From Left: Michael Kelley, Vincent Todt, Lewis Reed

LABOR LOYALISTS: Vincent Todt, Michael Kelley and Lewis Reed were honored Saturday night by the St. Louis Port Council at a dinner for some 350 people at the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers District 9 headquarters in Bridgeton.

Todt, business manager for the International Union of Elevator Constructors Local No. 3, was honored as the Labor Man of the Year; Kelley, president of the Kelley Group, was honored as the Management Man of the Year; and Reed, president of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen, was given the Able Helmsman Award.

Included in the crowd of well-wishers were some international labor leaders, including Mike Sacco, president of the Maritime Trades Department, of the Seafarers International Union and VP of the AFL-CIO Executive Council, and Jim Chapman, an organizer for the International Union of Elevator Constructors.

U.S. Rep. Russ Carnahan and his wife, Debra; St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay; St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley; Jefferson County Executive Chuck Banks; and former Missouri Sen. Harry Kennedy were also on hand to offer their congratulations.

Joyce Aboussie, who was Kelley’s boss when he worked for former Congressman Richard Gephardt, and Kevin Gunn, who also worked for Gephardt and is now a Missouri Public Service commissioner, were among those spotted in the crowd.

Jack Martorelli, VP of the port council and senior vice president of the Kelley Group, emceed the program. Dick Mantia, president of the council, Becky Sleeper, secretary-treasurer of the organization and Bob Soutier, prez of the Greater St. Louis Labor Council, were also there.

Among the other faces were: Bob and Barb Kelley, Owen Todt, Mary Entrup, Kelley McCarthy, Vanessa Antoniou, Kyna Iman, Ron and Colleen Watermon and George and Julie Laningham.