By ANDREW UNVERFERTH

For the Republic-Times

A local union man was recently recognized for his contributions to his own construction union and beyond, his lengthy career continuing to empower labor at the local, regional and national levels.

David Beard was celebrated by the Southwestern Illinois Central Labor Council in late August, receiving the organization’s George R. Badgley Labor Man of the Year award largely thanks to his work with the International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers.

Beard, a long-time resident of Monroe County, was born and lived for a time in East St. Louis, though he said he moved to New Hanover in the 1960s and has spent most of his life there.

As expected given his lengthy career working with union organizations, Beard has some strong union roots.

“My whole family’s pretty much been in construction unions,” Beard said. “Mostly labors. My dad and myself and my son now are out of the iron workers union, Iron Workers Local 392 in East St. Louis.”

Attending school in Waterloo, Beard took his first step into the labor world in high school as he started with Cerro Copper.

It was shortly after his graduation from Waterloo High School that he followed in his father’s footsteps and developed a strong passion for a career as an iron worker.

“I always liked working with my hands,” Beard said. “I worked on farms when I was a kid, so I was used to doing manual labor, you might say. Never really though about going to school… Right after I graduated in ’79 and right out of school, there was an abundance of construction work.”

He furthered his education at Southwestern Illinois College, also going through an iron workers apprenticeship.

Having started work for a time before he finished his apprenticeship, Beard became an officer and also served as a foreman and superintendent.

Elected as a trustee in 1991, Beard also served as an executive board member, vice president and business manager/financial secretary of Iron Workers Local 392.

His union career with Iron Workers continued in 2013 as he became both a general organizer and president of the Iron Workers District Council of St. Louis and Vicinity, representing nine Iron Workers locals spanning from Indiana to Colorado.

In 2015, Beard was selected by the international to oversee union metal building construction in the U.S. and Canada.

In 2020, Beard became general vice president of the Iron Workers.

Beard has also served as Labor Co-Chair of the Regional Advisory Board for IMPACT – a labor management partnership for Iron Workers and signatory contractors – as well as vice president of the Illinois AFL-CIO.

“Moved about as far as I can go without moving to Washington, D.C., and that isn’t gonna happen,” Beard said.

Beard’s other distinctions include being named the Greater Madison County Federation of Labor’s Labor Leader of the Year in 2013 and being named on the WHS Legacy Wall in 2018.

Speaking on his lengthy and still ongoing career aiding union efforts, Beard spoke to his principals.

“I just always took leadership positions because I always believed in standing up for workers,” Beard said. “In the same token, I thought I was effective because I could always work well with management.”

Beard further described what his work over the years has largely been about.

“A lot of it is it’s just trying to help other people,” Beard said. “If companies have problems, I get calls. If business agents have problems, I get calls. I know people think that a union guy just does nothing but argue with companies, but we have good relationships with our contractors, and a lot of my job is working with them and the locals to make sure everything runs smoothly.”

Presenting the 2024 Labor Man of the Year award to Beard on Aug. 29 was Scot Luchtefeld, president of the Southwestern Illinois Central Labor Council and fellow Monroe County resident.

Luchtefeld spoke positively about being able to present the award to someone he has long known locally.

“What was really exciting for me is it’s a fellow Monroe Countian,” Luchtefeld said. “I’ve known David for years… It was really a treat for me to be able to present that.”

Beard was gracious about having received the recognition.

“I was very honored to get recognized by my peers, I would say,” Beard said. “It wasn’t the iron workers that recognized me, it was the Southern Illinois Labor Council, which is a group of all the trades, really, in Southern Illinois. I was very honored that somebody took notice and realized what I’ve been doing and recognized me for it.”