Fitzsimmons, Frank Edward (1908-1981), served as president of the Teamsters Union from 1971 to 1981. At that time, the Teamsters was the largest labor union in the United States. Most of the union’s members are truckdrivers.
Fitzsimmons was born on April 7, 1908, in Jeannette, Pennsylvania. He began his union career in 1937 as business agent of the Teamsters local in Detroit. In 1940, he became vice president of the local. The international union appointed him to a vice presidency in 1961. He became acting head of the Teamsters after union president James R. Hoffa was imprisoned in 1967. Fitzsimmons succeeded as president after Hoffa resigned in June 1971. The union elected Fitzsimmons to a full term the next month and to another five-year term in 1976. He died on May 6, 1981.
