[T]he Vermont teachers union’s longtime legal counsel, Jeff Fannon, will succeed retiring Executive Director Joel Cook.
He will be taking over during a challenging year, since virtually every teacher contract in the state has to be negotiated for fiscal year 2018 due to changes in health care.
“I am uniquely suited to help our members navigate the changes ahead,” he said Monday. “I’m looking forward to it. Health care is a big issue.”
Fannon became general counsel for the union in 2001 when Cook left the position to become the executive director. Now he will follow Cook’s lead again when he takes over Jan. 1.
Fannon said he hopes he can live up to his predecessor’s example.
“I’ve got some growing to do to grow into the position,” Fannon said, but he added that he feels confident about knowing the organization, its people and the membership. “There are some shoes to be filled, but I am going in knowing the players, and we are doing good work to help our members and, ultimately, Vermont students.”
After a national search that lasted several months and drew more than a dozen applicants, the board voted unanimously Saturday to select Fannon.
“We look forward to Jeff’s enthusiasm for unions as he works with the board, staff and most importantly, the members to make Vermont-NEA the strongest advocate for students it can be,” said Martha Allen, a member of the board and president of the Vermont-NEA, in a Monday news release. The union says it has 12,000 members.
Fannon said he is looking forward to rolling up his sleeves and getting to work. “We have great students in our state. They do well. I want to help them continue that tradition,” he said.
