Leadership & Staff

The upper leadership of the organization is required to file conflict-of-interest reports (known as LM-30s) with the federal Department of Labor to explain the conflicts that come with their union leadership. Below their name is a link to their reports, along with a summary of the information we find most interesting.

The leadership team is comprised of:

Luigi Battaglieri, Executive Director. 2009 MEA compensation: $249,075

In 2005, Mr. Battaglieri reported receiving season tickets to Michigan State football and basketball games from MESSA. He also reported compensation to the tune of $2,613.17 for a three-night stay at Grand Traverse Resort for a MESSA board retreat.

2007's LM-30 report showed Battaglieri raking in $25,104 from Delta Dental and $2,517 from MESSA.

In 2006, Battaglieri reported receiving $28,688 as a “retainer fee” from MESSA contractor Delta Dental. His 2004 report is here .

Iris Salters, President. 2009 MEA compensation: $290,741

In 2006, Salters reported receiving $33,115 in compensation for sitting on the Blue Cross Blue Shield board of directors. BCBS is the underwriter of MESSA. Included in that amount was $1,200 for Super Bowl tickets.

That same year, she also received $16,106 for being a member of the Accident Fund board. She collected a paltry $1,881 for being a member of the MESSA board of trustees. That actually was a decrease from her 2005 compensation.

In 2007, Salters netted $27,391 from MESSA, including an "Ernie Harwell scrapbook and Yzerman Trading Cards." She also scored $20,544 from serving on the Accident Fund board of directors.

In 2005, Salters reported receiving $30,152 for Blue Cross Blue Shield duties and $3,400 for MESSA board duties. Here is her 2004 disclosure report.

Steven Cook, Vice-president. 2009 MEA compensation: $230,645

Cook has only filed one LM-30, in 2005. He reported receiving $3,390.93 in compensation for being a member of the MESSA board of trustees.

Peggy McClellan, Secretary-treasurer. 2009 MEA compensation: $177,354

McClellan has not filed any information with the DOL.

Other public MEA figures

Name	Position	09 Compensation	08 Comp.
Teri Battaglieri	"Assistant to the President"	58,389	26,005
	Great Lakes Center executive director	72,000	--
Ruth Beier	Labor Economist	160,781	149,345
Arch Lewis	Research Consultant	171,666	156,532
Doug Pratt	Communications Director	148,164	131,920
Karen Schulz	Creative Communications	147,424	138,785
Greg Steimel	Research Consultant	152,294	138,966

UniServ Directors & other staff over $100K

School employees that are organized by the MEA each have at least one UniServ director who acts as a field representative to handle grievances, whip up the rhetoric during contract negotiating time, and oversee contract negotiations. While most districts have just one UniServ director assigned to it, some have more. Most UniServ directors have 4 or 5 districts they oversee.

