Bobby R. Roberts, director of the Manufacturing Department at the IBEW Inter-national Office, retired August 5 following more than 30 years of service to the union.

Born in Indianapolis, Ind., Roberts was initiated into Bloomington Local 2249 in 1973, while he was employed at the General Electric refrigerator plant. He joined the local's executive board in 1981. He then served as president and acting business manager from 1984 to 1989 while working as System Council EM-5's treasurer and on its executive board. EM-5 is comprised of several locals representing IBEW workers at GE plants across the country.

Roberts served as a central labor council representative to the Monroe, Ind., United Way Board of Directors. He completed labor studies at Indiana University.

Brother Roberts was appointed International Representative to the Manufacturing Department in 1989. He was active in electrical manufacturing system councils, which coordinate bargaining agreements for IBEW members in lighting, wire, cable and other industries.

IBEW International President Edwin D. Hill appointed Roberts to the directorship of the Manufacturing Department in 2003, where he helped oversee national collective bargaining agreements while servicing and supporting more than 200 locals representing about 72,000 members. As director, Roberts assisted system councils and multi-union coordinated bargaining committees while enhancing the IBEW's training program for manufacturing employees. In providing support for all manufacturing contract negotiations, he strengthened the union's hand at the bargaining table through research and data collection on signatory companies.

"Bob always was the best prepared individual at any negotiating table, and he was highly respected by both the union and management for that reason," said Randy Middleton, who now serves as interim director of the Manufacturing Department. "The level of commitment he applied to doing his job will stand as a benchmark for a very long time."

Brother Roberts is an avid photographer, fisherman and golfer. His family includes his wife, Cindy, daughter Allyson and stepdaughter Amy.

"I plan on enjoying retirement and spending a lot of time with the family," he said.

The staff, members and officers of the IBEW thank Brother Roberts for his service and wish him a happy and fulfilling retirement.

Fifth District International Representative Gerald "Jerry" Counihan retired on August 1 after more than 30 years of service to the IBEW.
"I've made tremendous friends in the Brotherhood that I hope to keep in touch with in retirement," Brother Counihan said.

Counihan is a life-long resident of Savannah, Ga., growing up in an IBEW family. His father, Michael, was business manager of Savannah Local 508 for more than 30 years. He studied respiratory therapy at Charleston Southern College and the University of Chicago, working summers as a helper on IBEW work sites.

After seeing the wages and benefits that come from belonging to the IBEW, Counihan decided to switch careers and enter an apprentice program to become an inside wireman.

Brother Counihan rose through the ranks of Local 508 serving on the executive board, followed by his election as business manager in 1982.

In addition to his service to Local 508, he also served as secretary-treasurer for the Savannah Building Trades and the Georgia Electrical Workers Association.

He also served on the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee.

In 1988, he was appointed by International President John J. Barry as International Representative for the Fifth District. He was responsible for servicing inside and outside construction locals throughout the Deep South.

He was also ran the construction stewards' training for locals in the Fifth District. "It was a challenge because the program was new and so popular, but I knew the skills and knowledge the attendees learned were well worth it to the union," Counihan said.

Counihan is an active member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, a fraternal society for Irish Catholics, and the Knights of Columbus.

His hobbies include fishing and jogging. "After all the time I spent on the road, I look forward to getting back into an exercise routine."

Counihan says he is looking forward to spending more time with his family, which includes his wife, Lisa, and his three children. "It will be nice to have some down time."

The officers and members of the IBEW wish Brother Counihan a well-deserved, long, healthy and happy retirement.

Seventh District International Representative Duane Nordick retired July 31 after an IBEW career spanning four decades.

After serving eight years in the U.S. Air Force, Nordick was initiated into Wichita, Kan., Local 1523 in 1969 while working in the substation department of Kansas Gas and Electric. He served 16 years as business manager before being appointed to the International staff in 1993.

"It's an honor and a privilege to have had the opportunity to be part of this organization," Nordick said. "It has provided so much for me, my family and my fellow brothers and sisters."

While his fondest memories take him back to organizing campaigns at the Wolf Creek Generating Station in Burlington, Kan., and the El Paso Electric Co., he is proudest of the union's hard fought courtroom victory over the Public Service Company of Oklahoma in 2004. After an eight-year legal battle, IBEW members in his district won a $6 million settlement for overtime back pay.

"It felt really good after fighting for so long to see the checks going out to our members. It was money they had earned by working hard on the job," he said.

In retirement, Brother Nordick plans to continue sharing his expertise on arbitration and National Labor Relations Board issues. After traveling extensively for the past two decades, he also wants to spend more time close to home with his wife, four children and five grandchildren. He also plans to restore a classic '65 Mustang purchased almost 20 years ago.

The officers and members of the IBEW wish Brother Nordick health and happiness in his retirement.

International Representative Michael D. Nugent retired August 1 after more than four decades of service to the IBEW.

Following two years in the Army, Brother Nugent was initiated into Chicago Local 134 in 1968. While working as an apprentice and wireman, he took night classes at Loyola University and earned a bachelor's degree in economics in 1974.

Nugent came to the International Office in 1978 as an International Representative on the staff of International Secretary Ralph Leigon. One of his first projects was to help rewrite the guide for financial secretaries.

