JOBS FOR MINNESOTANS STATEMENT ON LOSS OF CO-FOUNDER DAVID OLSON
St. Paul, Minn. (July 17, 2014) – Minnesotans lost a great leader this week with the passing of David Olson. As president of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and co-founder of Jobs for Minnesotans, David was a tireless champion for growth and prosperity, cheerleading everything that is great about our state. For many of us who knew him as a friend, he inspired and challenged us to see beyond our differences to channel our collective skills and talents to make Minnesota a better place to live and do business. David’s influence is immeasurable and will be long-lasting.
Most importantly, David will be missed for so many of us on a personal level because of the type of man he was and his unique ability to connect with people. He aspired to a type of leadership that is seldom seen these days – he motivated rather than directed. He brought people together from all walks of life to solve issues and collaborate on causes. Whether he was challenging our elected officials to improve the state’s business climate or working with labor leaders to bring more jobs to the state, David always put his best efforts forward and demanded the same of the rest of us.
He was passionate about jobs and business and growth. He was a tough negotiator, but he was always fair, always aware of the greater good and the bigger picture. We’ll miss his guidance and governance, but most of all, we’ll miss his friendship. On behalf of the entire board of Jobs for Minnesotans, our hearts and prayers go out to David’s family, all of his many colleagues and his entire staff at the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce.
Harry Melander
Jobs for Minnesotans Co-Founder
Nancy Norr
Jobs for Minnesotans Board Chair
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Jobs for Minnesotans was co-founded in October 2012 by the Minnesota Building and Construction Trades Council representing 55,000 workers and the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce representing 2,300 companies and 500,000 employees. This coalition represents businesses, middle class workers, labor, local governments and other supporters of job creation in the state of Minnesota. Jobs for Minnesotans was created to educate and provide information about the direct and ancillary job creation that the strategic metals mining can produce for the state.
Media Contact:
Cam Potts
952.346.6038
cpotts@webershandwick.com
To the Region: Unite … Align … Endure
Mesabi Daily News
Opinion: Al Hodnik (ALLETE)
Magnetation, ESSAR and PolyMet provide clear evidence of the enduring nature of our natural resource based economy. Yet neither of these projects, existing mines or any others that could come, can be taken for granted. LTV standing idle 13 years later reminds us of that.
For our mining economy to continue, the region must speak up loudly, clearly and in unison for our way of life.
Underground Mining: Twin Metals Explores New Era
Mesabi Daily News
Bill Hanna
Twin Metals Minnesota officials have identified some sites for facilities in its first copper/nickel/precious metals mine plan in the Ely-Babbitt areas.
“No final decision has been made, these are preliminary for our first operation. But we believe some thoughts are mature enough to discuss with folks,” said Bob McFarlin, vice president of public and government affairs for the company.
McFarlin said the company plans other projects in the mineral-rich Duluth Complex, which would have the company in business on the Iron Range “well in excess of a century.”
County Board: No to PEIS
Mesabi Daily News
Bill Hanna
The St. Louis County Board voted 6-0 Tuesday for a resolution against a far-reaching Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for the Superior National Forest at a meeting that turned rambunctious with outbursts by mining opponents.
The meeting drew about 70 people equally split on the issue.
County Commissioner Keith Nelson called for a break in the session for decorum and some police presence.
“I asked for law enforcement so that everyone would be treated with respect. I was concerned about the atmosphere in the room. All of them (copper/nickel/precious metals opponents) were allowed their five minutes to speak to the board. But as soon as we started to speak they became disrespectful,” said Nelson, who had pushed for a County Board roll call vote on the resolution.
Ely Echo
Editorial
This past week city councils in Ely, Babbitt and Aurora passed resolutions in opposition to a proposed PEIS in the Superior National Forest. We’re sure this was done with the best of intentions, but the further we dig into this the stranger it gets.
To start with, a PEIS is a programmatic environmental impact statement. From what we can gather, instead of looking at one proposed mining project, the USFS would look at all projects and see what the impact would be.
The PEIS has been called a “stealth attack” on the future of mining in northeastern Minnesota. Those looking to support mining see this as a delay in getting projects underway and a duplication of other EIS already completed or in the works.
Understandably, this has a lot of folks very upset including Rep. Rick Nolan, the Iron Range delegation, industry groups and mining businesses.