1999 Woman of the Year
Dianne Smith
CLUW State Vice President
IUE Local 161 Vice President
Dianne was born in Roanoke, Virginia to the late Joe and Norma Goode, the youngest of seven children. She attended Jackson Junior High and Jefferson High School.
Her First introduction to the manufacturing spectrum was a short stint at Johnson Carper Furniture Factory in the Upholstery Division. Upon leaving there in the early sixities, she worked for two years in sales at Sears.
Having two sisters already emplyed at the General Electric Plant in Slaem, it seemed a likely place to seek employment. She was hited and started work in June 1966 and became active in IUE Local 161 almost immediatley. It bcame very apparent to her that Union representation made an enormous difference in all aspects of the workplace. During her thirty-three years with G.E., she has served her local in various capacities. She was elected as trustee from 1974 to 1981. then as recording secretary in 1981 to 1986 and again in 1989 to 1994. This was the first time in the local's history that a woman was elected to this position. In 1997, Dianne was the first woman elected to the office of Vice President of her local, an office she presently holds. She has served as a delegate to the Roanoke United Central Labor Council, the IUE International and the IUE District 1 Council, and has been a delegate to the Virignia State AFL-CIO from both her local and the CLUW Chapter.
In 1986, Dianne helped orgnize the first CLUW Chapter in Virginia, and in 1989 she was elected as Chapter President, a position she held until being elected as State Vice President in 1995. By virtue of her office, she is a deletage to the CLUW NEB.
Dianne currently serves as CLUW State Vice President, and has helped in the organizing of two other chapters in Virginia (Richmond and Tidewater(. More recently, her organizing efforts were helpful in the IUE successfully winning the YES vote at the Virginia Transformer Plant in Roanoke.
Married to Michael Smith (also a long time GE employee and union activist), they have a daughter, Sherri, who is married to Mike Gregory and lives in Boones Mill. Mike's daughter, Stephanie is married to Gary Grenier and lives in Boones Mill also, with their two boys, Brandon and Travis. Mike's son, Tony is married to Ashely and lives in Hanover, Pennsylvania with their two boys, Blake and Austin, and their daughter, Taylor. Dianne's son, Kevin is married to Lois and lives in Boones Mill with their son, Jairamy, where Kevin serves as the town's Mayor. Dianne is a member of Boones Mill Church of the Nazarene where she teaches the Adult Sunday School Class ans serves as the Church Secretary. She is also active in the music department where she plays the piano and sings.
When chosen as this year's honoree, Dianne stated, "I am honored and proud to be chosen as this year's Bread and Roses Honoree. This awards' dinner has alway been very meaningful to me and I am grateful to be given this recognition."