Dear Members,

I am writing to inform you of my resignation as President and Executive Director of Local 802, effective January 1, 2026, due to worsening health concerns.

As you might imagine, the stresses of the presidency are unimaginable. The learning curve is steep, and each decision is life-altering. As your President, I had the added challenge of juggling these challenges while tending to my health. Over the past few weeks, it has become clear that I can no longer afford the toll the role of president has taken on my well-being.

Nonetheless, I remain proud of the progress we made, including winning the best contract for Local 802’s Broadway musicians in decades. It is my sincere hope that Local 802 will build upon this victory and that our members remain as engaged with the union as they were this fall. I am also very proud to announce that Recording Vice President and Assistant Director Dan Point has been appointed President and Executive Director of Local 802 and that Executive Board Member Sarah Haines has been appointed Recording Vice President, each to fill the vacancies created by my resignation for the remainder of the present term.

Sarah will not be taking on the role of Assistant Director, as she assumes the Recording Vice President position, which will allow her to continue on as a playing musician working in the field. We are optimistic that this change to the structure of this position will create more interest in union leadership roles for playing musicians in the future, particularly as we navigate through a strategic planning process.

The energy and dynamism they will bring to their roles will help Local 802 build on the success of the Broadway campaign and other recent victories, keeping this union strong.

In Solidarity,

Bob Suttmann