WASHINGTON, D.C. — James A. Williams has been unanimously elected general president of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades by the union’s executive board.
Williams, who had served as IUPAT’s general secretary-treasurer since 1995, succeeds Michael E. Monroe. Monroe resigned to accept a post with the AFL-CIO. George Galis, an IUPAT representative from Pittsburgh, was unanimously elected to succeed Williams as secretary-treasurer of the 140,000-member union.
“It is an immense honor to follow in Michael Monroe’s footsteps in leading this great union,” says Williams, a third-generation IUPAT member. “Under Michael’s leadership, our union has grown in members, in market share and in political action. He strengthened partnerships with our contractors and other unions. And, most of all, we have grown in respect.”
During the 2000 national election campaign, IUPAT was a political juggernaut for worker-friendly candidates all across the country and was recognized by the AFL-CIO as the most effective political operation in the labor movement.
Williams vows to continue IUPAT’s strong political involvement with an aggressive agenda emphasizing recruitment, organizing, training and health and safety issues. “My top priority will be communicating with the membership,” he stresses.
Hailing from Pennsylvania, he began his career with the union as a glazier apprentice in 1968 and has successfully worked his way up the ladder. Past honors include UNICO Man of the Year in 1982, the Israeli Bond Association’s Labor Man of the Year in 1990 and the Vietnam Veterans’ Labor Leader of the Year in 1992.
Williams and his wife of 30 years, Gerrie, have two daughter, two sons and a grandson.
Professional Paint, Inc. (PPI) and Jones-Blair announced the completion of PPI’s acquisition of Jones-Blair’s 27 service centers and related dealer distribution through a newly formed, wholly owned subsidiary, Stellar Kwal Paint. The newly acquired service centers, located in Texas, Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee will be operated under the Stellar Kwal Paint banner. PPI’s five Stellar Paint service centers, in Dallas/Ft. Worth, will be combined with the Jones-Blair service centers. Stellar Kwal will continue to sell Jones-Blair branded products.
This sale by Jones-Blair, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, is a result of a strategic decision to exit its architectural paint business which sells to paint contractors and consumers, and to focus on its two core businesses — Neogard and Industrial Coatings. The Neogard brand has a long history of excellence in the waterproofing, roofing, wall coatings, and floor coatings markets. Jones-Blair’s Industrial Products have an outstanding reputation dating back to their introduction 74 years ago.
PPI, headquartered in Denver, Colorado, is the parent company of six other regional paint companies including: Frazee Paint (San Diego, California); General Paint (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada); Hanley Paint (El Paso, Texas); Kwal Paint (Denver, Colorado); Parker Paint (Tacoma, Washington); and Sophir-Morris Paint (Omaha, Nebraska). With this transaction, PPI now has over 275 service centers serving professional paint contractors and consumers throughout the western United States and Canada.
The Jones-Blair Service Center transaction is consistent with PPI management’s strategy to acquire paint companies that provide access to new growth markets with established regional brands.
The only sure bet in Las Vegas this September will be time spent at the National Paperhangers Forum and Tradeshow, hosted by the National Guild of Professional Paperhangers. The annual meeting will be held at The Riviera Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada, September 19-21.
To get the most out of your busy schedule, they have condensed their exciting package of seminars, presentations, and Hands On! demonstrations to two and one half days.
Business begins on Thursday morning with the Board of Directors meeting. Mel Weinzimer, director of sales and marketing for the Polytex Environmental Inks, Ltd., winner of the 2001 Allman Award, the wallcovering industry’s highest honor will kick start the 2002 Forum off at 1 p.m. Thursday. Mel will use humor to offset some serious business about the state of wallcovering today. Following such a dynamite speaker is a tough job but Kevin Dougherty from Proof Management will spend the next several hours showcasing the business side and marketing side of the wallcovering installer, customized as only a nationally recognized presenter can do. Kara Kelley, chief operating officer of the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce will open the welcome reception Thursday evening at 6 p.m.
Friday will feature John Fitzgerald, President Home Interiors Group of FSC Wallcovering as he talks about marketing wallcovering. There will be seminars on English papers, plaster repair, mold and mildew, more than 20 Hands On! tabletops demonstrations by leading experts and craftspeople from around the country.
One of the highlights of Friday afternoon will be the presentation of the winners of the Winning Walls With Wallcovering, a NGPP contest sponsored by Wm. Zinsser & Company. This is always an exciting time when the best of the best receive recognition for fabulous inspiring “works of art.”
The Tradeshow opens on Friday evening with a focus on new products and services, which will be on a special staging area. Short presentations by vendors will bring new meaning to the “infomercial.”
Prior to Saturday’s Tradeshow reopening with the great scavenger hunt for the grand prize drawing, there will be a seminar on “Knowing What You’re Worth” directed at the paperhanger, as well as the Love Match — featuring leading wallcovering manufacturers versus the paperhanger. The Awards luncheon will follow the closing of the Tradeshow. The Hand On! sequel will wrap up this great learning experience.
For more information about wallcovering installation, or the National Guild of Professional Paperhangers, contact the NGPP office at 136 S. Keowee Street, Dayton, Ohio 45402; telephone: (937) 222-NGPP; fax: (937) 222-5794; email: ngpp@ngpp.org; or visit the National Guild of Professional Paperhangers Web site.
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