Meet UFCW Local 663
Executive Offices
Rena is originally from California and is Chinese American by way of Mexico. Her father was a restaurant worker and mother a domestic worker. They performed hard, low waged work and their jobs had no…
More InfoRena Wong (She/Her)
President
Rena Wong (She/Her)
President
Rena is originally from California and is Chinese American by way of Mexico. Her father was a restaurant worker and mother a domestic worker. They performed hard, low waged work and their jobs had no union representation. Rena's family had no health insurance, retirement savings, or anything else. She attended UCLA on scholarship when the Justice for Janitors strike took place in Los Angeles in 2000. That fight by low wage workers (so much like her parents) to be visible and for a dignified living wage inspired Rena to join the labor movement. Against all odds, those workers dared to fight and hope—and they WON. It was Rena’s first glimpse of what is possible when workers organize to build power. After graduating in 2001, Rena became an organizer and has worked in Labor ever since. Now as President of UFCW Local 663, Rena’s goal is to build power for workers. We need to organize for power throughout the food system – from farm to slaughter, processing, transportation, in to stores and how it gets into people’s homes and on their tables. By activating our members, organizing non-union workers and partnering with other unions, faith groups and community organizations we can improve the lives of all workers.Executive Board
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John began his grocery career at Applebaum’s in St. Paul in 1978. He went full-time in Minneapolis in 1986 at Rainbow Foods, then went to Haug Companies in Plymouth. In addition to serving on the…
More InfoJohn Pignato (He/Him)
Vice President
Chris got his start in the grocery business in 1990 with GJ’s SuperValu and is now at Festival Foods as a meatcutter. He has served on several negotiating committees, and in 2016 learned a great deal…
More InfoChris Erickson (He/Him)
Vice President
Mark started working full-time as a meatcutter at Rainbow Foods in 1991 and is currently employed as a meatcutter with Corporate Cub Foods. He served on the negotiation committee in 2014 and 2016.…
More InfoMark Husbyn (He/Him)
Vice President
Chris Erickson (He/Him)
Vice President
Chris got his start in the grocery business in 1990 with GJ’s SuperValu and is now at Festival Foods as a meatcutter. He has served on several negotiating committees, and in 2016 learned a great deal on how hard Local 663 works to protect the membership of the grocery industry. Chris has two wonderful boys, Jake and Nick, and enjoys fishing and outdoor activities. Mark Husbyn (He/Him)
Vice President
Mark started working full-time as a meatcutter at Rainbow Foods in 1991 and is currently employed as a meatcutter with Corporate Cub Foods. He served on the negotiation committee in 2014 and 2016. Mark was elected to be an Executive Board member on July 11, 2016. His family participated in the Victoria/Glen Lake picket lines and the 2016 Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive. He’s been attending all the union membership meetings for the last few years. Mark is married to his wonderful wife, Mildred. They have three beautiful kids, April, Hunter, and Ashley.
Antonio moved to the U.S. in 1995 from Jalisco, Mexico. He’s worked since 1996 worked at JBS. He began in the night ham division and in 2002, began the day shift in long boning. He’s been on the…
More InfoAntonio Jimenez (He/Him)
Vice President
Courtney began her grocery industry career in 2001 at Rainbow foods and worked just about every position within its’ walls. Many times she travelled to other stores helping to price during audits and…
More InfoCourtney Huber (She/Her)
Recording Secretary
Antonio Jimenez (He/Him)
Vice President
Antonio moved to the U.S. in 1995 from Jalisco, Mexico. He’s worked since 1996 worked at JBS. He began in the night ham division and in 2002, began the day shift in long boning. He’s been on the E-Board since 2018, and a steward for 13 years. Antonio’s union activism began when he began helping out a union steward years ago. The union steward didn’t know English at the time, while Antonio understood a little bit, so he began helping others be understood. Meat Packing Director Mike Potter saw that he was helping others, and Antonio became a steward too. Antonio says, “I like to help others, and I don’t like to see when people are treated bad because they don’t know English. I like that as a union, we are stronger now because we didn’t have power back then like we do now.” He and his wife and four children live in Worthington. Courtney Huber (She/Her)
Recording Secretary
Courtney began her grocery industry career in 2001 at Rainbow foods and worked just about every position within its’ walls. Many times she travelled to other stores helping to price during audits and remodels. Always making sure to vote on her contracts, Courtney began to attend union meetings, and gives credit to another longtime union member, Lori Wayman, for encouraging Huber’s union activism. Courtney has sat on three negotiating committees since 2010--most recently in 2018 where she was a part of the negotiating committee with President Utecht that was able to secure historic contract gains for members. Huber is inspired by new organizing and was able to be a part of testifying at City Hall for $15 an hour minimum wage as well as participated in Seward Co-op’s March on the Boss. She looks forward to continuing to grow and strengthen Local 663.
