Mohlis to succeed Shiprack at Oregon Building Trades Council

ROSEBURG — John Mohlis, executive secretary-treasurer of the Columbia Pacific Building and Construction Trades Council, was elected by acclamation to succeed Bob Shiprack as executive secretary of the Oregon State Building Trades Council. Shiprack is retiring after 25 years at the helm.

The election took place Aug. 25 at the Oregon State Building Trades Council’s 48th annual convention.

Mohlis, a former business manager of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local 1, will take office Oct. 1. He has served in the top post at the Columbia Pacific Building Trades Council since 2005. He had served as president of the council since 1994.

Shiprack, a longtime member of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 48, was a Democratic state representative from Clackamas County when he was first elected president of the state building trades council in 1984. He took over as executive secretary a year later.

Convention delegates passed four resolutions: supporting a 300 acre marine terminal development on West Hayden Island; continuation of a planned new mental health hospital in Junction City; support of Ballot Measure 72 to allow the state to issue lowest-cost bonds to finance state owned or operated property; and a $1 per member, per month assessment to fund its political action committee, Oregonians to Maintain Community Standards.

Because of space restrictions in this 110th anniversary issue, a more complete report from the convention will appear in the Sept. 17 edition of the Northwest Labor Press.