The EHDOC Board of Directors
Morton Bahr, President
Mr. Bahr is President Emeritus, Communications Workers of America, (CWA), AFL-CIO, Canadian Labor Congress; Vice President of Union Network International (UNI); and former President of UNI’s World Telecom Sector, representing 3 million workers in 120 countries. He is recognized as a leading voice of the labor movement both in the United States and internationally. He has been fully committed to helping seniors all his life.
Steve Protulis, Executive Vice President
Steve currently serves as EHDOC’s Executive Director. He is the former Executive Director, National Council of Senior Citizens (NCSC). He has more than 30 years of social and political activism, including being a national recognized advocate for senior issues.
Leo W. Gerard, Vice President for Operations
Currently serves as United Steelworkers International President. He was instrumental in the formation of the Industrial Union Council of the AFL-CIO; in February 2003, he was appointed to serve on the AFL-CIO Executive Committee as well as serving on its Executive Council. He was named Chair of the AFL-CIO’s Public Policy Committee in March 2005. He also serves on the U.S. National Commission on Energy Policy and is a founding Board Member of the Apollo alliance, a non-profit public policy initiative for creating good jobs in pursuit of energy independence.
Edward L. Romero, Vice President for Quality
Under the Clinton Administration, he served as Ambassador to Spain. He was the founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer of Advanced Sciences, Inc., a 600 employee environmental engineering and waste management corporation that merged with Commodore Applied Technologies. He has been a member of the U.S. Trade Representatives Services Policy Advisory Committee and has led a number of U.S. Delegations to Mexico during the Carter Administration. He has served on the Federal Advisory Committee for Trade Negotiations and he was a member of the U.S. Delegations on the Helsinki Accords.
Maria C. Cordone, Secretary
As the Director of Community Services and Retirees for the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW) she has been very active with senior issues. She is the Current Vice Chairperson, Democratic National Committee Senior Coordinating Council. She has a 34 year history of social and political activism.
Erica Schmelzer, Treasurer
Erica received her B.S. degree from Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton while working for a certified public accountant in Hollywood FL. She has had extensive experience in the real estate field working as assistant controller for more than a decade at the corporate headquarters of Century 21 in south Florida. For twelve years, Erica oversaw financial operations for EHDOC’s 50 elderly housing communities across the country. Her dedication to Seniors and their needs makes her a valuable asset to our team.
Tony Fransetta, Director
A medaled veteran of the U.S. Navy, he worked for Ford Motors Company, Foundry and Engine Operations, Local 1250 until his retirement in 1990. During his time at Ford, he represented 15,000 employees where he negotiated contracts sharing joint Ford/UAW Programs. He was appointed as a Delegate to the 2005 White House Conference on Aging. He is currently the President of the Florida Alliance for Retired Americans and serves as a General Policy Board Member of the National Alliance for Retired Americans.
Roger Smith, Director
He is the Chief Executive Officer and President of American Income Life (AIL). He became the SGA for Illinois and Iowa, building one of the leading agencies within AIL. Since assuming the leadership of American Income Life’s sales force, he has instituted a highly successful turn-around which led to record growth and production for the company. In 2002, AIL became the most profitable distribution system with Torchmark.
Joseph J. Hunt, Director
He is currently the General President, of the International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental, and Reinforcing Iron Workers. He is a former Officer of Iron Workers Local 396, in St. Louis, MO. He currently serves on the boards of Maritime Trades Department, Metal Trades Department; and Governing Board of Presidents, Building and Construction Trades Department. He has more than 20 years of political and social service.
Marjorie Colebut-Jackson, Director
She is President of the Pequot Pharmaceutical Network (PRXN) and Chairperson of the Board of Directors. She serves as Corporate for the Board of Directors for Lawrence and Memorial Hospital in New London, CT. She is a member of the American Public Health Association, and an elected member of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Council. She has more than twenty years of service in health care.
Maxine Carter, Director
She is currently the head of the United Steelworkers of America’s (USWA) Civil Rights Department and she is the Assistant to the President of the USWA. She works diligently to protect the rights of workers. Maxine is known to be a strong advocate for senior’s rights in the community.