Antonio Jimenez (He/Him)
Vice President
Antonio moved to the U.S. in 1995 from Jalisco, Mexico. He’s worked since 1996 worked at JBS. He began in the night ham division and in 2002, began the day shift in long boning. He’s been on the E-Board since 2018, and a steward for 13 years. Antonio’s union activism began when he began helping out a union steward years ago. The union steward didn’t know English at the time, while Antonio understood a little bit, so he began helping others be understood. Meat Packing Director Mike Potter saw that he was helping others, and Antonio became a steward too. Antonio says, “I like to help others, and I don’t like to see when people are treated bad because they don’t know English. I like that as a union, we are stronger now because we didn’t have power back then like we do now.” He and his wife and four children live in Worthington. Courtney Huber (She/Her)
Recording Secretary
Courtney began her grocery industry career in 2001 at Rainbow foods and worked just about every position within its’ walls. Many times she travelled to other stores helping to price during audits and remodels. Always making sure to vote on her contracts, Courtney began to attend union meetings, and gives credit to another longtime union member, Lori Wayman, for encouraging Huber’s union activism. Courtney has sat on three negotiating committees since 2010--most recently in 2018 where she was a part of the negotiating committee with President Utecht that was able to secure historic contract gains for members. Huber is inspired by new organizing and was able to be a part of testifying at City Hall for $15 an hour minimum wage as well as participated in Seward Co-op’s March on the Boss. She looks forward to continuing to grow and strengthen Local 663.
Jessica Hayssen joined the UFCW Local 663 family in 2017 and is proud to amplify the stories of the hard work that Local 663 members do and how they give back to the community. She believes that the…
More InfoJessica Hayssen (She/Her)
Communications Director & Vice President
Antonio Jimenez (He/Him)
Vice President
Antonio moved to the U.S. in 1995 from Jalisco, Mexico. He’s worked since 1996 worked at JBS. He began in the night ham division and in 2002, began the day shift in long boning. He’s been on the E-Board since 2018, and a steward for 13 years. Antonio’s union activism began when he began helping out a union steward years ago. The union steward didn’t know English at the time, while Antonio understood a little bit, so he began helping others be understood. Meat Packing Director Mike Potter saw that he was helping others, and Antonio became a steward too. Antonio says, “I like to help others, and I don’t like to see when people are treated bad because they don’t know English. I like that as a union, we are stronger now because we didn’t have power back then like we do now.” He and his wife and four children live in Worthington. Courtney Huber (She/Her)
Recording Secretary
Courtney began her grocery industry career in 2001 at Rainbow foods and worked just about every position within its’ walls. Many times she travelled to other stores helping to price during audits and remodels. Always making sure to vote on her contracts, Courtney began to attend union meetings, and gives credit to another longtime union member, Lori Wayman, for encouraging Huber’s union activism. Courtney has sat on three negotiating committees since 2010--most recently in 2018 where she was a part of the negotiating committee with President Utecht that was able to secure historic contract gains for members. Huber is inspired by new organizing and was able to be a part of testifying at City Hall for $15 an hour minimum wage as well as participated in Seward Co-op’s March on the Boss. She looks forward to continuing to grow and strengthen Local 663. Jessica Hayssen (She/Her)
Communications Director & Vice President
Jessica Hayssen joined the UFCW Local 663 family in 2017 and is proud to amplify the stories of the hard work that Local 663 members do and how they give back to the community. She believes that the power of our stories can be used to create better workplaces and communities. Jessica has held previous positions at the Minnesota AFL-CIO and AFSCME Council 5 standing up for hard working union families. She’s stood shoulder to shoulder with locked out sugar beet workers in western MN and went to jail for justice in solidarity with those who fight for $15 an hour at the MSP airport. She was a founding member of the national AFL-CIO Young Workers’ Advisory Council and founded Minnesota Young Workers as well as Minnesota Union Women’s’ groups. She is a long serving board member on the Nellie Stone Johnson Scholarship Committee. Jessica finds inspiration in people’s lives, because our lives and our families are what drives us to build better lives. Our story is about coming together through collective bargaining to live our values. Jessica lives in south Minneapolis with a brilliant daughter and loyal Boston Terrier named Oliver.
