Name: Joe La Cumbre.

Age: 52.

Education: Portarlington CBS primary and secondary schools, followed by an apprenticeship as an electrician in the ESB.

Trade union: Technical Engineering and Electrical Union. Became a shop steward in 1966. Elected to national executive in 1973. Led the last major ESB strike to result in widespread power cuts in 1991.

Other organisations: He is on the board of Athlone Institute of Technology, Athlone Community Task Force employment initiative and the Athlone Unemployed Centre. He is also on the Athlone Council of Trade Unions.

Why he is in the news: He has just been appointed deputy chairman of the ESB. He is the first worker-director of a semi-state company to be appointed to such a position. He was first elected to the board in 1983.

Family: Married to Noreen. They have two daughters, Sarah a management consultant with Blessing White in Chicago and Natasha, an occupational psychologist.