Aaron Belk, International Vice President (1991-1998)

Ron Carey was what every leader should aspire to be. He was honest. He was frugal. And he was a caring man. Ron Carey did not like being in the limelight. He regretted the time he had to spend away from his family, of which he spoke often, and loved dearly. His time with us was special.

Ron Carey was a fighter. When no one else would step forward . . . Ron Carey did. I was honored to work with him and proud to fight with him through many of those battles.

The members of Local 804 were truly blessed to have Ron Carey as their President. He spoke of 804 with pride and no other local throughout the Teamsters could ever measure up to 804. He loved his 804 members.

I don’t have to tell you what a ‘fiery’ speaker he could be. But I will share a memory of a speech he made to the National Press Club in Washington D.C. following the successful UPS strike. The room was filled with a couple of hundred media and political types. They probably expected Ron to focus on the success of the outcome of the strike. But he stunned them all when he took the opportunity to chastise some political and media members that were present. He said at one point in his speech . . . People elect politicians to come to Washington to represent them. Once these politicians get here they forget the people. They represent the lobbyist and Corporate America. Those politicians should wear the logos of the companies and special interest groups they represent on the back of their suits, like the race car drivers do, to let everyone know who they ‘really’ represent. You could have heard a pin drop in that room because everyone knew he was right. That was vintage Ron Carey . . . saying what no one else would have the guts to say . . and he loved every minute of it.

He will be missed but NEVER forgotten.

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