Antonio Jimenez (He/Him)
Vice President
Antonio moved to the U.S. in 1995 from Jalisco, Mexico. He’s worked since 1996 worked at JBS. He began in the night ham division and in 2002, began the day shift in long boning. He’s been on the E-Board since 2018, and a steward for 13 years. Antonio’s union activism began when he began helping out a union steward years ago. The union steward didn’t know English at the time, while Antonio understood a little bit, so he began helping others be understood. Meat Packing Director Mike Potter saw that he was helping others, and Antonio became a steward too. Antonio says, “I like to help others, and I don’t like to see when people are treated bad because they don’t know English. I like that as a union, we are stronger now because we didn’t have power back then like we do now.” He and his wife and four children live in Worthington. Courtney Huber (She/Her)
Recording Secretary
Courtney began her grocery industry career in 2001 at Rainbow foods and worked just about every position within its’ walls. Many times she travelled to other stores helping to price during audits and remodels. Always making sure to vote on her contracts, Courtney began to attend union meetings, and gives credit to another longtime union member, Lori Wayman, for encouraging Huber’s union activism. Courtney has sat on three negotiating committees since 2010--most recently in 2018 where she was a part of the negotiating committee with President Utecht that was able to secure historic contract gains for members. Huber is inspired by new organizing and was able to be a part of testifying at City Hall for $15 an hour minimum wage as well as participated in Seward Co-op’s March on the Boss. She looks forward to continuing to grow and strengthen Local 663. Jessica Hayssen (She/Her)
Communications Director & Vice President
Jessica Hayssen joined the UFCW Local 663 family in 2017 and is proud to amplify the stories of the hard work that Local 663 members do and how they give back to the community. She believes that the power of our stories can be used to create better workplaces and communities. Jessica has held previous positions at the Minnesota AFL-CIO and AFSCME Council 5 standing up for hard working union families. She’s stood shoulder to shoulder with locked out sugar beet workers in western MN and went to jail for justice in solidarity with those who fight for $15 an hour at the MSP airport. She was a founding member of the national AFL-CIO Young Workers’ Advisory Council and founded Minnesota Young Workers as well as Minnesota Union Women’s’ groups. She is a long serving board member on the Nellie Stone Johnson Scholarship Committee. Jessica finds inspiration in people’s lives, because our lives and our families are what drives us to build better lives. Our story is about coming together through collective bargaining to live our values. Jessica lives in south Minneapolis with a brilliant daughter and loyal Boston Terrier named Oliver.
