V.
M. Speakman, Jr. was appointed Labor Member of the Board by President
George H.W.
Bush in 1992 upon the recommendation of the Railway Labor Executives'
Association (RLEA). The agency's longest-serving Labor Member, he was
reappointed to additional terms of office by President Clinton in 1995 and 2000,
and was reappointed to a fourth term by President Bush in 2007. Prior to his
appointment to the Board, Mr. Speakman was President of the Brotherhood of
Railroad Signalmen (1987-1992). In this position he also served as Vice Chairman
of the RLEA, Chairman of the RLEA's Committee on Railroad Retirement, and
Secretary-Treasurer of the Transportation Trades Department of the AFL-CIO. He
also served the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen as Vice President (1985-87),
Director of Research (1984-85), Grand Lodge Representative (1979-84), and Local
Lodge Chairman (1977-79). Mr. Speakman began his railroad career as a signalman
and foreman on the Penn Central Railroad. A veteran, he served with the U.S. Air
Force in Vietnam. |