INDEPENDENCE, Ohio, October 29 — Matthew B. Parker was reelected by acclamation to his third term as Chairman of the Nevada State Legislative Board at the Board’s quadrennial meeting on September 16, 2021.
A Union Pacific locomotive engineer, Brother Parker has held continuous membership in Division 158 (Sparks, Nevada) since he joined the Brotherhood on May 1, 2004. Parker was elected to serve the Board as 1st Vice Chairman in July of 2009, and then moved up to the Chairman’s office in January of 2013. He was then reelected to continue serving as Chairman at the quadrennial meetings in 2013, 2017, and now 2021.
Following a welcome and opening remarks by Board Chairman Parker, those present observed a moment of silence in memory of Brother Scott C. Lloyd of Division 158, who passed away earlier in the week from complications related to COVID-19.
Also re-elected by acclamation were: 1st Vice Chairman Emidio Gonzalez Jr., Division 158 (Sparks); Secretary-Treasurer Keith E. Underwood, Division 158 (Sparks); and Alternate Secretary-Treasurer Chad A. Holub, Division 766 (Las Vegas).
Re-elected by acclamation to serve as Trustees were: John Passi, Division 158 (Sparks); Will Bartlett, Division 158 (Sparks); and Justin White, Division 158 (Sparks). Re-elected by acclamation to serve as the Executive Committee, At-Large Member was Jay Pheneger, Division 158 (Sparks).
Officers elected by acclamation were: 2nd Vice Chairman Jay Pheneger, Division 158 (Sparks); and Executive Committee, At-Large Member Joe Foss, Division 766 (Las Vegas).
BLET National President Dennis R. Pierce addressed the members and guests who were in attendance. President Pierce devoted a significant portion of his remarks to updating those present regarding national contract negotiations, ongoing regulatory issues, and the Organization’s response to difficulties related to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. President Pierce also fielded questions from the members on a variety of subjects.
“I congratulate Brother Matt Parker and all officers of the Nevada State Legislative Board, and I thank them for their service to our Brotherhood,” President Pierce said. “From passage of a state wide two-person crew safety bill in 2019, to educating the general public about the dangers of so-called Precision Scheduled Railroading in 2021, the Board — under Brother Parker’s leadership — has been an active and vocal participant in the fight to improve railroad safety. The BLET membership in Nevada has been well served by their ongoing efforts.”
In addition to President Pierce, guests attending included: Brother Ryan Snow, Chairman of the BLET California State Legislative Board; Brother Paul Ansberry, Local Chairman of BLET Division 158 and First Vice Chairman of the Union Pacific – Western Lines/Pacific Harbor Lines General Committee of Adjustment; Brother Forrest King-Shaw, Secretary-Treasurer of BLET Division 158; Brother Rob Tuttle, Legislative Representative of BLET Division 692; and Brother Jason Doering, Chairman and Director of the SMART-TD Nevada State Legislative Board.
Following his reelection, Brother Parker said, “I sincerely thank you for the faith in me you have shown by entrusting me to continue leading this Board. This journey has been quite an experience, and I look forward to continuing the journey.”
In addressing the many challenges Board members are facing related to the effects of Precision Scheduled Railroading, Brother Parker continued, “I know that you, like me, begin each day thinking — what string do I need to pull, what button do I need to push, what resource do I need to leverage to achieve victory for my members? As we continue to do this, I am confident that we will win — maybe not next week, or next month, maybe not even during the remainder of my career. But, we will win.”
The BLET’s Nevada State Legislative Board represents approximately 300 active and retired members from two Local Divisions.