IBEW’S Tom Reid Assumes NETCO Presidency

Aug 2, 2018

The Board of the National Electrical Trade Council (NETCO) has elected Tom Reid to serve as President and a director of the Council. Reid is International Vice-President First District Canada for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW).

Reid replaces Bill Daniels, whose retirement from both NETCO and the IBEW took effect July 1. NETCO is an alliance of the IBEW and the Canadian Electrical Contractors Association (CECA). Its mandate is to promote national standards in technical skills training and to advocate on policy issues that affect the two partner organizations.

“NETCO is a growing organization that helps our industry navigate a world where electrical technologies and training needs are constantly changing,” says Reid. “The IBEW has always prided ourselves as providing the most highly trained, highly capable people to the marketplace. NETCO plays a huge role in helping the union and our contractors to maintain that edge.”

Tom Reid joined the IBEW as a construction electrician in Kingston, Ontario in 1984. Active in union affairs, he became the IBEW union organizer for Eastern Ontario in 1993. He has served as an International representative of the IBEW in Canada since 1998. As International Vice-President, Reid is based at the IBEW First District office in Mississauga.

“NETCO’s Board has set a clear strategic direction for the next year,” he said. “For me, the priorities include the continued development of distance learning systems to encourage tradespeople to train where they work. We’re also bringing together expert resources to update green skills training programs, such as the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program, to ensure that qualified electricians are available to do complex electrical work.”

Reid also paid tribute to his predecessor as NETCO President, long-time IBEW colleague Bill Daniels. “Bill brought dedication and energy to his work, and he inspired a generation of tradespeople to uphold the highest standards.”

Reid’s accession to the presidency is part of a year of transition at NETCO. A new Executive Director, Melissa Young, moved into the post of administrative leader for NETCO on July 1. She replaces Carol MacLeod, who had served since the founding of NETCO in 2006.