News & information

President Fredric Rolando appoints three new members to the NALC Executive Council

President Fredric Rolando announced the appointment of three new members for the NALC Executive Council.

Detroit Branch 1 President Sandy Laemmel was named a trustee to fill the vacancy created when Trustee Mike Gill retired. She will be one of three members of the Board of Trustees, which oversees the financial affairs of the union, audits its books, reports on the audits and on other financial information, and manages its property.

Laemmel started as a letter carrier in 1976 and began her first term as president of her branch in 1997. Before her election as president, she served as a steward and then was elected branch assistant secretary in 1986, branch secretary in 1988, and branch vice president in 1992. Laemmel also served as a local business agent and arbitration advocate. Her activism with the Metropolitan Detroit AFL-CIO includes membership on its executive board.

Laemmel has served NALC in several other roles, including as a member of the national elections committee, a congressional district liaison, Scholarship Committee chairman, lead co-chairman of the Committee of Presidents, national convention chairman and an NALC Disaster Relief Foundation board member.

Laemmel and her husband, John, have two children—John Jr. and Julie—and three grandchildren.

“As a letter carrier, I knew it was an honor to serve as Branch 1 president.” Laemmel said. “Serving my peers brought an inner sense of fulfillment in my day’s work.  I know that serving the membership of this great union as a trustee will once again provide an opportunity to work for the members of this union and provide the good leadership skills that I have learned along the way.”

Rolando appointed Louisville, KY Branch 14 member David Mudd as national business agent (NBA) for Region 6  (Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan). He was appointed after NBA Troy Clark retired.

Following 12 years in the Army and three as a postal clerk, Mudd began carrying the mail in 2003. He has served as a compensation officer, route adjustment district lead, arbitration advocate and dispute resolution team member. He was named steward of the year for Region 6 in 2008 and he graduated from NALC Leadership Academy in 2010.  

Mudd was elected as Branch 14’s vice president in 2010. He served as the branch’s executive vice president from 2013 to 2015, when Rolando appointed him as a regional administrative assistant (RAA) for Region 6.

Mudd’s wife, Anna, is also a letter carrier and works for NALC as a legislative and political organizer (LPO). They have three children—Taylor, Dalton and Taryn.

“While it has been my privilege to work for the members of K-I-M Region 6 as their RAA, I always knew I wanted to expand that representation as their NBA,” Mudd said. “It is a great honor to be selected as the NBA for the K-I-M region and I look forward to helping and leading the members of this great region to the best of my ability.”

President Rolando also appointed David Teegarden of Kansas City, MO Branch 30 as NBA for Region 5 (Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas). Teegarden filled the vacancy created when Region 5 NBA Michael J. Birkett retired.

Teegarden began his postal career in 1989 as a PTF. He was elected branch treasurer in 1994, branch vice president in 2004, and branch president in 2008. He served as branch president until 2015, when President Rolando appointed him as a regional workers’ compensation assistant (RWCA) to assist carriers in Region 5. In 2018, Rolando named Teegarden as an RAA for the region.

Teegarden also served his branch as a steward, route adjustment co-leader and arbitration advocate. He graduated from Leadership Academy in 2011.

Having grown up in a union family—his father was a Teamster—Teegarden’s union activism began before he joined NALC. He worked for several unions, including the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the Service Employees International Union, and the United Food and Commercial Workers Union before becoming a letter carrier.

Teegarden’s wife, Kelly, also is a letter carrier. They have two adult children, Tiffany and Andrew.

“I believe that it takes all of us, working together, to make a positive change whether on the workroom floor, at the bargaining table or enforcing the contract,” Teegarden said. “I look forward to working with letter carriers across Region 5 to train and develop branch and state activists to make those positive changes now and in the future.”

“These three appointees have big shoes to fill,” Rolando said. “We owe our thanks to Mike, Troy and Michael for their dedicated service, and we extend our best wishes in their retirement. I look forward to working with these new leaders.”