Fredric V. Rolando was re-elected president of the National Association of Letter Carriers in 2014 following national balloting held among the union’s active and retired members.
A member of Sarasota, FL Branch 2148, Rolando began his letter carrier career in 1978 in South Miami as a member of South Florida Branch 1071. He served the branch as a steward from 1979 until 1984, when he moved to Sarasota and soon became Branch 2148’s chief steward.
“I got active in the union because of the antagonistic way management treated letter carriers,” Rolando explained.
In 1988, he was elected president of Branch 2148 and held that post until 1999. From 1992 to 1999, Rolando also served as a part-time regional administrative assistant (RAA) for Atlanta Region 9, and he was director of education for the Florida State Association of Letter Carriers from 1993 to 1999. He was named a full-time RAA for Region 9 in 1999.
Rolando was first elected to national office by acclamation at the 2002 Philadelphia Convention as director of city delivery, having been appointed to that post in February 2002 by President Vincent R. Sombrotto to fill a vacancy.
As city delivery director, Rolando had an opportunity “to become familiar with many of the specific issues that affect letter carriers, both common and unique to different areas of the country,” he said. He took a leading role in preparing the union for “future city delivery issues, which will likely include transitions necessitated by changes in the Postal Service itself.”
Rolando’s election as NALC executive vice president by acclamation at the 2006 Las Vegas Convention was another affirmation by his fellow letter carriers of their confidence in his abilities as a leader on the Executive Council.
As executive vice president, Rolando focused on working with the USPS to restructure delivery routes of mail carriers in a manner that protected their contractual rights as employees while allowing the agency to have the flexibility to meet the financial challenges posed by changing communications technology and the economic crisis.
In July 2009, Rolando was sworn in as the 18th president of the National Association of Letter Carriers following the retirement of William H. Young. In 2010, Rolando was elected president by acclamation during the 67th Biennial Convention in Anaheim.
Rolando has a Bachelor of Science degree in criminology and psychology from Florida International University. He and his wife, Jolene, reside in Fredericksburg, VA, and they have two daughters and two sons.
