A press release issued at 10:45 p.m. by the Local 745 Election Committee announced Kirk as president, Rich Hofmaster as vice president, Don Hill as financial secretary, John Fuller as treasurer, and David Swanson as recording secretary.
Fuller and Swanson were re-elected to union officer positions, however Hofmaster will replace Dale Sandell as union vice president and Hill will replace Larry Timms as the financial secretary.
Others elected Thursday in all-day balloting include trustees Mark Steele, Lon Feary, and Ann Coan; guards Don Frisbie and Kip Kuhlemeier, and guide Kirk Knoup.
Each of the elected offices will begin their term May 17, and will serve three years.
Local 745 also elected a new Grievance and Negotiating committee for Titan Tire. That group will include the offices of president, vice president and four others, including: Dale Sandell, Kip Kuhlemeier, Steve Bamberg, and Frank Wool.
The election represented the culmination of a public dispute between Titan Chairman and CEO Taylor, and Vanderheyden.
Local officials, including Mayor George Gaulrapp, real estate and private businessman John Zijcek, FHN Hospital Administor Dr. Michael Perry, and others were outspoken in their concern that the dispute might lead to a decision to close the Freeport Titan plant and eliminate the company’s 500 jobs and $50 million local annual payroll.
Taylor said publicly he would not tell anyone how to vote in Thursday’s election, but he was equally outspoken in his dislike for Vanderheyden and his belief that labor costs at the Freeport tire plant were unreasonably high, compared to Titan plants in Bryan, Ohio, and DeMoines, Iowa.
“If that (union) contract does not change, now, then the decision about whether the plant stays open will have already been made by next November (2010),” Taylor said in an interview last month. “The union leadership there has no say on whether the plant closes, or not.”
Vanderheyden stayed away from the dispute in public, pointing to the productivity of Titan Freeport employees and stating that the company’s issues were not related to labor costs.
“Our (Freeport) plant continues to be the corporate leader in the productivity of the workforce,” Vanderheyden said last month.
Thursday, after the election outcome, Vanderheyden was gracious in accepting the result.
“I have been blessed with the tremendous privilege to work for our union members and their families for the last 24 years. I first became a union rep in 1985 after being asked by co-workers to get involved. After being elected eight consecutive times to positions such as Grievance and Negotiating Committee, Vice President, and President for the last five terms, it is time for me to enjoy some time with my family at a much slower pace.”
Vanderheyden reported approximately 660 members voted in the election Thursday. (Tire Review/Akron)