Updated: 12/1/09

Charles Agerstrand	Retirement Consultant	$168,486
Susan Ahrens	Accounting Supervisor	$108,863
Theresa Alderman	Attorney	$146,627
Steve Amberg	L.O. Uniserv Director 7B	$146,920
Ronald Amy	Uniserv Director 4AB	$150,101
James Angell	Uniserv Director 2A	$145,537
Cynthia Austin	Uniserv Director 7J	$138,227
Thomas Baird	Director Human Resources	$173,990
Fred Baker	L.O. Uniserv Director 12B	$142,951
Evelyn Baran	L.O. Uniserv Director 2C	$153,813
Luigi Battaglieri	Executive Director	$249,075
Michael Baumann	Uniserv Director 3D	$151,945
Ruth Beier	Labor Economist	$160,781
Karl Bell	Uniserv Director 7I	$147,729
William Bell	Uniserv Director 7J	$149,779
James Berryman	Uniserv Director 3G	$149,319
Kathleen Betts	L.O. Uniserv Director 11A	$145,159
James Boerma	Eastern Zone Director	$169,406
Patrick Bolen	Uniserv Director 13A	$122,079
Barbara Bouknight	L.O. Uniserv Director 10A	$163,553
Clarke Bowman	AYP Support Fringe Ben	$168,756
Patricia Brand	Director of Finance	$169,880
Dianne Bregenzer	Uniserv Director 10E	$142,508
Helen Brish	L.O. Uniserv Director 2E	$147,396
Timothy Cady	Uniserv Director 3D	$143,674
Barbara Cameron	Uniserv Director 8D	$128,335
Christina Canfield	Organizing Consultant	$152,960
Rosemary Carey	Communications Consultant	$155,528
Joyce Casale	L.O. Uniserv Director 7D	$148,176
Mary Cassady	L.O. Uniserv Director 6E	$106,724
Frank Ciloski	PD/HR Consultant	$117,919
Suzanne Clark	Uniserv Director 8A	$125,796
Van Collins	Uniserv Director 11B	$147,833
Cheryll Conklin	Central Zone Director	$154,351
Eduarda Crain	L.O. Uniserv Director 7H	$108,764
David Crim	Organizing Consultant	$160,160
Craig Culver	Uniserv Director 9E913	$153,790
William Curtis	Uniserv Director 7K	$144,199
Joseph Cusmano	L.O. Uniserv Director 7A	$153,631
Gretchen Dziadosz	Northern Zone Director	$193,443
Kimberly Edwards	L.O. Uniserv Director 7B	$148,161
Marcia Felegy	L.O. Uniserv Director 7E	$113,278
Thomas Ferris	Southern Zone Director	$183,458
Richard Flynn	L.O. Uniserv Director 6E	$154,735
John Folsom, Jr.	Uniserv Director 11CD	$157,572
Patrick Furner	Uniserv Director 5H	$147,102
Janice Gayan	Uniserv Director 17C	$145,142
Lynda Goward	Uniserv Director 11E	$151,656
Earl "Buz" Graeber	Uniserv Director 9A	$145,031
Eli Grier	L.O. Uniserv Director 2E	$146,940
Donald Hakala	Uniserv Director 15A	$145,909
Mary Halley	Uniserv Director 8E	$119,761
Jonathan Harmon	Uniserv Director 9GH	$119,101
Robert Harris	PD/HR Consultant	$151,102
Helen Hart	Applications Coordinator	$105,876
Marcella Hartung	Uniserv Director 3AB	$147,082
Patricia Haynie	L.O. Uniserv Director 7L	$151,637
Wendy Heinig	Uniserv Director 12CE	$137,751
Mary Henson	Curriculum Spec Consultant	$147,729
Charles Herring	Uniserv Director 14A	$155,747
Susan Hoard	L.O. Uniserv Director 6E	$148,677
Daniel Hoekenga	L.O. Uniserv Director 6E	$154,061
Ric Hogerheide	Uniserv Director 10D	$117,286
Michele Israel	Uniserv Director 6EF	$142,824
Kevin Karpinski	Uniserv Director 8BF	$157,245
Tonya Karpinski	Uniserv Director 9BCD	$142,574
Linda Keway	PD/HR Consultant	$159,132
Ana Kinnison	Uniserv Director 5AB	$136,618
Nancy Knight	Organizing Consultant	$161,188
Karen Kolb	Uniserv Director 13B	$113,927
Nancy Koziol	Uniserv Director 2D	$104,807
William Kuiper, Jr.	Uniserv Director 13E	$159,769
Robert Kwiatkoski	Uniserv Director 14BC	$125,391
Terrence LaJeunesse	Uniserv Director 18A	$105,865
Diane Langan	Uniserv Director 4C	$140,709
Curtis Lange	L.O. Uniserv Director 6C	$160,110
J. Robin Langley	Director Human Resources	$188,977
Martin Lankford	Uniserv Director 15B	$158,246
Kanneth Leche	Uniserv Director 4AB	$159,316
Ada Lewis	Uniserv Director 5AB	$138,075
Archie Lewis	Research Consultant	$171,666
