President
President
Dean Devita
Dean Devita became President of the National Conference of Firemen & Oilers, 32BJ, SEIU upon the retirement of John Thacker on October 1, 2020. He previously served as Secretary-Treasurer from 2011 – 2020. He also served as the Director of Commuter/Passenger railroads.
In September 2002, Dean was elected General Chairman of NCFO System Council #2. Prior to being elected General Chairman, in 2000 Dean was appointed as Vice General Chairman of System Council #2 by System Council #2 Executive Board. Dean was elected General Chairman of Local #311 in 1991.
In addition, Dean served as Chairman of the Oilers & Firemen Health & Welfare Fund. From 1995-2006 Dean served as Vice Chairman of the LIRR Labor Council and continues to serve as the Labor Representative of the LIRR Board of Pensions and Legislative Chairperson.
In 1997, Dean was elected as Chairman of the LIRR Non-Operating Unions Health and Welfare Fund. In 2004 Dean was elected Spokesman for the Delaware & Hudson Coalition. Dean also served as Recording Secretary and Legislative Representative of the Metro North Coalition. Dean served as the Labor Member of the MTA Vanguard Trust Pension Plan.
President Elect
Michael Pistone
Michael Pistone has been an NCFO member since he started at the Long Island Railroad in 1998. In 2004, he became NCFO shop steward, eventually becoming Local Chairman of Chapter 311.
Michael became an NCFO Vice General Chairman in 2013. In 2014, he became a General Chairman for many of the commercial and Railroad properties. In 2020, Michael was elected as a member of
the NCFO executive board and appointed Assistant to the President in addition to General Chairman.
In 2021, Michael was elected by the Unions representing Amtrak to the Joint Medical Administration Committee (JMAC) as the Labor trustee Vice Chairman. During the 2022 contract negotiations with Amtrak, Michael was the lead spokesman for a coalition with some of NCFO’s Railroad Partners. By November of 2022, Michael was appointed Director of Railroads overseeing all railroad properties where the NCFO has members.
In October of 2023, the NCFO Executive Board voted Michael Pistone to fill the remainder of the current three-year term of then President Dean Devita after he announced his retirement.
Executive Board
Senior General Chairman
Travis Prothro
Travis Prothro has been a member of the National Conference of Firemen & Oilers since he was hired at the Union Pacific Railroad in 2003. Travis served the NCFO as Local Chairman and in 2018 he was appointed Vice General Chairman. In 2020, Travis was appointed Senior General Chairman of the Western Region.
General Chairman
Vincent Ruffolo
Vincent Ruffolo has been a member of the National Conference of Firemen & Oilers since he was hired at the Metro North Railroad in 1998. Vinny served the NCFO as Local Chairman since 2000. In 2020, he was appointed NCFO General Chairman.