[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 7]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 10159]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    IN APPRECIATION OF BRUCE GOURLEY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MIKE THOMPSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 24, 2007

  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to mark the 
retirement of Bruce Gourley, who has been a member of the International 
Brotherhood of Electrical Workers for 30 years, During this time, he 
has served the group in a number of capacities, and has brought the 
voice of Local 180 to a variety of forums throughout the State.
  Mr. Gourley was born in St. Petersburg, Florida, but completed high 
school in Denver before joining the Navy. He served until 1970, and 
when he left the service he decided to remain in the Vallejo area with 
his family. He received his business degree from Solano Community 
College in 1973.
  Mr. Gourley joined the IBEW Local 180 in 1978 while he was working as 
a construction electrician. Even as he continued to work, he pursued a 
teaching credential from the University of California at Berkeley. He 
became credentialed in 1983, and has taught classes through an 
apprenticeship program for many years.
  In 1988, Mr. Gourley was elected to the executive board of Local 180, 
and has since served 3 terms while taking on a variety of other 
responsibilities on behalf of numerous local and State labor interests. 
Within Local 180, he has served 3 terms as the Business Manager 
Financial Secretary, helping to guide the financial activity of the 
group.
  Mr. Gourley has also served with numerous other organizations, 
including the California Electricians Public Relations Committee, the 
Vallejo Unified School District, and beginning in 2001 he was tapped to 
use his teaching experience with the California Electrical Joint 
Apprenticeship and Training Committee. He has also been extensively 
involved with the committees of the Northern California Sound and 
Communication workers. In 2003 he was appointed to assist and lead the 
very important work of the Council on Industrial Relations.
  Madam Speaker, it is appropriate at this time that we thank Bruce 
Gourley for his many years of service to the labor community. His 
extensive efforts to educate future generations of electrical workers, 
and his determination to foster a productive negotiating environment in 
northern California have been extremely valuable.

                          ____________________