June 15, 2026
Former UAW Region 8 Director and Retired International UAW President Ray Curry Receives the President Emeritus Status
text and photos by Region 8 Webmaster John Davis
On Monday June 15, 2026, the delegates of the 39th International UAW Constitutional Convention voted to extend the title President Emeritus to retired UAW President Ray Curry.
President Curry became a proud member of the UAW in July 1992 when he was hired as truck assembler at Freightliner Trucks – Mt. Holly, N.C. (now Daimler Trucks, NA). He joined UAW Local 5285 and later became a quality assurance inspector. From 1998 to 2004, he was elected by the  membership of UAW Local 5285 to serve in a variety of leadership positions, including UAW Constitutional Convention delegate, chairman of the trustees, financial secretary-treasurer and alternate committeeperson.
He was first appointed to the staff of the International Union on Oct. 10, 2004, by then-President Ron Gettelfinger as an international representative assigned to Region 8. President Curry was named Region 8 assistant director by Regional Director Gary Casteel on June 16, 2010, at the 35th UAW International Constitutional Convention.
He was elected Region 8 Director at the 36th Constitutional Convention on June 4, 2014. In 2018 he was elected International UAW Secretary Treasurer at the 37th Constitutional Convention. He served in that position until he was elected International UAW President in July of 2021, following the retirement of President Rory Gamble.
A North Carolina native and military veteran, Curry served three years on active duty in the U.S. Army and five years in the U.S. Army Reserves. Continuously furthering his education over the years, he is a graduate of the University of North Carolina – Charlotte with a bachelor’s degree Business Administration - Finance. Curry also is a 2013 graduate of the University of Alabama’s Executive  Masters of Business Administration program. Curry was elected as a 2012 Democratic National Convention alternate delegate on behalf of the state of Tennessee and later became a full voting delegate at the convention.
President Curry retired from the UAW in 2023. He currently serves as Executive Procurement Officer of the NAACP.
Chris Redding of Region 8 Local 3285 came forward and read a resolution to present the title of UAW President Emeritus to retired UAW President Ray Curry. “Ray Curry was elected by the IEB in July of 2021,” Chris stated. “Ray navigated the union through COVID and installing reforms that were  recommended by the federally mandated monitor. Ray worked diligently for this membership through a very difficult time and we propose he receive the title President Emeritus.” The motion was made and seconded and passed with over overwhelming support.
“Thank you for this honor,” President Emeritus stated. “I had the honor of working in Region 8 and those great people. There is one thing we can never forget and that is it is all about the membership. The power still resides in the membership and they always have to come first.”
Congratulations to President Emeritis Ray Curry! |
