IAM International President Tom Buffenbarger announced that Southern Territory Special Representative Rickey Wallace will join the IAM Executive Council as a General Vice President.
“Rickey Wallace has been a proven leader throughout his IAM career and will be a great asset to the Executive Council and our members,” said Buffenbarger.
Wallace’s appointment will be effective January 1, 2016 and will fill the vacancy on the IAM Executive Council created by the retirement of International President Buffenbarger.
“The IAM Executive Council looks forward to working with Brother Wallace as we position our great union for the years ahead,” said General Vice President Bob Martinez, Jr., who will take the helm as International President on January 1, 2016. “We have a lot of important work to do and as Headquarters Vice President, Brother Wallace will play a key role in our efforts to keep the Machinists Union one of the strongest and most progressive unions in the labor movement.”
Wallace is a 35-year IAM member who initiated into Local 1296 in Clarksville, TN in 1980. He became active in his local as a shop steward and was later elected Local President. In 1995 Wallace was elected as a Business Representative in the former District 155 (now District 711) and held that position until he was appointed Assistant Directing Business Representative in 2008. In April 2009 Wallace was elected District 711 President and Directing Business Representative.
Wallace has also served as the President of the Southern States Conference of Machinists since 2009.
