Ferguson elected SMART TD president

The International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART) elected Jeremy Ferguson president of the Transportation Division (TD) at the union's second convention Aug. 11.

Ferguson was elected TD vice president at SMART TD's first convention in 2014. A member of Local 313 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Ferguson started his career in railroading in 1994 as a conductor at CSX in Grand Rapids. He was promoted to engineer in 1995, according to his biography on SMART TD's website.

“Get ready to go to work … It’s going to take the upmost dedication and determination, but we will fight the injustices to the end,” Ferguson told his fellow union members after the election, according to a SMART press release.

Others chosen to leadership positions at the convention included:
• Alternate National Legislative Director Gregory Hynes of Local 1081 in Phoenix was elected national legislative director;
• Incumbent TD Vice Presidents Brent Leonard (Local 202, Denver, Colorado), Calvin Studivant (Local 759, Newark, New Jersey) and John Whitaker III (Local 1106, Rocky Mount, North Carolina) were returned to office by acclamation;
• Alternate TD Vice President Chadrick Adams (Local 331, Temple, Texas), Executive Board Member and GCA 049 General Chairperson Jamie Modesitt, and Joe Lopez, general chairperson of GCA 009 (BNSF Railroad Co.), were elected TD vice presidents by acclamation; and
• General Chairperson D.B. Wier Jr., (GCA 919, Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis) of Local 469 was elected TD vice president.

The newly elected officers will assume their posts on Oct. 1.