Rena is originally from California and is Chinese American by way of Mexico. Her father was a restaurant worker and mother a domestic worker. They performed hard, low waged work and their jobs had no…
More InfoRena Wong (She/Her)
President
Antonio Jimenez (He/Him)
Vice President
Antonio moved to the U.S. in 1995 from Jalisco, Mexico. He’s worked since 1996 worked at JBS. He began in the night ham division and in 2002, began the day shift in long boning. He’s been on the E-Board since 2018, and a steward for 13 years. Antonio’s union activism began when he began helping out a union steward years ago. The union steward didn’t know English at the time, while Antonio understood a little bit, so he began helping others be understood. Meat Packing Director Mike Potter saw that he was helping others, and Antonio became a steward too. Antonio says, “I like to help others, and I don’t like to see when people are treated bad because they don’t know English. I like that as a union, we are stronger now because we didn’t have power back then like we do now.” He and his wife and four children live in Worthington. Courtney Huber (She/Her)
Recording Secretary
Courtney began her grocery industry career in 2001 at Rainbow foods and worked just about every position within its’ walls. Many times she travelled to other stores helping to price during audits and remodels. Always making sure to vote on her contracts, Courtney began to attend union meetings, and gives credit to another longtime union member, Lori Wayman, for encouraging Huber’s union activism. Courtney has sat on three negotiating committees since 2010--most recently in 2018 where she was a part of the negotiating committee with President Utecht that was able to secure historic contract gains for members. Huber is inspired by new organizing and was able to be a part of testifying at City Hall for $15 an hour minimum wage as well as participated in Seward Co-op’s March on the Boss. She looks forward to continuing to grow and strengthen Local 663. Jessica Hayssen (She/Her)
Communications Director & Vice President
Jessica Hayssen joined the UFCW Local 663 family in 2017 and is proud to amplify the stories of the hard work that Local 663 members do and how they give back to the community. She believes that the power of our stories can be used to create better workplaces and communities. Jessica has held previous positions at the Minnesota AFL-CIO and AFSCME Council 5 standing up for hard working union families. She’s stood shoulder to shoulder with locked out sugar beet workers in western MN and went to jail for justice in solidarity with those who fight for $15 an hour at the MSP airport. She was a founding member of the national AFL-CIO Young Workers’ Advisory Council and founded Minnesota Young Workers as well as Minnesota Union Women’s’ groups. She is a long serving board member on the Nellie Stone Johnson Scholarship Committee. Jessica finds inspiration in people’s lives, because our lives and our families are what drives us to build better lives. Our story is about coming together through collective bargaining to live our values. Jessica lives in south Minneapolis with a brilliant daughter and loyal Boston Terrier named Oliver. Rena Wong (She/Her)
President
Rena is originally from California and is Chinese American by way of Mexico. Her father was a restaurant worker and mother a domestic worker. They performed hard, low waged work and their jobs had no union representation. Rena's family had no health insurance, retirement savings, or anything else. She attended UCLA on scholarship when the Justice for Janitors strike took place in Los Angeles in 2000. That fight by low wage workers (so much like her parents) to be visible and for a dignified living wage inspired Rena to join the labor movement. Against all odds, those workers dared to fight and hope—and they WON. It was Rena’s first glimpse of what is possible when workers organize to build power. After graduating in 2001, Rena became an organizer and has worked in Labor ever since. Now as President of UFCW Local 663, Rena’s goal is to build power for workers. We need to organize for power throughout the food system – from farm to slaughter, processing, transportation, in to stores and how it gets into people’s homes and on their tables. By activating our members, organizing non-union workers and partnering with other unions, faith groups and community organizations we can improve the lives of all workers.
