Shane Bemis
{{short description|American politician|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Shane Bemis
|image = Shane Bemis.jpg
|alt =
|caption =
|office = Mayor of Gresham, Oregon
|term_start = {{start date|2007|01}}
|term_end = {{end date|2020|06}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.wweek.com/news/2020/06/16/gresham-mayor-shane-bemis-resigns-effective-tomorrow/|title=Gresham Mayor Shane Bemis Resigns, Effective Tomorrow|date=17 June 2020 }}
|preceded = Charles Becker
|succeeded = Karylinn Echols{{Cite web|url=https://www.koin.com/news/civic-affairs/karylinn-echols-appointed-new-gresham-mayor/|title = Karylinn Echols appointed new Gresham mayor|date = 29 June 2020}}
|birth_date = {{birth year and age|1972}}
|birth_place = Billings, Montana
|death_date =
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|party = Republican
|otherparty =
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|relations =
|children = Three sons
|residence = Gresham, Oregon
|alma_mater = Marylhurst University
|occupation =
|profession = Restaurateur, politician
|committees =
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}}
Shane Bemis (born c. 1972) is an American politician who is the former mayor of Gresham, Oregon, Oregon's fourth-largest city. He was elected mayor in 2006, at the age of 34, becoming the youngest mayor in Gresham's history. Prior to serving as mayor, Bemis served as a city councilor for Gresham for one term between 2003 and 2007.{{cite web|url=http://greshamoregon.gov/city/city-departments/mayor-and-city-council/meet-the-council/Council.aspx?id=5170|title=Mayor Shane Bemis|date=November 6, 2006|work=City of Gresham|accessdate=July 28, 2015}}
Early life
Shane Bemis was born in Billings, Montana, into a politically active family and ultimately chose to become politically. Raised in Billings, he moved to Gresham when he was fifteen years old.{{cite news|title=Mayors on the Rise: Shane Bemis|first=Thomas|last=Shomaker|work=Nation Swell|date=February 4, 2015|accessdate=July 28, 2015|url=http://nationswell.com/mayor-shane-bemis-gresham-oregon/}} After graduating high school, he attended Marylhurst University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in communications.
In his twenties, Bemis opened a Bellagio's Pizzeria franchise in Gresham. He credits his business pursuits with his belief in bringing a "business-oriented" approach to local governance in Gresham.
Political career
In 2002, Bemis ran for councilor in position #6 against John W. Dillow and won the election by a nearly two-to-one margin.{{cite news|title=Abstract Report - City of Gresham Councilor, Position 6|publisher=Multnomah County, Oregon Division of Elections|date=November 25, 2002|accessdate=July 28, 2015|url=https://multco.us/file/19293/download}} After serving one term, Bemis ran for mayor in 2006 and was elected mayor over incumbent Charles Becker, by a margin of 7,417 votes to 5,208.{{cite web|url=http://portlandtribune.com/component/content/article?id=105121|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222132851/http://portlandtribune.com/component/content/article?id=105121|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 22, 2015|title=Bemis elected mayor: Council president unseats Mayor Charles Becker with 58 percent of the vote|date=November 6, 2006|accessdate=July 28, 2015|first=Mara|last=Stine|work=Portland Tribune}}
In 2007, Mayor Bemis pushed TriMet, the local transit agency, to tackle crime along the MAX light-rail line. This effort resulted in the creation of a transit-police precinct in Gresham.{{cite news|title=Ten police officers may be added to MAX line: Agency plans new precinct to fight crime on east side|first=Michael|last=Ureel|work=Gresham Outlook|date=February 26, 2008|url=http://portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=120409262914826500|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721050806/http://portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=120409262914826500|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 21, 2011}}
Bemis was named by the Portland Business Journal as one of the region's "Forty Under 40 Award" recipients in 2007. The award honors 40 people in the region under the age of 40 who have shown great accomplishments in their professional lives and made outstanding contributions to their communities.{{cite news|title=Gresham Mayor makes Forty under 40 list|first=Robin|last=Franzen|work=The Oregonian|date=March 27, 2007|url=http://blog.oregonlive.com/breakingnews/2007/03/gresham_mayor_listed_among_acc.html}} Bemis is a prominent local business person in Gresham, where he is a restaurateur.[http://www.boccellis.net/ Boccelli's Ristorante website]
Bemis was mentioned as a potential Republican candidate for the 2016 Oregon special gubernatorial election,{{cite news|title=Middle-ground Republican could give Brown a race|first=Steve|last=Forrester|work=The Daily Astorian|date=April 19, 2015|url=http://www.dailyastorian.com/da/capital-bureau/20150419/middle-ground-republican-could-give-brown-a-race}} but ultimately declined to run.
Bemis announced his retirement on June 16, 2020, citing the need to spend time with his family and keep his restaurant business viable during the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite web|url=https://www.opb.org/news/article/mayor-resign-gresham-shane-bemis/|title=Gresham Mayor Shane Bemis Resigns, Says City Must 'Make Way For New Leaders'|date=June 16, 2020|first1= Rob|last1=Manning|work=Oregon Public Broadcasting}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- [http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2009/02/guiding_gresham_as_a_growth_ma.html An opinion piece on Shane Bemis from The Oregonian]
- {{cite news|title=TriMet rethinks Fareless Square: Officials put concerns, fixes on table at regional transit safety summits|first=Jim|last=Redden|work=Portland Tribune|date=November 30, 2007|url=http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=119637530462530500|archive-url=https://archive.today/20080610175708/http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=119637530462530500|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 10, 2008}}
- {{cite news|title=Gresham creating rental housing inspection program|date=September 12, 2007|work=Portland Business Journal|url=http://portland.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2007/09/10/daily21.html}}
- {{cite news|title=Mayor asks for National Guard troops, vehicles to stay longer: Damascus to ask for emergency designation|first=Mara|last=Stine|work=The Gresham Outlook|date=December 22, 2008|url=http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=122998306346610800|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081226175638/http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=122998306346610800|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 26, 2008}}
- [https://archive.today/20110608042750/http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=122913417435802800] Bemis markets Gresham to solar industry
- [http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/02/greshams_mayor_puts_a_premium.html] Mayor Bemis calls for volunteers
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20090331170542/http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=123820468197020000] Gresham hosts green economic summit
- {{cite news|title=Turning Things Around: Leaders credit Shane Bemis for recognizing Gresham's problems and rolling up his sleeves to tackle them in his first year as mayor|first=Ben|last=Myers|work=The Gresham Outlook|date=December 31, 2007|url=http://www.theoutlookonline.com/news/story.php?story_id=119898030011468800}}
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Category:21st-century mayors of places in Oregon
Category:Mayors of places in Oregon
Category:Politicians from Gresham, Oregon
Category:Oregon city council members
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