Local 478 Business Manager and President Nate Brown began his career running a bobcat for Kiewit Construction in 1999. From his first union experience of being initiated through the Examining Board to attending monthly membership meetings, Nate began to see how Local 478’s strength was solidly built on a foundation of member commitment and participation. These were two qualities that he related to since both his parents served on community boards in his hometown of Plymouth and volunteered with charities like the Special Olympics. As Nate’s experience working heavy construction grew so did his interest in the union, especially as he became more involved in the locals’ activities like building the Fantasy of Lights and phone-banking for Local 478 endorsed political candidates.  During that same period, Local 478 began its organizing program to increase our signatory employers’ market share while creating new employment opportunities for our members. In 2003, Nate began working as a 478 Organizer, a position that gave him a greater understanding of the challenges faced by union companies and trades people working in Connecticut’s heavy construction industry.  

After six years of being an Organizer, Nate became Referral Manager and Chief Political Strategist and Government Relations Representative.  His duties as Referral Manager enabled him to build relationships with the surrounding IUOE locals while his political and governmental responsibilities allowed him to begin working collectively with the other trades. These jobs reinforced the importance of organized labor - at every level - to work together for the benefit and betterment of all their members. Nate’s lobbying, governmental relations work, and campaign and election coordination gave him an in depth understanding of how local, state and federal governments effect the lives and the livelihoods of every Local 478 member. It also showed how important it was for the Local to harness members energy and interests to give a loud and consistent voice to the Local’s legislative agenda and political goals by lobbying members of the legislature at the State Capitol, attending town council meetings and participating in press conferences with members of Connecticut’s congressional delegation. These member driven political activities grew into our grass-roots based Local 478 Volunteer Action Committee - the driving force behind our efforts to elect candidates who will advocate and support legislation that promote safe working conditions, solid wages and benefits and a secure future for all our Local 478 brothers and sisters and their families.  In 2014, Nate became the New London County and Eastern Connecticut Business Agent while continuing his political work at the Capitol.

In November 2023, the Local 478 Line Officers elected Nate as President and, in March 2024, they elected him as Business Manager. These positions allowed him to draw upon his two decades of Local 478 experience working at the Hall and serving as a Local 478 Executive Board Member, the Local’s Treasurer and as Trustee on the Local 478 Annuity Fund. With his expanded responsibilities as Local 478 Business Manager and President, Nate will also serve as a Trustee on the Health, Pension and Annuity Funds.  As he works with the Training School staff to expand the school’s physical footprint and increase the number of courses, he is also committed to bolstering our Apprenticeship Training Program to ensure the next generation of Local 478 Operating Engineers are prepared to meet the challenges that come with new construction technology.  Training our members to prepare for long-term careers, solidifying our signatory employers’ market share through organizing, and boosting our political action through our volunteer Action Committee are the most effective ways to ensure that our Local 478 members have the most opportunities to build better lives for themselves and their families while also living up to Local 478’s tradition of “Building a Better Connecticut.”

Outside of Local 478, Nate has also served as Vice President of the Connecticut State Building Trades Council, President of the Greater Waterbury Building Trades, a member of the Northwest Workforce Investment Board and, one of his greatest prides, as a Plymouth Town Council Member, serving his hometown just as his parents had.   

When Nate is not at work, he likes to spend time with his grandson Ezra “Eggman” and ride his side-by-side around the New Hampshire woods.

Nate Brown

Local 478 Business Manager & President