INDEPENDENCE, Ohio, May 12 — William P. Lyons was reelected by acclamation to his third full term as Chairman of the CSX-Northern Lines General Committee of Adjustment at its quadrennial meeting in Pittsburgh, Pa., held May 4-6, 2021.
Brother Lyons is a CSX locomotive engineer and a member of BLET Division 34 (Columbus, Ohio). He first joined the Brotherhood on September 1, 2003. He was elected 2nd Vice General of the GCA at its 2009 quadrennial meeting, and was later elevated to the office of 1st Vice General Chairman and then Acting General Chairman. He was elected General Chairman at the GCA’s quadrennial meeting in 2013 and then reelected by acclamation at the 2017 quadrennial meeting. Also, Brother Lyons has served the National Division as Trustee since February 1, 2018, winning reelection by acclamation at the Fourth National Convention in October of 2018.
First Vice General Chairman Brian Farkas of BLET Division 121 (Indianapolis, Ind.) and Secretary-Treasurer Chris Colucy of BLET Division 526 (Willard, Ohio) were also reelected by acclamation.
The following GCA officers were elected during the 2021 quadrennial meeting: 2nd Vice General Chairman David “Doc” Woods, Division 246 (Evansville, Ind.); Central Region Vice General Chairman Bill Rominski, Division 370 (Pittsburgh, Pa.); Eastern Region Vice General Chairman Marty Crothers, Division 231 (Philadelphia, Pa.); Midwest Region Vice General Chairman Ed Donnelly, Division 542 (Detroit, Mich.); and Western Region Vice General Chairman Robert Casad, Division 7 (Lafayette, Ind.).
The following alternate officers were elected: 1st Alternate Vice General Chairman (VGC) Joel Myers, Division 181 (Brunswick, Md.); 2nd Alternate VGC Bill Rominski, Division 370 (Pittsburgh, Pa.); Alternate Secretary-Treasurer Ed Donnelly, Division 542 (Detroit, Mich.); Central Region Alternate VGC Benny Hindman, Division 284 (Grafton, W.Va.); Eastern Region Alternate VGC Tim Clark, Division 934 (Cumberland, Md.); Midwest Region Alternate VGC Anthony Stall, Division 894 (Columbus, Ohio); and Western Region Alternate VGC Matt Brandon, Division 121 (Indianapolis, Ind.).
Elected to serve on the Audit Committee were: Marty Crothers, Division 231 (Philadelphia, Pa.); Mike Huber, Division 100 (Danville, Ill.); Ed Donnelly, Division 542 (Detroit, Mich.); and John Schultz, Division 25 (Terre Haute, Ind.).
Representing the National Division at the meeting were: National President Dennis R. Pierce and National Vice President J. Alan Holdcraft. Retired National Vice President Gil Gore served as Parliamentarian.
“I am proud to offer my congratulations to Brother Lyons and all officers of the CSX Northern Lines General Committee of Adjustment,” President Pierce said. “My hat is off to Brother Lyons and the Committee on how they safely conducted their business during this challenging pandemic. I thank them for their professionalism and their dedication to serving our Brotherhood.”
Brother Lyons began his railroad career when he hired out as a conductor for CSXT at Columbus, Ohio, on February 28, 2000. He joined BLET Division 34 in Columbus, Ohio, on September 1, 2003, where he immediately became an active and involved leader. In 2004, Brother Lyons became Division 34’s first-ever Local Chairman of trainmen after the BLE merged with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. One year later, he became the GCA’s first-ever conductor to be elected to the office of Regional Vice General Chairman.
The CSX-Northern Lines General Committee of Adjustment is comprised of 28 BLET Divisions and represents nearly 3,000 active and retired members.