International Executive Council member and Miami Local 349 Business Manager Bill Riley, a legend in South Florida labor circles who served the Brotherhood in leadership positions for nearly five decades, died on Sept. 27. He was 79.

Riley represented the IEC's Fourth District — which includes Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia — since 2009, having been reelected three times.

He was appointed Local 349's business manager in 2003 and was elected seven times, never facing opposition. That followed tenures as JATC director and assistant business manager during the previous two-plus decades.

"The IBEW lost a giant, and I lost a good friend with the passing of Bill Riley," International President Kenneth W. Cooper said. "Every decision he made and action he took was done with the welfare of our members in mind. I treasured his counsel and will miss him very much."

Despite being slowed by health issues, Riley stayed active in the Brotherhood and was able to attend the Membership Development Conference in Chicago in late August.

Fifth District Vice President Glenn Brannen, who has known Riley for more than 30 years, said he was always friendly and had a sincere desire to help others.

"He would usually end a conversation with 'Is there anything I can do for you, let me know," Brannen said. "Those were the last words I heard him say when we talked at the Membership Development Conference.

"He was a natural leader and genuinely good person. I will miss him."

Bonnie Riley, his daughter, said physicians told her that her father pushed through those medical problems because he wanted to spend time with friends in Chicago.

She said her father was reaching out to help others until his last breath.

"Even to his nurses," she said. "And he meant it."

Retired Fifth District International Vice President Joe Davis first met Riley in 1979, when Davis was sent to Miami to assist Local 349 in first-contract negotiations with Westinghouse. He was a newly appointed international representative, and Riley was an assistant business manager. The two became close friends and remained so until Riley's death.

"The Brotherhood fit Bill Riley perfectly," Davis said. "Everything he did revolved around what was best for the IBEW, and it showed."

Chris Simpson, who succeeded Riley as business manager, said Riley often reminded Local 349 staff members that they weren't just working for the local's approximately 2,500 members. They also had a deep responsibility to their family and loved ones.

"He always used to say, 'If you tell somebody that something is going to happen, or you commit to something, you follow through with those commitments," Simpson said. "If you tell the apprentices one day that it's going to rain and it doesn't, you better be on the roof with a hose."

Riley hinted where that passion came from two years ago, following a ceremony during which part of a Miami street was named after him.

"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."

A native of Miami, Brother Riley had to take on additional responsibilities following the sudden death of his father during his high school years. He and his wife, Carolyn, married soon after graduation, and he applied for the apprenticeship at the advice of his father-in-law, a Local 349 member.

He topped out as a journeyman wireman and became a member himself in 1970. Riley worked in the field for a few years but was soon asked to join the office staff, working there for 20-plus years before becoming business manager.

"He absolutely loved it," his son, Bill Jr., said. "He used to go in to work all the time, typically the first person there and the last to leave. He was kind of a workaholic. He would go in on weekends when no one else was around to prepare for the upcoming week."

Bonnie Riley said she and her brother — and later her parents' three grandchildren — would accompany the elder Riley on those weekend trips to Local 349's hall.

"That's where we grew up," she said. "We knew all the secret hiding spots and little crawlways."

Under Riley's leadership, Local 349 held a holiday luncheon that was open to Miami municipal employees. It wasn't uncommon to see employees from every level of government, no matter their title, Bonnie said.

Her father served on several political and labor committees in South Florida, including the Dade County Planning Advisory Board and as president of the South Florida Building Trades Council. He often would send a bottle of wine as a way of saying thanks to someone for assisting the local.

Davis noted that Riley was active in Electricians Without Borders, which sends electricians to underdeveloped areas around the world to help improve their electrical infrastructure. He organized the group's initial trip to Haiti following a devastating earthquake there in 2010.

"I know that meant a lot to him," Davis said.

Carolyn Riley, his wife of nearly 60 years, died in February after a long illness. She was a nurse, working third shift for many years to be on hand when the rest of family arrived home at the end of the day and to have dinner together, Bill Jr. said.

"It was a team effort," he said. "They always made sure we were taken care of."

The younger Riley and Davis both said a crowning achievement was when then-International President Edwin D. Hill appointed Riley to the IEC, which includes nine business managers from across North America. It is the IBEW's final authority on granting pensions and disability benefits and hears appeals of the international president's decisions.

