Real Estate Weekly, November 18, 2009, Wednesday

Copyright 2009 Hagedorn Publication
Real Estate Weekly

November 18, 2009, Wednesday

Mechanical contractors tap Al Gettler as EVP.

BODY:
A nationwide search to find a successor to Ray Hopkins as executive vice president of the Mechanical Contractors Association of New York (MCA New York) has ended with the appointment of Alexander Gettler.

A 20-year veteran of the construction trades industry, Gettler will take the reins from Hopkins when he retires in December after 26 years in the post.

Gettler began his career in labor relations and association management with the General Contractors Association of New York as the assistant director of labor relations. In this capacity, he represented member firms with 15 New York City construction unions.

He then became the executive director of the Association of MasterPainters and Decorators before returing to the GCA to direct its labor relations function, representing management in over 150+ grievances per year and acting as chief spokesperson in collective bargaining negotiations with 15 different heavy construction unions.

For the past three years, Gettler has been the vice president of Industrial Relations and Director of Human Re-sources for the National Fire Sprinkler Association (NFSA) where he has been credited with developing a new labor relations strategy and successfully negotiating aNational Residential Agreement with the United Association.

In addition, Gettler served as the secretary of the National Automatic Sprinkler Industry, Pension and Welfare Funds with assets in excess of $4 billion, as well as acting as a Trustee on several other Taft-Harley Funds.

Gettler has also taught various courses in employee benefits at New York University, Fairleigh Dickinson, and the College of Insurance.He earned his MBA in Economics from New York University and a Bachelor's Degree in Labor Relations from Cornell University. He also holdsthe Certified Employee Benefit Specialist accreditation.

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