Rinard elected Guild president

Milwaukee Newspaper Guild members have elected Amy Rinard as our new president.

She will succeed Jennie Tunkieicz on Oct. 1. Tunkieicz, a Racine County Bureau reporter, is stepping down after three terms as Local 51 president, but plans to remain active in the Guild.

Rinard, a Waukesha County Bureau reporter, is finishing her third term as 2nd vice president, in charge of membership, mobilizing and communications. She also has served on our Bargaining Committee and as a steward.

Other officers elected at Tuesday's annual meeting were:

• Greg Pearson as 1st vice president, in charge of contract enforcement. Pearson, a steward leader and day copy editor, returns after a one-year absence to the position he previously held for three terms. He succeeds Jerry Ziegler, an assistant copy desk chief who did not seek re-election.
• Sonya Jongsma-Knauss as 2nd vice president, succeeding Rinard. Jongsma-Knauss is a board member and MKE assistant editor.
• Sarah Carr as secretary, succeeding Kawanza Newson, a metro reporter who is stepping down after three terms. Carr is a steward and metro reporter.
• Amy Hetzner as treasurer, for her second full term. Hetzner is a Waukesha County Bureau reporter.

Among the Executive Board's five at-large members, the newest will be Karen Samelson, a day copy editor elected to succeed Jongsma-Knauss. Four others were re-elected: Dave Kirner, a former Guild president and photo technician, to his fifth consecutive term and sixth term overall; Janine Ghelfi, a steward leader and photo editorial assistant, to her sixth consecutive full term and ninth term overall; Jan Uebelherr, a features/entertainment writer, to her third term; and Mark Johnson, a steward leader and metro reporter, to his second full term.

Members also agreed to renew the rebate provision that keeps our dues at 1% of pay, and to elect Rinard, Tunkieicz and Jongsma-Knauss as delegates to the international Guild's Sector Conference, with Samelson as alternate and Rinard as delegate to the international convention of our parent union, the Communications Workers of America.