John Olsen, Director
President of the Connecticut AFL-CIO. He is a native of Greenwich, CT and was elected to the Executive Board of the Connecticut AFL-CIO in 1983. During his presidency the Connecticut AFL-CIO’s commitment to political education and legislative action has strengthened. Mr. Olsen represents the labor movement on numerous boards and commissions including the Connecticut Employement and Training Commission, Connecticut Innovations Inc., the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund and the Twenty-First Century Action Plan Commission.
Mark Weiner, Director
Founder of Financial Innovations, Inc., one of the largest mass-marketing firms in the United States, managing the merchandising efforts of numerous local, national and international organizations and conventions. He is the co-founder of Crimzon Rose Accessories, one of the top 10 largest jewelry manufacturing companies in the United States. He has received numerous awards and honors for his charitable work. His past and current activism includes participating in organizations such as Hands Across America, the Rhode Island Diabetes Association, the Special Olympics and St. Jude Children’s’ Hospital Research. He is a lifelong supporter of affordable senior housing.
Ellen Feingold, Director
As President of Jewish Community Housing for the Elderly, Ellen Feingold has been recognized locally, nationally and internationally as a pioneer in making senior housing a place where low income residents can age in peace. During her tenure, she is credited with increasing the number of affordable senior housing apartments. She has also been responsible for expanding services to seniors that range from language translation assistance to activity programming to organizing cultural events. She has been the recipient of many awards, including CHAPA’s 25th Anniversary Achievement Award and the National Council on Aging’s Sidney Spector Award. Ellen has also numerous government and community service appointments, including appointments by Presidents Johnson, Nixon and Ford to the Massachusetts Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.
Thomas Villanova, Director
Thomas Paul Villanova currently serves as President of the Chicago and Cook County Building and Construction Trades Council and is a lifelong resident of the Chicago area. Thomas started his Local 134 IBEW electrical apprenticeship in November 1972. .In August 1989, he was appointed full time instructor at Local 134 IBEW Apprentice School. In July, 1994, he was asked by Business Manager, Mike Fitzgerald, to join the Local 134 staff as Business Representative. In March 2004, Tom was elected President of the Chicago and Cook County Building Trades Council which represents 24 trade unions, with one hundred thousand members. Tom is on the Board of Directors of the Italian American Labor Council. He is also the Secretary of the Board of Directors of the Chicago Southland Economic Development Board and Past Chairman of the Metro Southwest Alliance. Tom was appointed to serve on the Governor’s Commission on opportunity in State Public Construction and the Governor’s State Labor Advisory Board. Tom sits on the Amalgamated Bank of Chicago Labor Council as its past Chairman, which is an advisory body to the bank on financial matters important to the labor community and its membership. Mayor Richard Daley appointed Tom to the 21st Century Commission to study. In 2008, Tom was appointed to the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority Board of Directors. Mayor Rahm Emanuel appointed Tom to the Chicago Infrastructure Trust Advisory Board, the Fisk & Crawford Power Plants Task Force and Mayor Emanuel’s Transition Team.
M. David Vaughn, Director
David Vaughn is a neutral arbitrator and mediator specializing in labor and employment disputes. He has been in practice since 1984. He is a 1973 graduate of the University of Michigan Law School, a Member of the National Academy of Arbitrators and former Member of its Board of Governors, a Fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers and Past President of the National Association of Railroad Referees. He is listed on the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service and National Mediation Board rosters of arbitrators and on American Arbitration Association labor and employment arbitration, employment mediation, ERISA and large and complex case rosters. Mr. Vaughn also holds umpireships and permanent panel appointments in a variety of industries. Mr. Vaughn was an attorney in private practice, specializing in labor and employment law and representing, at different times, unions, employers and individual employees. Mr. Vaughn served as General Counsel of FMCS. He also served as an Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University Law Center over a 16 year period during which he taught labor arbitration, collective bargaining negotiations, railroad and airline industry labor law and relations and ADR in employment.
Mark H. Ayers, Director
In Memory of Mr. Mark H. Ayers, member of EHDOC Board of Directors, and President of the AFL-CIO’s Building and Construction Trades Department
January 22, 1949 – April 8, 2012.
