John L. Downey
General President
International Union of Operating Engineers
Elected General President in January 2025. He previously served briefly as an International Vice President. Since 2010, he has also held several important roles within the International, including Northeast Region International Representative, Director of the Construction Department, and Chief of Staff. John is a first-generation Operating Engineer who became a member of Local 542 in Philadelphia, PA after helping to organize his employer. He worked mostly in sand and gravel pits running equipment such as excavators and concrete crushers, until being named a Business Agent for the Local in 2005. He has also served on the Board of the National Maintenance Agreement Policy Committee.