2016 Man of the Year
Tim Gibson, Business Agent SMART 100
Tim was born in Roanoke, Virginia. He went to school in Florida, North Carolina, and eventually back here in Roanoke, where he graduated from William Fleming High School in 1981. He is the eldest of eight children. His first political experience was during his senior year in high school, when he ran for, and was elected, President of VICA. Immediately following graduation, he joined the USAF where he was sent his enlistment in the deserts of New Mexico and the below zero tempertures of Fairbanks, Alaska.
He is married to "the woman of his dreams" Kathie, she has a terrific son, 23 year-old Skyler. He has four daughters; 22 year-old Barbara, Lindsey 21, Hannah 17 and Tabitha 16. His love and devotion for is children and family have provided the motivation and inspiration to get up and work hard everyday. He gets his work ethic from his parents, who were "the hardest working people I've ever known."
After he finished his enlistment in the USAF, he returned to Roanoke in May 1987. Where he began working at a local non-union sheet metal shop during the day. He then drove four blocks down the road, where he welded for another non-union company in the evenings. On Saturdays and Sundays he labored for a friend doing brick mason work-also non-union. He had to work three jobs just to make ends meet, because the rate of pay was so low.
One day while he was at his desk at his day job, an old timer that had been in the Sheet Metal Union, but dropped out due to his wife's health issues, told him "as good as you can weld, you outa be in the union making that big money." He proceeded to tell him where the union hall was located. He wasted no time heading over. It was September 1988 when he first met Andy Anderson, the BA for the Sheet Metal Local in Roanoke. He was told they needed welders at the Volvo plant. They also explained the ages and benefits, but all Tim rememberd from the first meeting was asking, "where do I sign?" The job deadline was January 2, 1989. He started September 18, 1988, and worked everyday, except Christmas day that year, finishing by the deadline! From that job on, he worked whenever he could, traveling to D.C., Maryland, West Virginia and all over Virginia, until 1999 when he became Roanoke's first full time organizer for the Sheet Metal Workers. He held the Organizer position until 2008, when he was forced to go back to work with his tools. In 2010 he ran and won his first election for Roanoke Bisness Agent. He was re-elected to the same position in 2013 where he continues to represent and s pport our members in the Roanoke area.