RETIRED — Ninth District International Representative Dominic Nolan, whose broad experience and bright sense of humor helped serve countless members over three decades, retired from the IBEW on March 1.
Born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, Nolan was the 11th of 13 children. “I just made the team,” he said with a laugh.
After graduating high school, Nolan pursued an electrical career, completing his apprenticeship in 1981.
Six years later, on his way to an extended stay in Australia, a quick stop in San Francisco turned permanent. “It’s a long story,” Nolan said.
He applied for membership with San Mateo, Calif., Local 617, but he recalled that getting into the IBEW back then could be difficult. “It’s not that they were saying, ‘No, Dominic,’” he said. “They were saying, ‘You need to go back and start as a first-year apprentice or it’s just not going to happen.’”
Over the next several years, Nolan worked nonunion and kept his skills sharp. Around the same time, International President J.J. Barry had begun reforming the IBEW’s organizing strategy.
“One day, a friend called me up and told me: ‘Things are changing at 617. You need to go knock on their door,’” Nolan said. In 1995, he qualified for the local’s one-year accelerated organizing program and was initiated into the IBEW in 1996.
After completing the program, Nolan offered to teach it. “I’d already been through all this back in Ireland. I knew it inside and out,” he said. A year later, while Nolan was working as general foreman at San Francisco International Airport, the local accepted his offer.
Noting Nolan’s increasing union involvement and regular presence at meetings, Local 617’s leaders hired him in 2000 as their full-time organizer.
“I brought in quite a lot of members” over the next several years, Nolan said, particularly workers maintaining the airport’s AirTrain system. He also served the local as a field representative and monitored prevailing-wage compliance for a few years.
In 2007, Nolan ran successfully for business manager. He held that office for three successive terms, through the worst years of the Great Recession.
“It was really a depression,” he said. “But together, along with a great staff, we organized many new members and achieved so much.”
For example, Local 617’s membership grew by 25% during Nolan’s tenure, and wages and benefits increased by nearly 30%. “We stood firm and signed developers to PLA after PLA, knowing work was coming back,” he said.
In 2014, Ninth District International Vice President Michael Mowrey hired Nolan as an international representative and executive assistant. After Mowrey retired, Nolan continued that role under International Vice President John O’Rourke, his close friend and business manager counterpart at San Francisco Local 6.
“We had a true partnership, a wonderful working relationship,” O’Rourke said. “I traveled a lot as vice president, and I knew I never had to worry about the office. His attention to detail was incredible.”
Ninth District International Representative Marc Flynn has taken over Nolan’s executive assistant duties. “Dominic was the nuts and bolts that held the district together,” Flynn said. “I think about all of the sacrifices he made, coming in early and staying late.”
O’Rourke agreed. “The way our crew came together as a team and a family — Dominic was instrumental in making sure everyone knew they were appreciated,” he said.
Scott Wein, Local 617’s current business manager, has known Nolan for nearly 20 years. “Dominic likes to add a little humor to every conversation,” Wein said. “But he also told me that this job’s hard and I need to make sure that I take care of myself and my family.”
Nolan became a U.S. citizen in 2002, but in retirement, he and his wife, Lee Allison, plan to temporarily settle in Portugal to facilitate visiting family in Ireland and the rest of Europe.
“I plan on giving back, helping out and catching up with my three kids,” Nolan added.
His daughter Emily, a secretary in the Ninth District’s office, is grateful for her father’s thoughtfulness. “He likes to show up for the people he cares about,” she said. “He has an ability to stay positive. He leans into that. It kept the vibe in the office so light.”
Her fellow secretary, Joyce Salvador, also appreciated Nolan’s approach. “He’s always on top of everything,” she added. “He can keep so many balls in the air.”
David Reaves, the current Ninth District international vice president, said Nolan’s presence will be missed. “Dominic was a knowledgeable, diplomatic and experienced rep, a huge asset to our district,” Reaves said. “It didn’t happen a lot, but the only way you could tell he was rattled was when his Irish accent would come out.
“I’m excited to see him enjoying his retirement,” Reaves said, “and I ask the entire membership to join me in wishing him nothing but the best.”
