Dean

Eric Dean is the General President of the International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers. A Chicago native, Eric followed three previous family generations into the trade by joining the ironworker local union.

He has held offices at the Local level, was an apprentice instructor for the International, and has served as General Organizer, General Vice President, General Secretary, and General President. Eric represents North America’s 130,000 union ironworkers on the Executive Council of the AFL-CIO and the Governing Board of Presidents of North America’s Building Trades Unions. He is extremely concerned about the safety of all craft professionals and constantly strives to improve working conditions by being involved in any measure taken to improve jobsite safety.

Under his leadership, a maternity leave program for women ironworkers was developed and implemented. For this effort, ENR named Eric one of the Top 25 Newsmakers in 2017. He has been heavily involved in the Helmets to Hardhats program to connect transitioning military members to quality career positions. St. Joseph College Seminary honored him with its Rerum Novarum Award for his support of ideals on human dignity and the right to a living wage.