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Edwin D. "Ed" Hill assumes the office of International President after nearly four years of working in close partnership with International President Emeritus Barry. He shares Barry's commitment to organizing, training and education, and also brings a strong political activism and a commitment to new technology to the position.

President Hill was serving as Third District Vice President, a position he had held since 1994, when then-International Secretary Jack Moore announced his retirement in April 1997. Then-President Barry appointed him International Secretary to fill Moore's unexpired term, and the IEC confirmed that appointment. In 1998, Hill became International Secretary-Treasurer when a membership referendum vote altered the IBEW Constitution to combine that office with the position of International Treasurer.

Taking the oath of office
as International President
from International President
Emeritus Barry
as wife, Rosemary (right),
Mrs. Barry (left) and IVPs
and IEC members look on.

As the IBEW's second highest ranking officer, Hill moved aggressively to streamline and modernize much of the IBEW's accounting and record-keeping systems. As a daily user of computer technology, Hill also has expanded the IBEW's use of such technology to further the union's goals. He is a strong believer in the active use of benefit fund holdings to create union jobs while ensuring strong returns and in using the fund's status as large shareholders to press companies to institute labor-friendly policies. Hill also built upon the IBEW's tradition of political action by helping to build IBEW-COPE to record levels and encouraging greater grassroots activism and communications.

Born August 11, 1937, in Center Township, Ed Hill was initiated into Local 712 in Beaver, Pennsylvania, in the western part of the state, in 1956. He worked as a journeyman wireman and quickly became active in the local, starting on the education committee in 1961 and serving as vice president and president until his election as business manager in 1970. He held that office until 1982 when then-International President Charles Pillard appointed him as an International Representative.


Ed Hill as Local 712 business manager with then-International President Charles Pillard at the 1974 Convention.	With then-Vice President Al Gore at the 1997 IBEW Political/Legislative Conference.

Hill was very active in his community, serving as an officer of the Beaver County Central Labor Council and the Building Trades Council. He served on the Executive Council of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO. Early on, he became active in the Democratic Party at the local and state levels. At both the local and national levels, Hill has been involved in charitable activities including the March of Dimes, YMCA and United Way.

Hill lives in Falls Church, Virginia, with his wife, Rosemary. They have three children, Michele, Toni and Edwin Jr. and four grandchildren.

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