Richard Deiser was born July 2, 1940, in the Bronx, N.Y. After high school he joined the U.S. Air Force, where he served for eight years.

While in the Air Force he attended the University of Maryland, taking extension courses, where he made the dean’s list.

After he was discharged from the service, he worked for many years with Trans World Airlines in the air freight, meteorology and crew scheduling departments.

He began his career as a bus operator with Rockland Coaches in 1983. Immediately active in the affairs of his local, Deiser was appointed as shop steward in 1985 and was elected as secretary of the committee in 1988. In 1998 he was elected as general chairperson of Local 1558, Bergenfield, N.J. He was re-elected three times to that position and also attained the offices of delegate and legislative representative.

After serving for six years as alternate vice president-bus-East, Deiser was elevated to vice president and director of the Bus Department in July 2009.

He and his wife, Margaret, a native of County Leitrim, Ireland, have been married for 46 years and have three children and four grandchildren.