Kent Sickles has been elected business manager of Plasterers Local 82. He succeeds Calvin McKinnis, who did not seek re-election after serving in the post for 15 years.
Sickles defeated Cameron Jordan in an election held April 5. All other races for officers and Executive Board seats were uncontested.
Sickles, 56, started as a hod carrier and member of the Laborers Union. He entered the Plasterers apprenticeship program in 1993 and has been active in the union since. A restoration/ ornamental plasterer, Sickles has served as president of the 145-member local for the last 15 years. Prior to that he sat on the Executive Board. He has worked for signatory union contractor Fred Shearer & Sons since 1981.
“I just want to keep our members busy working, and keep everybody happy,” he said.
McKinnis, 52, has been with the union since 1987. He served on the Executive Board for one term, and as president for three terms (nine years). In that capacity he planned the local’s 100th anniversary celebration in 2001.
McKinnis was elected business manager in April 2002, succeeding Don McKinnon, who held the post for 18 years. McKinnis also was apprenticeship coordinator for the plasterers.
A native of Sandy, Oregon, McKinnis joined the union as an apprentice in 1987. He, too, worked for Fred Shearer & Sons as a restoration/ornamental plasterer.
He says he may go back into the field, as there aren’t many restoration/ornamental plasterers left. Until he decides, McKinnis will focus more time on his 50-head cattle ranch.
The Plasterers apprenticeship program will be taken over by Craig Smith, the apprenticeship coordinator for the Cement Masons.
The Plasterers and Cement Masons are under the same international union, the Operative Plasterers and Cement Masons International Association. Local 82 and Cement Masons Local 555 share an office building and training center in Northeast Portland with Bricklayers Local 1.
In other election results at Local 82, Kevin Carle was elected president; Chris Leedham was elected vice president; recording secretary is Richard Almadovar; and Cory Depoppe was elected sergeant at arms. Elected to the Executive Board were Ed Evans, Darrell Weatheral, and Rance Danielson. Executive Trustees are Andrew Griffith and Chris Henry.