Mary Lieberman	Uniserv Director 14BC	$114,338
Carolyn Logan	PD/HR Consultant	$142,697
Richard Long	Attorney	$151,114
Donna Lutke	Associate Executive Director	$201,840
Daniel Madejczyk	Uniserv Director 9F	$151,792
Kathleen Maka	Uniser Director 13CD	$151,598
Joan Mapson	Director PD/HR	$192,447
Louis Meyette	Central Zone Director	$227,071
David Michelson	Field Based Lobbyist	$179,199
Mark Middlewood	Uniserv Director 7I	$148,699
Frank Mongene	Uniserv Director 13CD	$116,069
Laurie Moore	L.O. Uniserv Director 7B	$120,242
Paul Morrison	L.O. Uniserv Director 3C	$145,480
Calvin Mott	L.O. Uniserv Director 7A	$146,913
James Munroe	Eastern Zone Director	$152,195
Jeffrey Murphy	Attorney	$146,017
Rondy Murray	Uniserv Director 8D	$145,672
Linda Myers	Campaign Consultant	$155,171
Donald Noble	Field Based Lobbyist	$173,188
Jennifer Nowaczok-Miller	Uniserv Director 6A	$115,304
Kathleen Oakes	Uniserv Director 9E913	$146,581
Jeanne O'Callaghan	Uniserv Director 16A	$159,571
Walter Ochs	Uniserv Director 14BC	$110,333
Theodore O'Dell	Uniserv Director 9BCD	$135,446
Gezelle Oliver	Uniserv Director 9BCD	$147,068
Laura Paige	Uniserv Director 10B	$146,179
Ronald Parkinson	Uniserv Director 15A	$143,471
Rulesha Payne	Uniserv Director 5F	$117,899
June Pettyplace	Uniserv Director 12D	$103,717
Joyce Phelps	Field Based Lobbyist	$172,678
Michelle Pollok	Uniserv Director 3F	$131,107
Douglas Pratt	Director of Communications	$148,164
Ervin Pratt	Uniserv Director 9GH	$127,072
James Pratt	Uniserv Director 9ABCD	$150,112
Tanya Pratt	Uniserv Director 10C	$147,494
Arthur Przybylowicz	General Counsel	$241,268
Denise Pyle	Uniserv Director 5EG	$125,763
Donnie Reeves	Uniserv Director 3F	$142,106
Charles Richardson	Uniserv Director 8BF	$144,088
Charyl Robinson	L.O. Uniserv Director 2B	$119,442
Walter Rogowski	Uniserv Director 8C	$154,117
Joseph Ryan	Uniserv Director 5AB	$125,510
Guy Sands	Uniserv Director 3F	$143,825
Edward Sarpolus	Director Gov't Affairs	$168,683
Michael Schroeder	Uniserv Director 5C	$148,802
Richard Schultz	Uniserv Director 9A	$146,380
Karen Schulz	Managing Editor (MEA Voice)	$147,424
Gay Shaw	Uniserv Director 6C	$148,365
Aaron Sheposh	Uniserv Director EZ HE	$141,808
Lenore Simon	Uniserv Director 8BF	$117,779
Ayleen Sims	Membership Supervisor	$104,249
Stuart Skauge	Uniserv Director 17A	$110,838
Richard Slagter	Organizing Consultant	$157,292
Steven Smith	Uniserv Director 18B	$149,617
Gregory Snyder	Applications Coordinator	$106,937
Mellisa Sortman	Uniserv Director 3AB	$159,453
Tract Stablein-Brooks	Uniserv Director 6F	$148,133
David Stafford	Field Based Lobbyist	$168,194
Gregory Steimel	Research Consultant	$152,294
Saun Strobel	L.O. Uniserv Director 12A	$109,599
Willie Suber	Uniserv Director 9BCD	$151,942
Gil Suzor	Uniserv Director 11CD	$146,922
Renee Szurna	Uniserv Director 9BCD	$109,150
Bobby Thomas	Bargaining Consultant	$175,139
Kimberly Toman	Controller	$139,989
Janet Tombeau	Uniserv Director 3G	$154,829
Kathleen Tucker	Uniserv Director 12CE	$144,453
Evangeline Tutt	L.O. Uniserv Director 10A	$116,826
Nancy Valenta	Uniserv Director 9GH	$140,499
John Van Dyken	Uniserv Director 8H	$151,499
Sandra Walker	Uniserv Director 17B	$154,039
Mark Walton	L.O. Uniserv Director 7G	$140,596
Melanie Waltz	Uniserv Director 5D	$104,841
Tara Wilbur	Uniserv Director 4AB	$108,376
Douglas Wilcox	Attorney	$144,131
Yvonne Williams	Consultant Higher Ed	$166,438
Ross Wilson	Controller	$172,321
Daniel Zarimba	Attorney	$131,518
Walter Zelasko	L.O. Uniserv Director 2B	$147,741

Don’t just take our word for it. This chart is a simplified version of the one from the LM-2 DOL filing, in PDF format, here. A note on some of the salaries: this report covers 7/1/08-6/30/09.