Why I ran for President in 2019
I ran for the Presidency of Local 720 in 2019 because I recognized that things had to change. I had been working as a Business Agent since 2016, so I had the opportunity to witness the infighting in the building and the polarization of the Executive Board leading up to the election. Since I was the rare individual that had no axe to grind or grievance to air, I threw my hat into the ring. I believe that I was successful at winning that race and have been successful as your President for the last 2 terms because of my life experiences.
What I bring to the position of President is my 59 years of life experience including 29 years as a member of Local 720. Growing up as a military brat instilled in me a strong sense of right and wrong, and respect for others. I graduated from Oklahoma State University with a Bachelor of Science in Journalism and a Minor in History. My goal was to be a Photojournalist; I had the nerve, poise and skill. But then I realized that I could make twice as much money running a TV station on a cruise ship. The first thing you learn about living on a ship is that you must live with people that you might not have any interest in knowing. You find common ground, and you make it work. I thrived in that environment. Where most people would do a year, I did almost 5.
I moved to Las Vegas in 1994 and by 1996 I had helped in organizing the Aladdin Hotel and became a member of Local 720. In 1998 I became the Head Flyman for “Les Folies Bergere” at the Tropicana and in 2000 I was promoted to Head Carpenter. In total I did 10 years at the Trop. During that time, I learned so much from the older crew members about what it means to be in a Union and the history of our Local.
By 2008 I had married my wife Stephanie, who also worked at the Trop. With rumors floating around of the Trop's imminent demise we decided it would be best if one of us left. This is when I started my career as a Prop Person with "Jersey Boys". I met a lot of great stagehands there with the standouts being JT Gorey, Apple Thorne and Tracy Lightel.
In the Spring of 2016, I was hired full-time as a Business Agent. The scope of what a Business Agent does is vast. Member services, organizing, assisting in negotiations, enforcing contracts, covering jurisdiction, investigating issues, internal politics, external politics and I could go on and on. It’s like being on the bounce, you never know what your day has in store for you or when it will end. Until I became President it was the best job I ever had. Then I became President.
January 2, 2020
- The first day on the job as President of IATSE Local 720.
Why I'm running for President in 2025
I'm running because I love being the President of IATSE Local 720 and I’m the most qualified. I can say that because I’ve been doing the job since January of 2020. The amount of on-the-job experience that I have gained since then is immeasurable. For example, in our Union’s 86 years of existence, I am the only President that has faced a worldwide epidemic that essentially shut us down for 2 years. From March 20, 2020, the day I walked out of our Union and locked the doors behind me, to February 10, 2022, the day we opened our doors for in-person business, I sent over 100 emails to our members and referents. Those emails became the conduit by which the members remained connected to their Union. We adapted to our new normal of Zoom meetings and operating a monthly food bank. When we finally came back, our Union was stronger and more unified than I have ever seen it before.
My second term has been spent growing Local 720’s membership and growing Local 720’s jurisdiction. With the exception of organizing campaigns, every new member you see in our newsletter was a worker that was already in our dispatch system. These are people that see value in being a part of what we have and who we are, and they should be welcomed with open arms.
Growing our jurisdiction. Business Representative Apple Thorne and I hit the ground running at our first IA General Executive Board (GEB) meeting in January of 2020. That is when I joined the conversation between Apple and then IA Vice President Jim Claffey, now the Executive Vice President of Venue Management for MSG Entertainment, concerning the MSG Sphere. Apple did an excellent job securing a first-time agreement that will get better with every contract cycle. At the same time Apple was wrapping up the Sphere contract I was in Carson City advocating for the A’s. Because of that support, I was able to negotiate an agreement between the A’s and Local 720 that states, “the Athletics and Union will negotiate in good faith with respect to the work traditionally performed by employees represented by the Union,”. The Film Bills were also introduced late in the 2023 session.
Since that session our lobbyist Randy Sotero, Apple and I have spent a lot of time and effort supporting the Film Bills, however, both bills failed to pass. The two main reasons being; 1) the developers didn’t combine their bills; and, 2) the legislators were concerned with ongoing cuts from the Federal Government. But we are not done. We are currently running an email campaign to encourage the Governor and legislators to address the Film Bills in a Special Session. To participate in that campaign, click on this link. If the Governor does not call for a Special Session or does not include the Film Bills then we will take the fight to the next session.
Building a new union hall is a daunting process. We did not even know how to begin let alone where to begin. Six months prior, I had decided not to run for my position as President of the Southern Highlands Master Association. Luck would have it that the person that replaced me on the Board was Jeff Roberts, a very accomplished and well-respected architect and UNLV Professor of Architecture. I arranged for Jeff to meet with the Land and Building Corporation where he explained the entire process of building a new building to us. Within a month our Land and Building Corporation hired Jeff as our Owner Project Manager (OPM). For an update on where we are in the building process you can click on the “New Building” button at the top or bottom of this page.
The Local is in a better position both internally and externally than when I became President in 2020. But the job is never complete and that is why I am asking for your vote to re-elect me as your President of IATSE Local 720.
October 17, 2024
- In Philadelphia, PA attending Officers Institute 2.0.