"That was a huge honor for him," his son said. "He was very much interested in how he could help other people."

Bonnie and Bill Jr. both went on to become lawyers based in Miami. They said their father urged them to get graduate degrees to better set themselves up for success — something he did not have a chance to do. Bill Riley Sr. also is survived by the three granddaughters and many friends.

"My Dad was a type A personality," Bonnie said. "If you were going to do something, you better do it right. If I was hanging a picture at my house, I would just eyeball it and put it up. For him, he had to level it to make sure it was in the right spot."

Added Simpson: "From the time he was initiated until the time he passed away, he dedicated his life to this local."

The officers and staff salute Brother Riley for his contributions to IBEW members and send condolences to his family and loved ones during this difficult time.

Third District International Representative Philip Horrell retired Oct. 1, capping a nearly 50-year career with the IBEW in which he made a name for himself as a steadfast aide and a skilled negotiator.

Brother Horrell was initiated in 1976 into Blairsville, Pa., Local 1096, which represented workers at Westinghouse, where Horrell worked as a tool-and-die machinist. He became active in the union soon after being mistreated by management and witnessing the power of IBEW representation to rectify the situation.

"I was being disciplined wrongly, so I went to the union and they corrected it," Horrell recalled. "That was when I realized that the IBEW was the kind of organization I wanted to belong to."

Horrell went on to serve as a steward before running for vice president at the local in 1990. In 1992, he ran for the position of president and business manager, which he held for 18 years until he was appointed international representative.

"He turned out to be a very professional rep," said Don Siegel, then international vice president for the Third District. "He did an excellent job servicing his locals."

Throughout his career, Horrell earned a reputation as an even-keeled, straightforward representative with a knack for negotiations.

"He has a very professional manner that has regularly calmed down tense, high-stress situations, both with the membership and the management teams we were dealing with," Johnstown, Pa., Local 459 Business Manager Barry Hixson said. "He's a real pro."

Horrell said he approached relationships with management from the philosophy of attracting more bees with honey than vinegar.

"Something I always told my stewards was that if you have a good relationship with your employer, they're a lot less likely to tell you to go to hell," Horrell said. "It's harder for them to say 'no' if they like you."

Local 1096 Business Manager Jason Burns recalled a particularly difficult negotiation soon after the death of the local's president and how Horrell stood by them every step of the way.

"Phil was the steady hand who led us through tough negotiations and the legalities of bargaining with a bankrupt company," Burns said. "He was an excellent source of knowledge and understood that on the professional and industrial side, relationships were key."

Horrell also brought a wealth of experience and dedication to his locals, Burns said.

"He was always there for us, and me personally, any time we reached out," Burns said. "Through his advice, he never told us what to do. He let us know it was our local and he didn't want to get in our way. He always supported our decisions. He'll be sorely missed."

For Hixson, Horrell wasn't just there for the local but also for him personally when he had a pivotal career decision to make.

"I was offered full-time employment working for Local 459 but had no way to return to my previous position if I took the job. It was Phil and his steady analysis of my situation that helped me make the most important decision in my life," Hixson said. "He's been more than just an international office rep for me. For me, he has been a mentor and a great friend."

Horrell said he wouldn't change anything about his time with the Brotherhood.

"I enjoyed all my time as an IBEW member. It's the best job I ever had," the Pennsylvania native said. "It's been fantastic."

Horrell also said he's grateful for everything the IBEW has given him.

"The IBEW gave me stability, security, it put a roof over my family's head, and it allowed me to educate my children," he said. "I can't imagine going through my career nonunion."

Now in retirement, Horrell said he misses all the people he worked with but is enjoying having more time to spend with his wife and travel, including a trip they have planned to the Caribbean.

The officers, staff and members of the IBEW thank Brother Horrell for his years of service and wish him and his family a long and fulfilling retirement.

Zac Cassidy, business manager of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Local 728 and a skilled organizer and activist, has been appointed to the IBEW's International Executive Council to represent the IEC's Fourth District.

Cassidy's appointment, which was unanimously approved by the council, fills the vacancy created when his predecessor, Bill Riley, died on Sept. 27.

