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In Memoriam - John Flora

January 9, 2020

As you probably saw in the recent email regarding the passing of John Flora and his obituary, I would like to say a few words about John’s involvement in our Chapter.

A few of the details:

John was Public Works Director of Fridley for 20 years from 1980 – 2000 after a 20-year career in the Army Corps of Engineers.
Chapter Director in 1982 and 1983.
John was president of our Chapter in 1986.
He was one of our first instructors at the newly formed Public Works Certificate Program being offered at North Hennepin Community College.
He won a Top 10 Leader award from National APWA in 1994, one of only 17 from our chapter’s history.
He was active at APWA on a national level as the Chapter Delegate representing APWA Regional VI from 1989–1995.
Recipient of the Hugo G. Erickson Award in 1995.
Local Innovation Award recipient in 2000, along with Leonard Kruhm and Tom Kuhfeld, for the Development of Model Municipal ROW Control Ordinance.

As you can see, John was certainly one of our most active movers and shakers of our Chapter during his career, especially the first half of his tenure in Fridley in the 80s.

On a personal note, when I first joined the Chapter in 1988, John was part of the “old guard” that mentored a young Public Works Director from Shakopee. I also remember John always spoke up at our business meetings and was very active in improving the Chapter and also CEAM. He never met a microphone he didn’t like. I also remember him challenging the status quo at State Aid to continually make the design standards fair to not only developing, new cities but to the older cities that were reconstructing their streets and had more constraints.

And who can forget John’s penchant for wearing those Coogi sweaters (google it millennials). He jumped on that fashion statement when it first came on the national scene and stayed with it long after this very brief, flash in the pan fashion trend had played out. It was his signature look!!

He was featured in a “where are they now” article in the fall 2009 Chalkline. Click here to hear John talk about the chapter in his own words.

Well done, John. Many thoughts and prayers to your family and loved ones.

Dave Hutton

History Committee Chair

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