Jess Alexander began at UFCW Local 663 in 2017. His goals include making life better for the people in our union’s industries because that working families work hard, do a good job and should earn a…
More InfoJess Alexander (He/Him)
Member Organizer & Vice President
Antonio Jimenez (He/Him)
Vice President
Antonio moved to the U.S. in 1995 from Jalisco, Mexico. He’s worked since 1996 worked at JBS. He began in the night ham division and in 2002, began the day shift in long boning. He’s been on the E-Board since 2018, and a steward for 13 years. Antonio’s union activism began when he began helping out a union steward years ago. The union steward didn’t know English at the time, while Antonio understood a little bit, so he began helping others be understood. Meat Packing Director Mike Potter saw that he was helping others, and Antonio became a steward too. Antonio says, “I like to help others, and I don’t like to see when people are treated bad because they don’t know English. I like that as a union, we are stronger now because we didn’t have power back then like we do now.” He and his wife and four children live in Worthington. Courtney Huber (She/Her)
Recording Secretary
Courtney began her grocery industry career in 2001 at Rainbow foods and worked just about every position within its’ walls. Many times she travelled to other stores helping to price during audits and remodels. Always making sure to vote on her contracts, Courtney began to attend union meetings, and gives credit to another longtime union member, Lori Wayman, for encouraging Huber’s union activism. Courtney has sat on three negotiating committees since 2010--most recently in 2018 where she was a part of the negotiating committee with President Utecht that was able to secure historic contract gains for members. Huber is inspired by new organizing and was able to be a part of testifying at City Hall for $15 an hour minimum wage as well as participated in Seward Co-op’s March on the Boss. She looks forward to continuing to grow and strengthen Local 663. Jessica Hayssen (She/Her)
Communications Director & Vice President
Jessica Hayssen joined the UFCW Local 663 family in 2017 and is proud to amplify the stories of the hard work that Local 663 members do and how they give back to the community. She believes that the power of our stories can be used to create better workplaces and communities. Jessica has held previous positions at the Minnesota AFL-CIO and AFSCME Council 5 standing up for hard working union families. She’s stood shoulder to shoulder with locked out sugar beet workers in western MN and went to jail for justice in solidarity with those who fight for $15 an hour at the MSP airport. She was a founding member of the national AFL-CIO Young Workers’ Advisory Council and founded Minnesota Young Workers as well as Minnesota Union Women’s’ groups. She is a long serving board member on the Nellie Stone Johnson Scholarship Committee. Jessica finds inspiration in people’s lives, because our lives and our families are what drives us to build better lives. Our story is about coming together through collective bargaining to live our values. Jessica lives in south Minneapolis with a brilliant daughter and loyal Boston Terrier named Oliver. Rena Wong (She/Her)
President
Rena is originally from California and is Chinese American by way of Mexico. Her father was a restaurant worker and mother a domestic worker. They performed hard, low waged work and their jobs had no union representation. Rena's family had no health insurance, retirement savings, or anything else. She attended UCLA on scholarship when the Justice for Janitors strike took place in Los Angeles in 2000. That fight by low wage workers (so much like her parents) to be visible and for a dignified living wage inspired Rena to join the labor movement. Against all odds, those workers dared to fight and hope—and they WON. It was Rena’s first glimpse of what is possible when workers organize to build power. After graduating in 2001, Rena became an organizer and has worked in Labor ever since. Now as President of UFCW Local 663, Rena’s goal is to build power for workers. We need to organize for power throughout the food system – from farm to slaughter, processing, transportation, in to stores and how it gets into people’s homes and on their tables. By activating our members, organizing non-union workers and partnering with other unions, faith groups and community organizations we can improve the lives of all workers. Jess Alexander (He/Him)
Member Organizer & Vice President
Jess Alexander began at UFCW Local 663 in 2017. His goals include making life better for the people in our union’s industries because that working families work hard, do a good job and should earn a fair slice of the pie. Jess has always been driven to join with the people around him to make things better. As a teenager in high school, Jess was active in different community projects and campaigns. His first job was at a co-operative grocery store in his hometown of Corvallis, Oregon. In 1991, Jess graduated high school and moved to California to attend college. He quit school after a year for financial reasons, and was happy to be living in a bigger city and be involved in new community organizing opportunities. After a few jobs in the food industry (bakery delivery and refrigerated foods distribution), Jess started working in construction as an electrician. He experienced the stark difference between doing the same job with a union and without a union, and soon joined the Electricians union. He was an active member of his local for ten years, using his experience and skills as an organizer to make his union stronger. Jess moved to Minnesota in 2011 and made the transition from full-time electrician to Organizer. He has worked for community/labor coalitions and other unions as well. Jess is excited to serve the members and the leadership of Local 663 to grow our membership strength by organizing new members and therefore improving the lives of all Minnesotans.Union Representatives
