Printable Version
Alliance for Retired Americans Leaders
-
George J. Kourpias
President
George J. Kourpias, as president, has led the growth of the Alliance for Retired Americans to its current 27 vigorous State Alliances in six years. Coalescing seniors from across the nation around the critical battle to protect and strengthen Social Security and the Medicare program, the Alliance, under Kourpias, played a key role in the debate on the Medicare law and is playing a critical role in fighting recent efforts to privatize the more-than-70-year-old Social Security system in the U.S. Congress. His lifelong work to improve the quality of life for all Americans is manifested in his previous positions as president of the National Council of Senior Citizens (NCSC) and president of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM). Read more...
-
Edward F. Coyle
Executive Director
Edward Coyle has directed the growth of the Alliance since its inception in 2001. During that time, the Alliance chartered 27 State Alliances and more than 1,000 local chapters while the National organization has grown to almost four million members with a fast growing community- based membership. Under his leadership, the Alliance has been at the forefront of battles including Medicare/prescription drugs, Social Security, the 2004 Presidential campaign, and the 2006 midterm elections. A long time political activist, he has been involved in scores of political campaigns and is deeply committed to social and economic justice for all citizens. Read more...
-
Ruben Burks
Secretary-Treasurer
Secretary-Treasurer Ruben Burks has helped the Alliance grow to its current 27 active State Alliances. Traveling thousands of miles on behalf of the Alliance, Burks, who served as United Auto Workers (UAW) secretary-treasurer from 1998 to 2002, advocates strongly for policies that support the high quality of life American seniors have worked so hard to attain. He played a leading role in the UAW-General Motors Community Health Care Initiative, an innovative community-based effort to improve the quality, accessibility and efficient delivery of health care. Burks' numerous civic and charitable organizations include the Flint Urban League, Goodwill Industries of Flint, Special Olympics, March of Dimes, Red Cross, Easter Seals, NAACP and the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists. Read more...
-
Judy Cato
Executive Vice President
A tremendously energetic and passionate activist, Cato joined the Board of the Alliance for Retired Americans in 2001. She managed the Council House National Council of Senior Citizens senior facility in Marlow Heights, Maryland, having served on several NCSC boards and committees. During her 15 years on the Prince George's County Advisory Committee on Aging, Cato was a delegate to the 1995 and 2005 White House Conferences on Aging, and served for eight years at the request of Maryland Governor Parris Glendenning on Maryland's State Commission on Aging. Cato is active in a number of community-based groups, and as a 30-year volunteer with the Leukemia Society, helped raise millions of dollars through the annual Bobby Mitchell charity golf tournament. Cato was named Distinguished Black Woman by Black Women in Sisterhood for Action in 1999.
-
Richard L. Trumka
Executive Vice President
Richard Trumka has served as Executive Vice President since the Alliance's inception. The chair of the Advancing the Alliance Committee, Trumka developed the five-year plan to capture the growing proportion of retirees from the ranks of labor into a grassroots structure, communicate to these retirees and strengthen their political voice and presence. Read more...
