Former Local 518 Business Manager to Lead OPCMIA

From Left: Daniel E. Stepano and former OPCMIA Local 518 Business Manager, Kevin D. Sexton

Daniel E. Stepano, General President of OPCMIA since April 16, 2016, announced his intention to retire in January 2023. The OPCMIA General Executive Board unanimously elected General Secretary-Treasurer Kevin D. Sexton as his replacement.
“It’s been the greatest privilege of my life to serve as OPCMIA General President,” Stepano said. “Over the past six years, we have made great progress in further upgrading our world-class apprenticeship and training programs, in deploying state-of-the-art technologies, in strengthening our political and legislative clout, in diversifying our union, and in empowering our members to improve their lives. I’ve always sought to leave our great union better than I found it, and I know Kevin Sexton will do the same.”

“I am honored and humbled to have the opportunity to lead this great organization as our next General President,” Sexton said. “I have devoted my life to the betterment of our great union and our proud members, and I will do everything in my power to keep moving the OPCMIA forward.

“With the wave of infrastructure funding coming our way, we have a great responsibility to ensure that our union supplies the world-class plasterer and cement masonry craftspeople needed to rebuild our two countries in the coming years. General President Stepano has positioned us to do precisely that, and I intend to take us to the next level, so we can meet every challenge and seize every opportunity before us.”
General Secretary-Treasurer Sexton joined the apprentice program of OPCMIA Local 518 in Independence, Missouri, in 1985 after serving in the U.S. Army. He was elected to his Local’s Executive Board in 1993, and three years later was elected President. He later became Business Agent and then Business Manager.

In 2002, Sexton was appointed as an OPCMIA International Deputy Representative. He was also elected Vice President and then President of the Kansas City Building Trades. In 2011, he was elected as Treasurer of the Missouri State Building Trades.
Sexton was appointed to serve on the OPCMIA International Finance Committee in 2011, and four years later, he became an International Representative. In 2016, he was appointed Vice President, and in 2017, he joined the General Executive Board and was appointed Assistant to the General President. He was elected General Secretary-Treasurer by the OPCMIA General Executive Board in 2018, and was elected to a full term by the OPCMIA International Convention in 2019.

“Local 518 is incredibly proud to have Kevin D. Sexton represent our Union at the highest level of the International. He was a great leader when he was here in Kansas City and he will be a great leader for the Operative Plasterers and Cement Masons across the country. We would also like to wish outgoing-General President Daniel E. Stepano a very happy retirement and thank him for his years of service and for the pathway that he has put our trade on.” said OPCMIA Local 518 Business Manager, Kevin Gard.

“I have had the pleasure of working with Kevin for almost 40 years.  During his tenure, we bought a building, started a defined benefit pension fund, grew the membership and started our annual picnic.  His leadership instilled to always listen to the voice of our members.  Dan Stepano our current President will be a tough one to follow and I am sure Kevin is the perfect person to continue his legacy.” said Alise Martiny, Secretary-Business Manager
Greater Kansas City Building and Construction Trades Council.

Area Unions wish Kevin continued success in his new role and know he will make us all proud.
Kevin is married to Angela Sexton and together they have eight children, eight grandsons and three granddaughters.