He was elevated two years later to become director of Financial Operations, in charge of the Investment and Accounting departments. Nugent helped develop a program that enabled the IBEW to move from lender to full partner with real estate developers, vastly increasing the union's profit potential. He also helped select a master custodian, a financial services firm that brought all IBEW investments under one accounting umbrella. Over the years since, the NEBF's pension fund has gone from a small trust to one of the largest Taft-Hartley funds in the country.

Nugent moved to the Research Department in 1990, where he helped devise the ranking system still used today to evaluate Founders' Scholarship applicants. His detailed records on thousands of arbitrators helped ensure fair results in local union arbitrations.

In 2002, Nugent transferred to the Media Department, where he helped put together the IBEW Museum, which opened in 2007 at the International Office. In the process, he helped cull the old archives, catalog and photograph the current collection and became knowledgeable in the conservation of historical items. He spent a great deal of time soliciting donations and mined e-Bay in search of the correct pieces to illustrate and highlight the IBEW's role in the development of the electrical industry in the United States and Canada. His command of knowledge about the union and its history has enthralled countless visitors to the museum.

As archivist, curator and tour guide of the IBEW Museum, his work pays off in the appreciation the museum elicits from young and old alike. Many see the museum as the embodiment of their careers. "They have paid their dues to help build our great union," Nugent said. "This is a small gift to them."

Nugent's appearances in recent "Museum Stories" videos on the IBEW Web site have brought the richness of the union's history to life in front of the camera.

"I always tried to make a visitor's trip to the museum a personal adventure," Nugent said.

Nugent is a member of the American Legion Electric Post 769, the Potomac Boat Club, Potomac Masonic Lodge No. 5 and the Washington Association of Money Managers. His family includes his wife, Joyce, and their two sons. Nugent looks forward to further documenting the life and times of IBEW founder Henry Miller and said he may continue to give tours at the IBEW Museum.

The staff, members and officers of the IBEW thank Brother Nugent for his dedicated service and wish him an enjoyable, well-deserved retirement.

Second District International Representative Richard Panagrossi retired August 1 following nearly four decades of service to the IBEW.
"I've had some really wonderful times working for the union," said Panagrossi. "It was full of so many opportunities to grow the Brotherhood and to service well deserving members."

Born in New Haven, Conn., Panagrossi graduated from Providence College in 1961 with a bachelor's degree in political science. He was initiated into New Haven Local 90 in 1968, working as an inside wireman.

The Panagrossi name was well-known in Local 90. His brother, Don, and many of his uncles and cousins were members, while his father, Dominic, was a former business manager. "The IBEW has been a family tradition," he said.

Panagrossi served on the executive board, various union committees and as business agent before becoming business manager in 1974. He was appointed by then International President Charles Pillard to the Second District staff in 1981.

"Many new power plants were being built in my assigned territory so it was a good time to represent the IBEW," he said.

Panagrossi serviced inside, outside and manufacturing locals throughout Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. He was also responsible for the major shipyard in Groton, Conn.

In addition to his service to the IBEW, he served on many state boards, including the Occupational Electrical Licensing Board for more than 15 years, serving as its chairman. He also sat on the Energy Advisory Board.

Brother Panagrossi has also been active in youth athletics, coaching area little league teams.

Panagrossi's family includes his wife, Victoria, two daughters and one son. He plans to spend more time with his 11 grandchildren and volunteer his time with the state Board of Mediation and Arbitration, drawing on his extensive collective bargaining experience.

"The IBEW has been like family to me and I'm greatly honored and privileged to been in its service."

The staff, members and officers of the IBEW wish Brother Panagrossi a long and fulfilling retirement.

Sixth District International Representative Jim Rudicil retired effective August 1.

A former director of Construction Organizing, Rudicil trained thousands of members in techniques to grow the union through COMET and other programs. He then put those tactics into practice with celebrated success.

In the late 1990s Rudicil was appointed director of the National Building and Construction Trades Las Vegas Organizing Project. "It was an experiment that yielded 5,000 new union members and immediate political gains," says Rudicil. The new union activists, he says, made the difference in Nevada Democratic Sen. Harry Reid's 438-vote win over now-Senator John Ensign (R-Nev.) in 1998.

As coordinator of IBEW's Florida Initiative in 2005, Rudicil sharpened grassroots and top-down organizing methods. "It's a fast-changing world. If we don't adapt, we won't survive," says Rudicil. "Our new initiatives can succeed when we remember that we represent all members in our industry, not just union members. How we do things affects all people in our trade and their families."

A U.S. Marine Corps veteran of Vietnam, Rudicil was initiated into Muskegon, Mich., Local 275 in 1969. Elected business manager in 1974, Rudicil also served as chairman of the Muskegon Building Trades and chairman of IBEW's Michigan State Electrical Conference.

A strong believer in community activism, Rudicil served as chairman of the board of the Muskegon County United Way, vice chairman of the county's economic commission and chairman of its energy commission during his tenure as business manager.

Appointed an International Representative in 1980, Rudicil was selected as director of Construction Organizing in 1992 and Senior International Organizer in 2005.

"Jim's unparalleled institutional knowledge and unbridled passion blazed the trail for construction organizers of all trades and produced tangible organizing successes across the Brotherhood," says Kirk Brungard, director of Construction Organizing. "Many of the necessary structural organizing changes now in place were generated by his progressive and tireless work," adds Brungard, who described Rudicil as a genuine mentor.

Brother Rudicil, who was recently married, looks forward to enjoying boating and spending time with his wife, Patricia.

The officers and members of the IBEW express our gratitude to Brother Rudicil for his dedicated service and wish him the best that retirement has to offer.