President
President
Dean Devita
Dean Devita became President of the National Conference of Firemen & Oilers, 32BJ, SEIU upon the retirement of John Thacker on October 1, 2020. He previously served as Secretary-Treasurer from 2011 – 2020. He also served as the Director of Commuter/Passenger railroads.
In September 2002, Dean was elected General Chairman of NCFO System Council #2. Prior to being elected General Chairman, in 2000 Dean was appointed as Vice General Chairman of System Council #2 by System Council #2 Executive Board. Dean was elected General Chairman of Local #311 in 1991.
In addition, Dean served as Chairman of the Oilers & Firemen Health & Welfare Fund. From 1995-2006 Dean served as Vice Chairman of the LIRR Labor Council and continues to serve as the Labor Representative of the LIRR Board of Pensions and Legislative Chairperson.
In 1997, Dean was elected as Chairman of the LIRR Non-Operating Unions Health and Welfare Fund. In 2004 Dean was elected Spokesman for the Delaware & Hudson Coalition. Dean also served as Recording Secretary and Legislative Representative of the Metro North Coalition. Dean served as the Labor Member of the MTA Vanguard Trust Pension Plan.
Secretary-Treasurer
Secretary-Treasurer
Robert Smith
Robert Smith began his journey in the labor movement as local president of Chapter 131 of the National Conference of Firemen Oilers, working at the Indianapolis Water Company. Smith joined the union staff fulltime in 2001 as an organizer and was later promoted to organizing director of the union in 2010, where he helped lead a multi-union statewide organizing campaign for Kentucky State employees. In 2016, Smith became Business Manager of Chapter 5, 131,320, and 321, where he oversees operations for union members employed at over 40 different companies in 6 states. In September 2020, Robert was appointed by the NCFO’s executive board to Secretary-Treasurer, effective October 1, 2020. He currently serves as an executive board member of the Kentucky AFL-CIO, the National Conference of Firemen Oilers, as well as SEIU Local 32BJ.
Executive Board
Senior General Chairman
Travis Prothro
Travis Prothro has been a member of the National Conference of Firemen & Oilers since he was hired at the Union Pacific Railroad in 2003. Travis served the NCFO as Local Chairman and in 2018 he was appointed Vice General Chairman. In 2020, Travis was appointed Senior General Chairman of the Western Region.
General Chairman
Michael Pistone
Mike Pistone has been an NCFO member since he started at the Long Island Railroad in 1998. In 2004, he became NCFO Local Chairman. Mike then became NCFO General Chairman in 2014 for many of the commercial and Railroad properties. In 2020, Mike was appointed Assistant to the President in addition to General Chairman, overseeing all properties on the east coast where the NCFO has members.
General Chairman
Vincent Ruffolo
Vincent Ruffolo has been a member of the National Conference of Firemen & Oilers since he was hired at the Metro North Railroad in 1998. Vinny served the NCFO as Local Chairman since 2000. In 2020, he was appointed NCFO General Chairman.