June 2002 IBEW Journal

Retired

Orville A. Tate, Jr.

Seventh District International Vice President Orville A. Tate, Jr. has resigned effective April 1, 2002, and will retire on June 1, 2002, after a distinguished 41-year IBEW career. He has accepted an assignment to work under the office of the International President on a special project.

Brother Tate held the office of vice president since 1981. He was initiated into Local 2021, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, in 1961 and in following years assumed increasing responsibilities within the IBEW.

Starting immediately as a steward and wage incentive committee member, Brother Tate rose to elected office just three years after his initiation. As president/business manager from 1964 to 1967, he expanded the membership of Local 2021, primarily made up of Western Electric manufacturing employees, by organizing more than 2,000 new members into the local union.

Brother Tate achieved organizing successes among professional and clerical workers in a variety of sign shops, electrical co-ops, and recording and broadcasting companies in addition to manufacturing and telephone units.

He served on the IBEW System Council EM-3 Executive Board and as secretary-treasurer of the Oklahoma State Association of Electrical Workers in the mid-60s.

Appointed IBEW International Representative assigned to the Seventh District in 1967, he served in that capacity for nearly 14 years. In that post he organized several thousand more workers in both the United States and Canada. He also assisted local unions with handling arbitration, NLRB and OSHA hearings and with contract negotiations on a local and national basis.

As vice president, Brother Tate assisted in developing and refining the IBEW Construction Organizing program from 1985 to 1995. He served on a committee of four to research and develop an IBEW Industrial Organizing strategy with Cornell University in the early 1990s.

A dedicated trade unionist, Brother Tates labor-related activities included work on the Oklahoma City Mayors Committee, the United Way Labor Steering Committee and various other state AFL-CIO and building trades committees throughout the Seventh District.

Additionally, he was active in the Oklahoma Democratic Party.

Brother Tate was reelected to his post as IBEW vice president at five consecutive IBEW International Conventions from 1982 to 2001.

Appointed

Jonathan B. Gardner

The IBEW is pleased to announce the appointment of Jonathan B. Gardner as Seventh District International Vice President, effective April 1, 2002. He replaces International Vice President Orville A. Tate, Jr.

Brother Gardner has served the IBEW as an International Representative assigned to the Seventh District since 1966. He has worked with all branches of the IBEW and has been particularly active in such core union activities as organizing, contract negotiations, arbitration and education and training. An arbitration instructor at the George Meany Center for Labor Studies, Brother Gardner has also assisted Cornell University representatives in conducting mutual gains negotiation seminars for labor and management groups.

He began his IBEW career 41 years ago with his initiation into Local 570, Tucson, Arizona. He later became a member of Local 2286 in Beaumont, Texas, and served at the local union level in many capacities, including assistant business manager and as a member of the grievance and negotiating committees. He also served as a labor representative on the Citizens Advisory Committee to the Texas Public Utility Commission. Working in a copper mine between semesters in college piqued Brother Gardners interest in industrial electronics. After he became a journeyman electrician, he worked the night shift to continue his education.

He received his bachelors degree in electrical engineering from the University of Arizona in 1964.

The IBEW wishes Brother Gardner much success in his new position.

Transitions

Retired

Orville A. Tate, Jr.

Vincent A. O'Reilly

Louis Cortopassi, Jr.

Appointed

Jonathan B. Gardner

Lawrence F. Neidig, Jr.

Deceased

John M. Parker