Edward Smith (Illinois politician)
Edward M. Smith is an American labor leader from Marion, Illinois, who now resides in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area.
Labor
On January 3, 2011, Edward M. Smith named Chief Executive Officer of The Union Labor Life Insurance Company (Ullico Inc.), a labor-owned insurance and investment company headquartered in Washington, D.C. He had been serving as the company's president since May 2008 and previously served as executive vice president in 2007 while maintaining full-time duties with Laborers' International Union of North America.
Previously, Smith served as Midwest Regional Manager of the Laborers' International Union of North America from 1994 to 2008. He was elected a Vice President of the International Union in 1996 and served on the International's General Executive Board. In 2001, Smith was appointed as Assistant to the General President for the International Union.
In 1981, Smith was appointed International Representative for the International Union and was later appointed LIUNA Legislative Director for the State of Illinois. Smith was elected President of the Southern Illinois Laborers' District Council in 1986 and Business Manager in 1990.
Smith was the former Chairman of the Illinois State Board of Investment, served as a member of the Illinois Department of Labor Advisory Board, the Democratic National Committee, and was Chairman of the National Alliance for Fair Contracting.
Smith was the first member of the Laborers' International Union to graduate from the National Labor College with a bachelor's degree. He is now an active board member for the college as well as America's Agenda-Healthcare for All, Jobs with Justice, the Council on Competitiveness, and a trustee for the AFL-CIO Staff Retirement Plan.
In 1978, Smith graduated from the Harvard University Trade Union Program.
Politics
Smith was a Delegate to the Democratic National Convention from Illinois, 2000, 2004. He was an at-large Superdelegate to the 2008 Democratic National Convention.
References
- Ed Smith Ullico Inc. Bio Ullico Inc. Retrieved on 2013-06-11.
- The Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians: Smith, E to F. Retrieved on 2008-02-20.
- Democratic National Committee Membership Roster 2004-2008. Retrieved on 2008-02-21.