Business Development Coordinator, Iowa LECET
Chairman, Iowa Laborers Health and Welfare Fund
Vice President, Iowa Federation of Labor AFL-CIO
Bill Gerhard received a B.A. degree from the University of Iowa, conferred in 1972. He has been a member in the Laborers’ Union (LIUNA) since 1970. He was elected business manager of the Iowa City Local 1238 in 1976. He was elected business manager of the Iowa Nebraska South Dakota Laborers District Council in 1988, a position he held until 2001, when the North Central Illinois District Council and the Iowa Nebraska South Dakota District Council was combined to form the Great Plains Laborers’ District Council. Bill Gerhard became secretary-treasurer of the new council. In 2010, Bill was elected the president of the Iowa State Building and Construction Trades Council and held this position until 2023.
In addition, Bill is the business development coordinator for Iowa LECET and the chairman for the Iowa Laborers Health and Welfare Fund. Bill is very pleased and honored to be a vice president of the Iowa Federation of Labor AFL-CIO.
Some of the issues and projects that Bill has been working on include:
- Creating and growing several Labor Management committees with our building trades unions and our union contractors. The Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Laborers Management Committee meets monthly.
- Increasing awareness of our Building Trades Apprentice Programs.
- Working with the University of Iowa, area contractors, and other building trades representatives to conduct an annual construction safety conference.
Bill’s wife Valerie is a psychologist at the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics. They have three children: Bethany, Will, and David.