Seated, from left: Chuck Schulz, Wisconsin SLBC; Brendan Sullivan, Director of Political Affairs; David Estes, National Secretary-Treasurer; Gary Best, First Vice President; Tim Morgan, Missouri SLBC; Vince Verna, Vice President & National Legislative Representative; and Shane Hubbard, Indiana SLBC. Standing, from left: Cory Martin, Illinois SLBC; Robert Forgues, Div. 17; Bill Brake, Div. 237; Steve Gillett, Div. 107; Carl Newman, Div. 491; Kevin Stanton, Div. 609; Mike Reeves, Div. 86; Jason Melvin, Div. 178; Kurt Powell, Div. 48; Missouri SLB 2nd Vice Chairman Jeff Gasson, Div. 502; Ron Brewer, Div. 152; Frank Prichard, Div. 442; Jeff Wrechtermann, Div. 75; Missouri SLB 1st Vice Chairman Mike McGill, Div. 42; Jeff Shelton, Div. 83; Bill Honeycutt, Div. 285; Brandon Nunnenkamp, Kansas SLB Chairman; and Missouri SLB S-T Brian Young, Div. 48.
Tim Morgan was reelected Chairman of the Missouri State Legislative Board (MOSLB) during its quadrennial meeting held in Lake of the Ozarks, Mo., on May 5. Morgan is a Norfolk Southern locomotive engineer and member of BLET Division 86 (Moberly, Mo.). The MOSLB represents more than 2,000 active and retired BLET members in 22 different Divisions.
Also elected were: 1st Vice Chairman Mike McGill, Division 42 (St. Louis, Mo.); 2nd Vice Chairman Jeff Gassen, Division 502 (Kansas City, Mo.); Secretary-Treasurer Brian Young, Division 48 (St. Louis, Mo.); and Alternate Secretary-Treasurer Bill Honeycutt, Division 285 (Thayer, Mo.). Elected to serve as Trustees were: Ron Brewer, Division 152 (Kansas City, Mo.); Jeff Rechtermann, Division 75 (Kansas City, Mo.); and Robert Forgues, Division 17 (Kansas City, Mo.).
Representing the BLET National Division at the meeting was First Vice President Gary Best, National Secretary-Treasurer David Estes, and Vice President & National Legislative Representative Vince Verna. A large number of BLET members employed by the Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern Railroads live and work in Missouri, and First Vice President Best did a deep-dive into BLET’s strategy and ongoing opposition to the proposed UP-NS merger. Best has been assigned by National President Mark Wallace to serve as BLET’s lead representative on issues relating to the proposed merger.
Morgan’s service to the MO SLB began over 20 years ago when he was elected Secretary-Treasurer at the Board’s 2002 quadrennial meeting. In 2022, Morgan was elected to the office of 1st Vice Chairman and then elevated to the Chairman’s position following the retirement of Calvin Groose in late 2022. Morgan hired out with the Norfolk Southern in 1988 and earned promotion to locomotive engineer in 1991.
Click here for a photo gallery from the 2026 MOSLB quadrennial meeting.
From left: David Estes, BLET National Secretary-Treasurer; Jake Hummel, President of Missouri AFL-CIO; Tim Morgan, BLET Missouri SLB Chairman; Rachel Pharris, BLET Auxiliary National 1st Vice President; Mike Scribner, MO-KAN Teamsters; Vince Verna, BLET Vice President & National Legislative Representative; Brian Treece, Missouri Teamsters lobbyist; and Gary Best, BLET First Vice President.
From left: Tim Morgan, BLET Missouri SLBC; Rep. Will Jobe, MO House District 21; Rep. Adrian Plank, MO House District 47; Brendan Sullivan, BLET Director of Political Affairs; Rep. Ashley Aune, MO House District 14 and House Minority Floor Leader; Shane Hubbard, BLET Indiana SLBC; Rep. Keri Ingle, MO House District; Gary Best, BLET First Vice President; and David Estes, BLET National Secretary-Treasurer.