"Bill was always there to help me out and give me advice," said Cassidy, who delivered the speech nominating Riley to the IEC at the IBEW's 40th International Convention in Chicago in 2022. "He was a great guy who always treated everybody well and ran his local well. I've got big shoes to fill."

Growing up in West Palm Beach, Cassidy said, becoming an electrical worker — let alone an IBEW leader — was not on his radar.

"I've always been good with my hands, building stuff," said Cassidy, who took metal and wood shop classes in high school. After graduation, he attended a local community college while taking on various jobs.

"When I worked at a video shop, one of the guys that came in all the time was an IBEW member," he said. "He always told me to go to Local 728's apprenticeship. It was just a couple miles down the street."

Then, an IBEW journeyman wireman friend who worked for a construction company in the U.S. Virgin Islands told Cassidy about jobs in St. Thomas, part of rebuilding efforts after Hurricane Marilyn hit the islands.

"I worked there for about three months, living in the house that we were working on that was almost destroyed," Cassidy said. "Toward the end, we had electricians come in to help get power turned back on. I would help them, chipping concrete, doing grunt work and seeing what they do."

When Cassidy returned home, he applied for entrance to Local 728's JATC. In April 1998, Cassidy became an unindentured apprentice, moving four months later into a regular apprenticeship position.

"Once I got into it, I loved it," Cassidy said. "Some great journeymen showed me the ropes and taught me the importance of being in the union and the Brotherhood. I was blessed."

Topping out in 2003 "wasn't an easy task, but it was a great one for me," said Cassidy, who continued working as a journeyman wireman for the electrical contractor he started with during the second year of his apprenticeship.

By 2005, Justin McIntosh, a member of Local 728's executive board, had noticed leadership potential in Cassidy.

"Zac was one of the few apprentices that showed up to all the meetings, participating in everything," said McIntosh, now Local 728's president. "The guy is hard-working, honest, dependable. So after he topped out, I nominated him for the e-board, and that's kind of where he got started."

Two years later, the local hired Cassidy as a full-time organizer, just as International President Edwin D. Hill was rolling out his "Florida Initiative," a program to help the IBEW capture market share and boost the union's presence throughout the state.

Cassidy went on to serve in Florida and Georgia as one of the IBEW's "50-50 organizers," who worked for both the International Office and the locals.

Going to jobsites like those can be risky, Cassidy said, especially in so-called "right-to-work" states like Georgia and Florida where laws permit bargaining-unit members to enjoy the benefits of union membership without having to contribute to the expense of organizing and negotiating.

"You can piss off the general contractor and get kicked off the site," Cassidy said. "It's a little bit more difficult now, because a lot of jobsites have security checkpoints, but we still make it happen."

He also worked for Local 728 as a dispatcher and assistant business manager.

When Business Manager Dave Svetlick retired in August 2018, the local's leaders appointed Cassidy to finish the year and a half remaining in Svetlick's term. Unopposed through two elections, Cassidy has held the office ever since.

"I love this local and the IBEW, so that the membership got behind me for that meant a lot," he said.

Cassidy also serves on several area labor-focused committees in the area and has been president of the Palm Coast Building Trades since 2020. "It gets you a seat at the table, and then you're networking with other leaders in Palm Beach and Broward counties," he said. "Being involved at that level helps further the local's interests."

McIntosh is confident Cassidy will do well on the IEC.

"Zac's got a vision; he's not complacent," he said. "He understands we've got to change with the times."

Cassidy and his wife of 16 years, Eileen, have two daughters, Madycen and Aubree. "With all my traveling and work, I try to spend a lot of time with them," he said.

A wrestler in high school, Cassidy also enjoys combat sports and working out with weights, as well as what he calls "Florida stuff" such as fishing, swimming and scuba diving. "That's been a big thing for me since I was 16," he said.

He said it is an honor to have someone from his local serve on the IEC.

"I've always helped out our members, no matter where they're at, from travelers that came in when I was a dispatcher to our local members," Cassidy said. "I just try to do the best job I can and hopefully live up to their expectations."

Please join the IBEW's officers and staff members in wishing Brother Cassidy the best in his new role.