The USW International Executive Board appointed Ken Neumann as National Director for Canada in 2004 following the retirement of Lawrence McBrearty. Ken was reconfirmed as National Director in the 2005, 2009, 2012 and 2014 international elections.

Born and raised in rural Saskatchewan, Ken was a teenager when he first joined the USW, at Local 5890 in Regina, Saskatchewan. Later, Ken's activism and leadership flourished within USW Local 4728, where he began as a steward and eventually was elected Local president. He was an instructor, organizer and then president of the USW Regina Area Council before being hired as a staff representative in 1977. Ken earned a personal reputation for strong service to USW members in Saskatchewan and British Columbia.