Board of Directors Spotlight: Chris Treml
Having been a member of the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 57 for more than 34 years, Chris Treml brings to the CCO Board of Directors the interests of the 400,000+ IUOE members. Today Chris is IUOE’s Director of Construction Training at the International Training and Education Center (ITEC) in Crosby, Texas, as well as Executive Director for IUOE’s National Training Fund.
As Training Director at IUOE Local 57 in Rhode Island back in 2005, Chris selected CCO certification as the standard for IUOE members and set up the union’s first training program leading to CCO certification, and he’s been involved with CCO ever since. He first became an Alternate Commissioner in 2016, and then joined the NCCCO Board of Directors in 2020, after long-time IUOE General President James Callahan stepped down.
Next up for the IUOE International Training & Education Center will be to offer training leading to Rigger and Signalperson certification; and, once they get the equipment at the large training facility in Texas, they will also offer training for pile driving and foundation drilling. His goal is to offer all the training and certification opportunities that IUOE members need to stay gainfully employed.
Chris believes, “CCO has set the bar for other certification programs in our industry. OSHA’s mandate requiring third-party certification makes my job bringing training and certification to our members that much more important.” He went on to say, “Being on the Board gives a voice to the union’s membership, and I actively stay connected with our members, instructors, exam boards, and CCO committees.”
He currently splits his time between Rhode Island and Texas. When not working, he enjoys spending time with his family—he’s a proud father of five boys, with one granddaughter, and a grandson on the way—as well as showing his Ford and Chevy muscle cars at regional car shows.