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Amber Allen started in the industry in September 1996 as a bakery clerk for McGlynn's Bakery. In 1998 she joined Local 663 and was promoted to bakery manager; Amber has worked for several different…
More InfoAmber Allen (She/Her)
Membership Specialist
Jim started in the industry as a carryout for Thriftway in Crystal. He was hired by Rainbow Foods in 1984 as a meat cutter and started going to union meetings to learn more of what they were all…
More InfoJim Schommer (He/Him)
Union Representative and Member Action Center
Jess Alexander began at UFCW Local 663 in 2017. His goals include making life better for the people in our union’s industries because that working families work hard, do a good job and should earn a…
More InfoJess Alexander (He/Him)
Member Organizer & Vice President
Amber Allen (She/Her)
Membership Specialist
Amber Allen started in the industry in September 1996 as a bakery clerk for McGlynn's Bakery. In 1998 she joined Local 663 and was promoted to bakery manager; Amber has worked for several different companies since then, all under the Rainbow banner. Amber became involved with the union by attending regular membership meetings and union activities. Amber has served on over half a dozen negotiating committees and looks forward to many more. Amber lives in Minneapolis with her 2 children; Amber enjoys spending time with them and being involved in all of their activities. Jim Schommer (He/Him)
Union Representative and Member Action Center
Jim started in the industry as a carryout for Thriftway in Crystal. He was hired by Rainbow Foods in 1984 as a meat cutter and started going to union meetings to learn more of what they were all about. Over the years he participated as he could—helping on the Country Club strike, informational picket lines, bowling tournaments, and other union activities. As part of that, Jim served on his first negotiating committee. Seeing the union from that perspective only made him more interested in being involved. He wanted to take the next step and was appointed to the Executive Board. As a board member, he got a behind-the-scenes view of how the union runs and how we can shape our future. It’s exciting and something he wanted to be part of. In July 2007 he was asked to join the staff as a Union Representative. Jim lives in Andover with his wife, Theresa, and four sons: Ryan, Kyle, Matthew, and Brady. In his free time, he enjoys fishing, boating, camping, and sons’ soccer and hockey games. Jess Alexander (He/Him)
Member Organizer & Vice President
Jess Alexander began at UFCW Local 663 in 2017. His goals include making life better for the people in our union’s industries because that working families work hard, do a good job and should earn a fair slice of the pie. Jess has always been driven to join with the people around him to make things better. As a teenager in high school, Jess was active in different community projects and campaigns. His first job was at a co-operative grocery store in his hometown of Corvallis, Oregon. In 1991, Jess graduated high school and moved to California to attend college. He quit school after a year for financial reasons, and was happy to be living in a bigger city and be involved in new community organizing opportunities. After a few jobs in the food industry (bakery delivery and refrigerated foods distribution), Jess started working in construction as an electrician. He experienced the stark difference between doing the same job with a union and without a union, and soon joined the Electricians union. He was an active member of his local for ten years, using his experience and skills as an organizer to make his union stronger. Jess moved to Minnesota in 2011 and made the transition from full-time electrician to Organizer. He has worked for community/labor coalitions and other unions as well. Jess is excited to serve the members and the leadership of Local 663 to grow our membership strength by organizing new members and therefore improving the lives of all Minnesotans.
Lisa started her union career as a production line worker in what is now JBS in 1991. From there she became a union steward and in 2015 I became the walking steward. She enjoys learning and…
More InfoLisa Thoma (She/Her)
Union Representative
Lisa Thoma (She/Her)
Union Representative
Lisa started her union career as a production line worker in what is now JBS in 1991. From there she became a union steward and in 2015 I became the walking steward. She enjoys learning and becoming more active in my union endeavors by attending meetings when available, working with the employees and also working to solve the problems that pop up on a day to day basis. Lisa is married and have three kids and five grandchildren. She also has two dog, and mentions when the family gets together it is quite a full house. Her hobbies include riding my Harley alongside my husband, gardening and walking her dogs.
UFCW Local 663 Union News
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