A. Dan Cook III
Director of Benefits / Assistant to the Office Administrator
cook@ble-t.org
(216) 241-2630 ext. 225
A. Dan Cook III joined the BLET National Division on September 17, 2007, as a member of the Executive Staff.
He primarily handles issues related to Health and Welfare and also serves as the Assistant to Office Administrator Paul Sorrow, who has oversight of the day to day operations of the BLET National Division staff.
Immediately prior to accepting the position at the National Division, Brother Cook was Local Chairman of BLET Division 1 in Detroit, Mich.
"I am glad for the opportunity to work at the National to better serve our membership and further the Brotherhood as a whole," Cook said.
A Norfolk Southern locomotive engineer, Brother Cook hired out as a conductor/trainman with the former Conrail in Jackson, Mich., in July of 1998. He earned promotion to locomotive engineer for Conrail in November of 1998. He first joined the BLET on May 1, 1999, as a member of Division 2, and transferred to Division 1 on August 1, 2003.
Brother Cook comes from a railroad family and is a fourth-generation railroader. His great grandfather, O.J. Cook Sr., earned promotion to locomotive engineer for the Michigan Central Railroad on Dec. 16, 1922; his grandfather, A.D. Cook Sr., was a fireman for the New York Central; and his father, A.D. Cook Jr., is currently a locomotive engineer with Norfolk Southern and member of BLET Division 2 in Jackson, Mich. Cook Jr. hired out on August 11, 1976 with Conrail in the track department, later transferring to engine service and earning promotion to a locomotive engineer on April 7, 1994.
Cook also has three great uncles who served as firemen and locomotive engineers: O.J. Cook Jr. hired out on the New York Central on July 2, 1942 and earned promotion to engineer on Sept. 30, 1949; D.L. Cook hired out with the New York Central on January 9, 1952 and earned promotion to locomotive engineer on November 17, 1955; and R.G. Cook worked as a fireman and engineer for the New York Central before he passed away in the early 1960s.
Brother Cook and his wife, Adrienne, were married on August 21, 2004.
Since joining the BLET, Brother Cook has been very active in serving his union. He served on the Local Committee of Adjustment for Division 2 from January 2000 to August 2002; Legislative Representative of Division 2 from January 2000 to August 2002; Alternate Secretary-Treasurer of the NS-Northern Lines General Committee of Adjustment from September 2005 to September 2007; Alternate Legislative Representative of Division 1 from January 2003 to September 15, 2007; and Local Chairman of Division 1 from January 2003 to September 15, 2007. He was also involved in the inception of the Michigan State Legislative Board.
