In this edition of IBEW Hour Power, we hear from newly appointed International President Lonnie Stephenson for the first time. President Stephenson highlights the accomplishments of former President Hill including the Code of Excellence and improvements to our IBEW training programs.
As brothers and sisters, we now must continue to build upon his legacy and continue to set an example in our industry and throughout organized labor.
Transcript – President’s Message: New International President Lonnie Stephenson
IBEW President Lonnie Stephenson- “Hello brothers and sisters, welcome to a new edition of President’s Message here on Hour Power, my name is Lonnie Stephenson. On June 1st, I was honored to become the new International President of the IBEW.
After nearly 6 decades of service, 15 years as our leader, President Hill is retired. His time here will leave a lasting mark not only to this brotherhood. But throughout the labor movement as well. President Hill was a trade unionist that other presidents aspire to be. There are some that will tell you, flat-out, that he set an example that they tried to this day to follow. He loves this brotherhood with all his heart.
His eyes were always focused on everything that is right about this union and just how great the IBEW can be. This is no small challenge in our changing world. He implemented the Code of Excellence, because setting the bar high is something we should do and it is something that our customers look for. It is a program that now has been copied, to his delight, by virtually every building union.
His list of firsts, just keep coming. Our training, through the NJATC and now the Electrical Training Alliance breaks new ground every year making sure we stay on top of our profession.
We now have a full-time business development department because we aren’t going to sit around and wait for the customers to call us. We are taking our message to them. We tell the entire nation about the greatness of the IBEW buying a national advertisements on the NFL and other networks.
We have this very platform, Hour Power, and ElectricTV.net to demonstrate our leadership to our industry.
All of these are breakthrough, visionary efforts because Presidents Hills pride in the IBEW is matched only in his desire to get work, to keep the jobs we have, and to get new ones.
I know you join me and our thousands of brothers and sisters across North America in wishing President Hill well in his retirement. It is more that richly deserved. A simple ‘thank you’ hardly seems enough. So maybe the best way to honor him is to take the torch and keep it shining brightly as we continue to set an example in our industry and throughout organized labor.
I’ll be back with another message soon, and until then stay safe and remember that every hour counts.”
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