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Terry Nelson, head of the Carpenter’s Union, is retiring

Terry Nelson
Terry Nelson

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Terry Nelson, the 22-year head of the Carpenter’s District Council, retired Wednesday.

Nelson was known throughout Missouri as a leader in labor, who easily won reelection to his post multiple times in the past three decades. Al Bond, Jr. will succeed Nelson as the union’s executive secretary treasurer, and he says that Nelson was a champion for blue-collar families.

“It is impossible to overstate the impact that Terry Nelson has had on working families and labor relations in the state of Missouri and beyond,” he said. “His tenacity and outspokenness made Terry an unforgettable force to reckon with, but his unwavering devotion to the hard working men and women we represent is what all of us are most grateful for.”

Nelson first joined the union in the 1960s as a carpenter until he eventually became the leader of the 22,000-member organization in 1993. He oversaw policies and ideas that have kept the Carpenters Union one of the most successful and respected in the local construction industry, such as sponsoring a competitive loan program for union-built homes and speaking of the need to adapt to changing times.

Most recently, he fought against the right-to-work legislation proposed by the General Assembly, which failed in the State Legislature earlier this month.  

In the release, the CDC thanked Terry Nelson for his unmatched service and wished him all the best in his retirement.