Mel Johnson

Mel is a native of Portland, Oregon and graduated from Oregon State University in 1956 with a BS degree in Engineering with a minor in Architecture. While working at the Alcoa, Vancouver smelter, he took night classes for two years at Portland State University and finished half of the courses towards an MBA, but moved to Wenatchee before completing the schooling.

Mel served in the Army Ordnance two years during the Korean War in 1954/1955 and was assigned to an engineering design group at White Sands Proving Ground (WSPG) in New Mexico and participated in the development of some of the earlier missile weapons and facilities. During his time in at WSPG he played softball for the post team that won the State hard pitch softball championship.

Following graduation for Oregon State University, Mel began a career with Alcoa in Vancouver, WA. as a Process Engineer. Mel worked for Alcoa for 38 years in Process Engineering and Production Superintendent positions in Wenatchee and Australia. Mel was a new Potline Startup Specialist for Alcoa and assisted other aluminum companies in starting Alcoa designed facilities in Quebec, Australia, Kentucky and Missouri.

During his initial assignment at the Alcoa, Wenatchee smelter starting in 1962, Mel designed about fifty homes in the Wenatchee Valley on weekends, using his Architecture training from Oregon State University. Mel and his first wife Lou had two children, Greg & Kit and both Mel & Lou were certified ski instructors at Mission Ridge for nine years.

During the past six years Mel, after retiring from Alcoa, has been working as a Technical Consultant to the Aluminum Industry on a worldwide basis with 75% of the consulting activities occurring in foreign countries including New Zealand, Australia, Brazil and Siberia.

He has participated in numerous community activities during the past 31 years of living in the Wenatchee Valley, which include:

• Board Member- United Way of Chelan-Douglas County
• President of the Board of Directors of:
• Wenatchee Racquet and Athletic Club.
• Central Washington Hospital Foundation.
• YMCA.

Mel and Donna have been married for twenty-two years and they have a combined family of five grown-up children with eight grandchildren and one more on the way!

• Greg (BS in Business- University of Colorado) is Director of Activities at Vail/Beaver Creek ski area.
• Kit (BS degree Biology- University of Washington) has been a Professor at the University of California at San Diego for the past five years after getting her Doctorate degree at Harvard in microbiology and genetics.
• Jay (BS in Business- Central Washington University) is Co-owner of a Company that is a Manufacturer's Representative for a multiple number of Companies with offices in Issaquah.
• Stacy (A double BS degree in Marketing and Business Administration- Washington State University) is a Factory Representative who markets play school equipment in the Northwest.
• Shad is a carpenter and he has been working in Alaska, Hawaii, Washington and Oregon.

Mel joined Rotary in 1980 and was sponsored by Dale Gwinn, was Club President in 1992/1993 and served on the Board of Directors for three years. Mel and his wife Donna are Paul Scea Fellows, Paul Harris Fellows and Rotary Foundation Benefactors.

"I strongly endorse Rotary and the efforts it is making to improve world peace and understanding."

One of the Rotary perks that Mel has taken advantage of is to attend Rotary meetings while traveling both in the USA and in other countries.
"It is a real learning experience sitting down in other clubs to discuss subjects with Rotarians in other parts of the USA or in other countries. Every Rotarian should take advantage of attending other Rotary Clubs since it gives all of us the opportunity to be good ambassadors for our Rotary Club, the community and the USA."

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