Importance of St. Louis Port Council highlight of special Sept. 23 luncheon

New officers, Jack Martorelli, John Stiffler, to be installed; all locals invited

St. Louis – The important role in Missouri politics and community efforts of the St. Louis Port Council will be highlighted at its Sept. 23 luncheon featuring Maritime Trades Department Executive Secretary-Treasurer Dan Duncan.

Council Secretary-Treasurer Becky Sleeper said the luncheon will also feature the installation of new officers.

They are President Jack Martorelli, former business manager, Operating Engineers Local 513 and president of Jack Martorelli Consulting Services, and Vice President John Stiffler, veteran business manager, Insulators Local 1.

Dick Mantia, the respected building trades leader who passed away in June, was the Council’s long-time president.

The luncheon begins at 11:30 a.m. and will be held at Bartolino’s on Hampton at I-44. Sleeper urged union representatives who have not participated with the Port Council to attend the luncheon and learn more about the impact the Council has on behalf of all Labor.

For reservations contact the Port Council at 314-752-6500.

INTERESTING BACKGROUND

Duncan brings a varied union career to the speaker’s podium.

He started his career as a bagger for Kroger as a member of the United Food & Commercial Workers local in Cleveland, OH.

After graduating college, Duncan worked as a newspaper reporter and as director of a local National Council of Senior Citizens senior employment program before joining the Seafarers International Union in 1987. He served first as director of communications and then top assistant to President Mike Sacco and then-Executive Secretary-Treasurer Frank Pecquex.

In 2011, he became the union’s third ranking officer as its executive secretary-treasurer.

Duncan also has served as president of Virginia’s largest labor council, the Northern Virginia Labor Federation.

His father was a machinist, and his grandfather was a shop steward in the old Cleveland shipyards.

He will have an important message for union members.

“We invite the entire Labor Movement for what will be an interesting presentation,” Martorelli said.