Bob Guenther, one of three founding members still on the Board, has seen Pinchot Partners grow from a seedling of concerned citizens — willing to at least look for common ground — to the sapling Pinchot Working Group, to the present day non-profit it has become.
Bob has been a go-getter from the get go.
Born and raised in Lewis County (Onalaska), Bob worked for Centralia Power Plant for 34 years and has been with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local #77 (IBEW 77) a whopping 51 years, and the Electrical Machinist Union #297 for 9 years.
He is a member of the Lewis County Economic Alliance, Pacific Mountain Workforce Development Council; President of the Thurston-Lewis-Mason County Labor Council; and does legislative work for IBEW 77.
His ability and willingness to work with and through legislative channels has helped bring millions of dollars in revenue to Lewis County. Working through legislation with IBEW 77 and the Centralia Coal Transition team, he has helped bring EV stations to Highway 12. He has been part of efforts to raise funding for the Roxy Theater in Morton, Centralia School District, the Discovery Team (youth education) that works with the U.S. Forest Service, and ZAP energy research. Currently he’s working on an education project that will place tree rounds in schools that use tree growth rings to show a timeline of local events. He also is passionate about current work with Washington State University nanocellulose pulping of biomass.
He said he has no plans of slowing down. “You have to use the time you have,” he said from the 110-acre tree farm where he lives with his wife Judy. Their home, near Onalaska, is close to family, including their five grandkids.