On November 30, 2022, my beloved husband, James Andrew Chilko passed away. He was born in Pittsburgh, PA on March 10, 1942, and was 80 years old. His parents were Andrew and Julia Chilko. James and his family resided in the small town of Level Green. He attended the local schools there, graduating in 1960 from Penn Joint High School. He attended Waynesburg University with a full scholarship for football and graduated with a degree in business in 1964. While at Waynesburg, he met and married his wife, Carol Ann Conley. They were married 58 years.
His first job was in Washington, D.C. working for Hot Shoppes restaurants a division of Marriott Corp as a night manager. In 1964, his daughter, Robin Lynn was born, Then Shannon James in 1969.
Jim’s next job was as a claims adjuster for GEICO Insurance. In 1969, Jim gained employment with National Electrical Contractors Association and transferred to San Francisco in the regional office as a field rep residing in San Jose. When an offer came to work for the Los Angeles Chapter of N.E.C.A. as assistant manager, he relocated to Southern California. In 1976, Jim relocated to Bakersfield, hired by the Kern County Chapter N.A.C.A. As chapter manager, he served on the Apprenticeship and Trust Committees, Plumbing and Mechanical Contractors Association. The Sheet Metal Contractors Association also hired him to manage their organizations. Later, he became the Executive Director for the Air Conditioning Sheet Metal Association in Los Angeles, sitting on the Apprenticeship and Committee attending Trust meetings there.
When Jim arrived in Bakersfield to serve as the Kern County Chapter of N.E.C.A., there were conflicts between the union and the contractors on numerous labor and management issues. This would result in strikes by the electrical workers. He was able to change the agreement to make a settlement resolved by the C.I.R., a committee of both labor and management to settle the disputes. His main concern was to keep the Apprenticeship Fund, Health and Wealth Fund and Pension funded. Several retired journeymen returned to thank him for protecting their pensions. He retired in 2016 after 40 years as chapter manager of N.E.C.A. Altogether his working years span 52 years.
Jim is survived by his devoted wife, Carol Ann, daughter Robin, son Shannon, son-in-law Jeffrey Clark, granddaughters, Tayler, Ashley and Delanie and Jim’s sister, Marsha Chilko of Los Angeles.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations made to Hoffmann Hospital Hospice Care in Bakersfield.
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