to plan it for some time.
"I'm very, very proud of it," he said. "You usually don't hear anyone getting a street named after them unless they're dead, a politician or a police officer. It's a great thrill."
Fifth District International Vice President Brian K. Thompson, a fellow Florida native who has known Riley for nearly 40 years, congratulated him on the honor, calling him a "close friend who has always been a pillar of that community."
"He loves what he does," Thompson said. "It's a passion for him. He knows everyone in Miami, and everybody respects him, too. When you step into that jurisdiction and visit with politicians and leaders in that community, they all know Bill."
There was proof of that during the May ceremony. Among the local officials attending were Miami-Dade County commissioners, city mayors and Florida circuit judges. Also on hand were Riley's wife, Carolyn; their two children, Bonnie and Bill Jr.; his daughter-in-law, Amy; and his three granddaughters, Miranda, Erin and Ava.
Riley's roots run deep in South Florida. He is a graduate of Miami Senior High School and noted he grew up less than one mile from Local 349's offices. He was interested in electricity and Carolyn's father encouraged him to explore an apprenticeship. He topped out as a journeyman wireman and became a Local 349 member in 1970.
Eight years later, he was appointed assistant business manager — a position he held for nearly 25 years under longtime business manager Art Fernandez. He took over as business manager following Fernandez's retirement in 2003 and has been re-elected seven times since.
He's also been an active member in Electrical Workers Without Borders, a volunteer group of electricians that uses its skills to improve electrical systems in impoverished areas around the world.
Still, don't think honors like these have Riley thinking about retirement. He enjoys his work with Local 349 and the IEC too much to leave just yet.
"I'm in pretty good health and I don't know what I would do at home except pet the dog," he said. "I love my work and I love the IBEW. You have an opportunity to help people and help their families."
He said he couldn't ask for better friends than International President Lonnie R. Stephenson and International Secretary-Treasurer Kenneth W. Cooper along with former International President Edwin D. Hill.
"I remind people there's a difference between the IBEW and a contractor and any other business," he said. "It's a family. It's not a business."