President – Joe Schaffer
Joe has been a Local 701 member for over 31 years and has worked at Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and Toyota dealerships and was a Shop Steward at Ettleson Cadillac. Before being elected President, Joe was elected as a Trustee and then Secretary-Treasurer for Local 701. In addition to his 13 years’ experience on the Executive Board, Joe is a delegate to the Chicago Federation of Labor and has served on the Union’s By-Laws Committee. He was an alternate delegate to the Illinois State Council of Machinists, elected as a delegate to the 2016 IAM Grand Lodge Convention and has attended many Union classes including Leadership I and financial secretary classes.
Vice President – Ken Markham
Ken Markham has been a member of Local 701 since 1988. He currently works at Jack Phelan Chevrolet (35 years) where he is a Journeyman Technician and the Shop Steward and Standard Automotive Agreement (SAA) Delegate. Ken served on the 2017 and 2021 SAA Extended Negotiation Committee and also served as Head Teller for the 2018 Business Representatives, 2018 Officers, 2019 Vice President and 2020 Grand Lodge Delegate elections. Ken was appointed to the Executive Board as a Trustee in 2021 before becoming Recording Secretary in 2023. He is also active on the Community Outreach Committee, assisted with Skills USA and has served on the Union’s Audit and By-Laws Committees, he has participated in Union training at the W3 center for Negotiation Prep, LL Election and Recording Secretary classes.
Secretary Treasurer – Rick Brown
Rick is the Union’s full time Secretary Treasurer. He has been a member of Local 701 since 1986 and has served as the Union Steward for nine years, while working at Zimmerman Ford. He previously worked at Al Piemonte Ford where he served as Union Steward, served on the Audit and By-Law Committees, volunteered for the Pit Crew Competitions and Skills USA Competitions. He also stood strong with his Union brothers on numerous strike lines and served as a Trustee on the Executive Board before becoming our full time Secretary Treasurer in 2017. His Union training includes Leadership I, Financial officers, Negotiation Preparation, Recording Secretary, Local Lodge Elections and Mental Health First Aid classes.
Recording Secretary – Greg Pasko
Greg Pasko has been a member of Local 701 since 2010. He was an important part of the organizing drive at Thomas Toyota in Joliet. He currently is a Journeyman Technician at Westmont Toyota. He previously worked at Naperville Toyota, where he served as shop steward. Greg volunteers on numerous committees and Local 701 events, and previously served as Local 701 auditor, and election teller.
Conductor Sentinel – Marvin Belin
Marvin has been a member of Local 701 for 18 years. Marvin works for United Parcel Service in the Santa Fe Trailer repair facility, where he has served as the shop steward for two years. Marvin assisted in the negotiations of the UPS agreement in 2014 and served on the committee in 2019. Marvin has assisted in past events at Local 701 and served as a Teller in the past elections before being appointed to the Executive Board in June of 2019.
Trustee – Fidel Alcaide
Fidel Alcaide has been a member of Local 701 for 8 years. After graduating from Lincoln Tech with an Associates in Applied Science in 2012, Fidel has been working at The Autobarn Volkswagen of Evanston going through his fifth year of Apprenticeship. He currently serves as the shop Steward and was appointed to the Executive Board in January 2020.
Trustee – Vidal Esparza
Vidal has been a member of Local 701 since 2002 and is currently working at Philips Chevrolet as a GM World Class Journeyman Technician. Vidal also holds a GM EV Master Certification. He serves as the Shop Steward, and coordinates Training Programs for apprentices. He has also served on the Audit Committee and served as a member on the 2021 SAA Negotiation Committee. Vidal was appointed to the position of Trustee on March 1, 2023.
Trustee – Frank Citarelli
Frank Citarelli has been a proud IAM member for more than 25 years and is employed at Ecolab in Joliet. Throughout his union career, he has demonstrated a strong commitment to serving the membership and strengthening the organization.
From 2017 through 2025, Frank served as Secretary-Treasurer of his Local, where he was responsible for overseeing the Local’s financial affairs and administrative operations. He currently serves as the Head Committeeman at Ecolab, representing and advocating for more than 325 members in his shop.
Frank has also contributed to the union through his service on multiple Bylaw Committees and as a delegate to the Illinois State Council of Machinists. Committed to continuous growth as a labor leader, he has successfully completed all four Leadership Classes as well as the Financial Secretary Class at the William W. Winpisinger Education and Technology Center.