|
|
|
'The Right Person Kenneth W. Cooper grew up in a house with no indoor plumbing in one of the poorest neighborhoods of a dying Rust Belt town and then joined one of the smallest construction locals in Ohio. On Jan. 4, he took over as international president of one of the most powerful labor unions in North America. "Every brother and sister in the IBEW knows there are no self-made men in a labor union. I joined the IBEW because I wanted to provide for my family the life, stability and opportunity I didn't have as a boy," Cooper said. Cooper was chosen after six years as international secretary-treasurer and nearly four decades in the IBEW, rising steadily through the ranks since his election as business manager of Mansfield, Ohio, Local 688 when he was only 31 years old. "The IBEW is at an extraordinary moment, and Coop is the right person for this moment," said retiring International President Lonnie R. Stephenson. "Decades of work rebuilding our ranks has opened unprecedented opportunities over the next two decades. He's a listener, a uniter and, when the time is right, decisive." After his appointment, Cooper thanked Stephenson and the International Executive Council for their faith in him. |
© Copyright 2023 International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers | User Agreement and Privacy Policy | Rights and Permissions |