James A. Hadel
International President
United Union of Roofers Waterproofers and Allied Workers
Brother James A. Hadel began his roofing career in Kansas City as a member of Roofers Local 20 in 1977 and graduated from the apprenticeship program three years later. He served in many capacities at Local 20 including steward, contract-negotiating committee member, apprenticeship instructor, local trustee and executive board member. In 1988 Hadel was elected business agent, a position held until January 1991 when he was elected business manager. He served in that capacity until 2004. During his tenure as business manager he served as chairman of the trustees for the local’s pension and health and welfare plans.
In 1998, Brother Hadel was elected to the position of International Vice President for the United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers and Allied Workers in Washington, DC. He was then appointed International Director of Marketing and Organizing in 2004. In 2009 he was assigned to the position of Director of Jurisdiction and Special Agreements and was responsible for all jurisdictional-related disputes, in addition to administering all special construction agreements. In 2018 he was elected to fill the position of International Secretary-Treasurer. Upon President Emeritus Kinsey Robinson’s retirement announcement, Hadel was elected International President on August 26, 2021, and took office on January 9, 2022.
Hadel serves on the National Maintenance Agreements Policy Committee, the General Presidents Maintenance Agreement Committee, Helmets to Hardhats Advisory Board, and Joint Roofing Industry Labor and Management Committee. He is trustee on the National Roofing Industry Pension Plan and National Roofing Industry Supplemental Pension Plan, and chairman and trustee on the Roofers & Waterproofers Research and Education Joint Trust Fund.
Other Elected Union Offices
- President, Tri-County Labor Council of Eastern Kansas, 1992-2004
- Treasurer, Greater Kansas City B.C.T.C., 1993-2004
- Secretary-treasurer, Missouri State B.C.T.C., 1995-2004
- Executive board, Kansas State B.C.T.C.
- Vice chairman/board member, Greater Kansas City Labor-Management Council
Professional and Other Affiliations
- Congressman Dennis Moore’s 2004 Health Care Advisory Council
- United Labor Credit Union Loan Committee
- Right to Truth Executive Committee
- Buy American Committee Board member
- Advisory Board member for the Institute for Labor Studies
- Appointed by Governor Sebelius to the Gaming Task Force Committee
- Chairman, Greater Kansas City B.C.T.C. Dollars Against Diabetes Committee
- Board of Directors, United Way of Wyandotte County, 1990-2004
- United Way of Wyandotte County Labor Co-Chairman, 1998 Campaign
- United Way of Wyandotte County Labor Allocations Committee
- Graduate of the University of Missouri Kansas City School of Business Administration, 1984
- Christmas in October
- Kansas City “Christmas in the City” resident holiday program
