Terry Nelson, longtime head of Carpenters Regional Council, dies

Colleagues are mourning Terry Nelson, the longtime executive secretary of the St. Louis-Kansas City Carpenters Regional Council, who died Thursday, Jan. 3, at the age of 78.

“Terry spent his entire career advancing the carpentry trade, from his early days as an apprentice to his two decades leading our organization,” Executive Secretary-Treasurer Al Bond said in a statement.

In his 22 years in the role, Nelson “ushered the union through the Great Recession, sought pay increases for our members, and developed innovative programs to keep our members and contractors leaders in the marketplace,” Bond said.

Nelson was the most progressive labor leader in the construction industry for many years, Bond said, noting that under his leadership, the Carpenters built a state-of-the-art Carpenter Training Center in Affton, Mo.

“Terry cared very much about the St. Louis community as a whole and was involved in numerous ventures trying to help improve the lives of the disadvantaged,” Bond said. “More than anything, Terry will be remembered for his unwavering commitment to supporting working families and improving the lives of our members with fair wages, superior benefits and the ability to retire with dignity.

Nelson retired in September 2015.

The St. Louis – Kansas City Carpenters Regional Council represents more than 20,000 members in 33 locals across Missouri, Kansas and Southern Illinois.