Retired

Donna Myron

A 39-year career of service to the IBEW ended on May 1, 2005, with the retirement of Sixth District International Representative Donna Myron.

Sister Myron was initiated into IBEW Local 1427 in Chicago, where she worked in a Commonwealth Edison clerical unit. (Local 1427 has since been merged with other locals to form Local 15 in Downers Grove, Illinois.) At ComEd, she quickly became involved in workplace issues, acting as a union steward, serving as recording secretary and on the executive board as well as on the local’s lobbying and organizing committees.

In 1984, she was asked by then-Sixth District Vice President James Conway to help organize the IBEW’s first-ever women’s conference at the district level. At the time, the district had many female members in utility clerical units, in the telephone branch and in manufacturing and construction, but only a handful of women officers. At that conference, Myron and the other delegates addressed discrimination, sexual harassment, increasing women’s involvement in union activities, pay equity and repetitive motion injuries, issues that continue to resonate in the workplace. Sister Myron would go on to help draft curricula for classes on domestic violence and sexual harassment, which she presented throughout the Midwest.

Sister Myron had a hand in planning every Sixth District annual women’s conference and also the International’s 1997, 2001 and 2004 women’s conferences. She has also been an active member of the Electrical Workers Minority Caucus and the Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW).

Appointed international representative in 1986, Sister Myron traveled the district servicing local unions, organizing, training officers, and assisting in contract negotiations and arbitrations. Among the many organizing campaigns she participated in, she considers the campaign to affiliate the independent Communication Telephone Workers Union as a highlight. As a result, more than 2,000 members joined the IBEW in 1987. For the last few years, Sister Myron worked as an assistant to the Sixth District vice president in Darien, Illinois.

Sister Myron marvels at the advances made by women in the union in the last 20 years. "We are seeing more and more women with bigger roles at the IBEW, more women reps and more women involved on the construction side and on the local level," she said. Sister Myron said she plans to work on her new home in the Chicago area and travel overseas to Italy, Greece, Ireland and Switzerland. "I’m going to get my bags packed and just go," she said.

For a lifetime of service, IBEW officers, staff and members wish Sister Myron a long, healthy and well-earned retirement.

Retired

Richard Shepler

On June 6, 2005, Richard Shepler retired after a 39-year career that took him from the stockroom at the International Office to director of the IBEW Computer Services Department.

A native of Washington, D.C., Shepler began work in 1966 in the IBEW stockroom on 14th Street, running supplies to the IBEW headquarters then located at at 1200 15th Street. He is one of 10 staff members who worked for the IBEW during the entire 32-year stay at 1125 15th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.

After serving in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam war from 1968 to 1970, Shepler was assigned as a lead man in the stockroom, then as a tab machine operator on a 1004 Univac computer.

When one of the union’s programmers resigned, Shepler was recruited to train at RCA to replace her. After further promotions as a junior systems analyst, systems analyst and system and network manager, he was appointed director of Computer Services in May 2002.

Shepler, who lives in McLean, Virginia, is proud that the IBEW is "now poised to be a major player in 21st century technology." He counts among his department’s accomplishments the "real time" computer links between the IBEW, local unions, vice presidential districts and members. The union’s secure web site, for instance, can now receive per capita reports from local unions and respond to the locals in "hours, rather than weeks," he says.

Upon his retirement, Shepler said: "From a grade one in the stockroom to the Director of Computer Services; there are very few if any other organizations I know of where this would have been possible. I would like to thank the officers and members of the IBEW for the opportunity you have given me. I can’t adequately describe what the IBEW has meant to me. I have tried to give something back each and every day and pray I have done that. God bless you all, and thank you from the bottom of my heart."

Shepler is looking forward to spending more time with his wife, Donna and pursuing his hobbies. When his son graduates from college next year, Shepler intends to relocate to Montana or Wyoming.

The IBEW extends best wishes to Rich for a well-deserved retirement.

Appointed

Darren N. DeMarco

IBEW International President Edwin D. Hill has appointed Darren N. DeMarco as director of IBEW Computer Services Department effective June 6, 2005. He succeeds Richard Shepler who has retired.

DeMarco’s service to the IBEW began seven years ago as an information technologies consultant. He gained experience working for several labor organizations, including the Teamsters, NFL Player’s Association, Ironworkers, Roofers and Sheet Metal Workers.

In 2002, DeMarco was hired as the IBEW’s network/ systems manager. He is confident that his familiarity with the organization’s mission and needs will help him to make the best use of "ever-changing and progressing technology" in his new position.

"My department," says DeMarco, "will work to keep progressing with the technology to provide the best possible service to our officers, staff and members."

A native of northern Virginia, DeMarco is a graduate of Radford University, where he majored in social science and minored in mathematics. He is a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer.

The IBEW wishes Darren much success in his new position.