iMail, November 7, 2008 - IAM International President Tom Buffenbarger announced today that Western Territory GVP Lee Pearson will retire on June 30, 2009, at the end of his current term.
“Lee Pearson has been an invaluable member of the IAM Executive Council since 1992,” explained IP Buffenbarger. “And he has served the membership of the Western Territory with distinction throughout his tenure.
"With Lee Pearson’s retirement, an accomplished labor leader and a close, personal friend of mine will close the book on a spectacular career,” Buffenbarger added.
Lee Pearson’s IAM career spans four decades. He first joined Local Lodge 685 in San Diego in 1966 and held key leadership positions in his Local and District lodge. In 1978, he was elected as a Business Representative in District Lodge 50 and then was appointed Special Representative in 1981 and became a Grand Lodge Representative in 1986. He was re-elected Western Territory GVP in 1993, 1997, 2001 and 2005.
The IAM Executive Council will recommend to the membership that Gary Allen, Administrative Assistant to GVP Lee Pearson, be elected to fill the vacancy. Allen is a 29-year member of the IAM, and has served as the Western Territory AA since 2003.
As one of the IAM’s first Aerospace Coordinators, Allen made his mark developing the GrowCT campaign and negotiating with Pratt & Whitney, Raytheon, General Electric and Rolls Royce. Allen joined Local Lodge 794, Albuquerque, NM in 1979 and was elected President and Directing Business Representative in 1984. He was appointed Special Representative in 1989 and Grand Lodge Representative in 1991.
“Gary Allen will begin to write a vibrant new chapter in IAM history,” said IP Buffenbarger. “His enormous energy and drive will be focused on growing our union in the 13 states that comprise the Western Territory.”
