Sullivan

Mike Sullivan is president emeritus of the Sheet Metal Workers International Association. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the National Labor College. He served as general president of the sheet metal association from 1999 until his retirement in 2011. His career spans almost 50 years.

He began in 1965 as an apprentice sheet metal worker in Indianapolis, IN. In 1973, he was elected as a full-time business agent for the local union. His impressive leadership skills brought him to election as the union’s business manager, a role he held from 1979-1994. He then served for five years as general secretary before becoming the general president in 1999. He served as chair of the union’s pension fund and was able to greatly improve its unfunded liability by working with the fund administrator, the staff, and the trustees. As co-chair of the International Training Institute, he helped to establish an associate degree program with community colleges.

Mike is an effective leader outside of the industry as well. He is a member of the Wesley Theological Seminary Board and is president of the Eugene Debs Foundation.