By Mike Gutwig
Drew Lindsey has been re-elected to a third term as business manager of IBEW Local 280. He defeated challenger Mark Crenshaw in mail balloting counted June 1. Crenshaw vacated his seat as president to run for business manager.
Chad Privratsky, the Local’s vice president, vacated that seat to run for president. He was elected by acclamation.
Bob Sapp outpolled Bruce Hatfield for the open vice president’s position. Hatfield was the Local’s treasurer.
Mike Jones and Megan Denton finished in a run-off to succeed Hatfield as treasurer. Neither captured the 50%-plus one majority vote required in a three-person race.
The run-off ballot also will include David Hoover and Wendall Whistler for alternate delegate to the IBEW International Convention. They tied with 99 votes each in the first round of voting.
Ballots were mailed June 8 and will be counted June 22. Results will be posted on the union’s web site at ibew280.org.
Hoover was elected recording secretary, running unopposed, and Whistler was one of three candidates elected to the Local’s Executive Board. Whistler was joined by Jeremy Kroon and Ralph Golf as the top vote-getters in an 8-person race for three at-large positions.
Work is booming in Local 280’s jurisdiction, and the local hit a membership record of nearly 1,800 members in December 2020. Headquartered in Tangent, Oregon, the local represents construction and sound and communications workers under 43 contracts in nine counties in Central Oregon and the Southern Willamette Valley. The local has training centers in Tangent and Redmond, with more than 370 apprentices in training. The training center in Redmond, which was created in Lindsey’s second term, has already outgrown the space and the Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee is looking for a new facility.
Lindsey, 57, is a 28-year member of the IBEW. He has served the Local previously as president, vice president, and as an instructor for first-year apprentices. Business manager is the only elected office that is also a full-time paid position. He is the first business manager to serve three terms since the mid 1980s.
“My philosophy is if you want to be successful, you have to surround yourself with successful people,” he said. “I have that with my staff and membership, even our contractors.” He said communication plays a big part in the Local’s success.
Lindsey doesn’t like to predict the future, but says the work landscape looks strong in the area for the upcoming year.
“The only thing that might get in the way is a shortage of raw materials. We’re already starting to see some of that.”
In other Local 280 election results:
- Examining Board Zac Bakke, Robbie Smith, Kail Zuschlag
- Delegates to IBEW International Convention Kail Zuschlag, Chad Privratsky, Robbie Smith, Mike Jones, Ralph Golf, Megan Denton
- Cascade Pacific Pulp Unit Chair Dustin Royer
- CPP Unit Vice Chair Steve Lindberg
- CPP Unit Recorder Chris Visser
- CPP Safety Committee Rep Nick Nighswonger
