Alternate

National Secretary

Rachael Grimes

Contact information

In 1998, when my husband Dave and I started dating, I knew absolutely nothing about the railroad or how it worked. The first thing I learned, was that this was a different lifestyle than what I had known as a single mom and very different than what most people knew as “normal.” I made it fun to learn about though and used the Railroad as a model for most of my papers and projects in my management and marketing classes.

In 2006, Dave and I talked about it, and he helped me start local Auxiliary #6 in Boone, IA. I spent most of 2007 following the presidential candidates around Iowa, trying to be more informed about who may be a better fit for labor and the issues that affect us on a daily basis. I never really took the time before to learn so much about the candidates and about politics in general. It was a new awakening for me as I realized how much I really enjoyed doing this, and I also realized just how much of a difference one person can really make. In 2008, I was asked to be the Auxiliary Chair for the Southwest Convention in St Louis. I also spent at least one or two days a week at the Iowa state capitol lobbying for rail safety and labor issues. I truly love what I do now. I love going to Capitol and helping to make a difference for railroaders and their families as well our communities.

I was appointed the Alternate Secretary in February 2010, due to a resignation, and I hope to continue to contribute to the workings of the Auxiliary in the years to come. Working together we can help the Auxiliary grow, and make keep making a difference. Thank you to the Executive Council for giving me this chance and I will work hard for all of you.

I am a mother of four children, Heather 19, Holly 18, David 6, and Riley 4. I have two degrees in management and marketing but I stay home with my children currently and will until they are in school full time, 2 more years to go! No matter what I do after that I will continue to work on the issues that are important to railroaders and the families that support them.