John Mohlis

Strategic Partner

For more than 30 years John Mohlis has been a respected union and public policy leader in Oregon and the Northwest. He is known as a fierce advocate for workers and jobs and for his ability to bridge partisan divides and bring together business, labor and government to achieve economic development and community benefits. A bricklayer by trade, John rose through the union leadership ranks and served as Executive Secretary of the 25,000-member Oregon State Building and Construction Trades Council from 2010 until his retirement in September 2016.

John was appointed by Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber and served six years on the Oregon Energy Facility Siting Council, where he had regulatory and siting responsibility for energy-generating facilities, transmission lines, pipelines, and radioactive waste disposal sites. From 2006 to 2015, John served as a mayoral appointee on the Portland Development Commission, where he helped oversee the city’s efforts in urban renewal and economic development. John is the only union official to ever receive the “Compass Award” presented by the Port of Portland to recognize an individual who serves as a civic/corporate role model in the community.

Raised in Waterloo, Iowa, John now lives in Redland, Oregon with his wife. They have two children and five grandchildren.

“I’m passionate about helping move responsible projects forward to create economic development and good middle class job opportunities for Oregonians. I love being part of a team that finds solutions and creates positive results.”