New steward leader, panel chairs named

Russ Maki is the Milwaukee Newspaper Guild's newest steward leader.

The Guild's Executive Board has appointed Maki, a night copy editor, to take charge of contract enforcement, membership, mobilizing and stewards for the copy desk, night design and graphics desks, opinions staff, national desk and downtown metro editorial assistants. He replaces restaurant critic Carol Deptolla, who did not seek reappointment.

Maki has been our wage data coordinator. He was reappointed to continue in that post.

Reappointed as steward leaders were editorial assistant Janine Ghelfi, representing the downtown photo, features/entertainment and business staffs; metro reporter Mark Johnson, representing downtown metro reporters, Wisconsin news bureaus and the News Information Center staff; and sports copy editor Vince Butler, representing the downtown and Green Bay sports staff, the day design desk and the JSOnline staff. Ghelfi and Johnson are also board members, Ghelfi is also a member of our bargaining committee and Butler is a former vice president.

The board also named metro reporter Dani McClain as human rights chair, filling a vacancy created when day copy editor Karen Samelson moved up to 2nd vice president; sports designer Ana Menendez as communications chair, filling a spot that had been vacant since night copy editor Dave Lee left in the last buyout; and online producer Craig Nickels as Webmaster, replacing online producer Heather Marshall Gergen, who is also leaving through the buyout. McClain and Menendez are also board members.

Other reappointments were metro reporter Susanne Rust as health and safety chair; feature writer Jan Uebelherr as social chair; night copy editor Jen Steele as newsletter editor; metro reporter Larry Sandler as posting and exclusions coordinator; and photo technician Dave Kirner as technology coordinator. Uebelherr is also our secretary; Sandler, a former vice president, is also our bargaining chair; and Kirner, a former president, is also on our bargaining committee.

All of the appointees will serve until next October. The steward leaders and vice presidents will now begin selecting stewards.