Newly elected Business Manager and Financial Secretary for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 246, Kevan Brown, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to talk about his journey with the Local and the increasing number of work opportunities coming to the area.
On Dec. 1, Brown was elected as the new Business Manager and Financial Secretary of IBEW Local 246 in Steubenville, Ohio. he is a third-generation IBEW member, as his grandfather, father and uncles were all union members. After finishing high school, Brown followed in his family's footsteps and pursued a career with Local 246. He discussed how the apprenticeship helped relate the math to a real-world application, which made the learning process easier.
After topping out, Brown spent his first three years traveling to different projects before being asked to return to Steubenville to become a steward on a project. This experience was difficult, but Brown credits it for his ability to handle tough situations and provide the best solutions for his members. He likened the experience to being a firefighter and constantly putting out small fires to prevent a major fire. In his case, it was solving the small issues before they became major problems.
With the current building boom in the Steubenville area, Local 246 members have more work than they can man. Members of the Local have been trained to work in the heavy industrial sector and work to transition to green energy. Along with Iron Air Battery training, Brown is also working with the local building trades council to plan for the recently announced Hydrogen Hubs. He also discussed the old factories that are being utilized for the transition to green energy and how power plants in the area are making the changes needed to make the transition efficient.
To learn more about Brown’s journey and the work outlook in the Steubenville area, listen to the show above.
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