Welcome to 2026 and thank you for your trust in me as President of MGEC. Thank you to outgoing President Corey Mathisen for his two terms in that role, and all of his service to MGEC! He will continue on the board as the recently elected Vice President, serving a two-year term. Additionally, I’d like to welcome incoming Past President Forrest Hasty. Thank you to previous past-president Fernando Nacionales for his service to our organization and country. Finally, welcome to our new board directors, Bill Meinholz and Mitch Kiecker, and thank you to our departing board directors, Bruce Henningsgaard and Carroll Aasen.
2025 was an exciting year for MGEC, with the negotiation of our 2025-2027 labor agreement with the State of Minnesota, and our organization’s change to a two-employee shop. In 2026, we’ve already seen significant issues arise on a statewide level and at individual agencies. We will not be negotiating a new contract this year, so our primary focus is ensuring you are protected and respected by the employer at work. Our job is to represent you!
If you’d like to get involved, we still need worksite representatives for the following locations/agencies:
- MnDOT District 2
If you’re interested or would like more information on being an MGEC representative, please contact Donna Blackwell at Donna@mgec.org.
Another focus area for MGEC in 2026 is ensuring everyone we represent understands the value of membership and chooses to become a member. Graduate Engineers and Trainees are often unaware of the benefits of collective bargaining and a labor organization that represents them.
I am a Senior Engineer at the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), in the Air Quality Permits Section. In my non-work time, I referee high school hockey, lacrosse, and soccer; I also officiate NCAA lacrosse. I enjoy traveling (including spending time back home in Alaska), cycling, and working on crosswords.
If you ever have any questions or concerns about our contract or our organization, please don’t hesitate to reach out. You can reach us at mgec@mgec.org, and I can be reached directly at MGECPresident@mgec.org.
Sincerely,
Benton Campbell