Craig Carlson - Business Manager
Carlson began as an apprentice at Chicago’s Lyric Opera where he became Stage Left
Assistant Carpenter and Union Steward before leaving in 1988 to study Sound Reinforcement
at Columbia College. He crewed in the audio department of the Allstate Arena in
1988, joined the Ravinia Festival audio crew in 1990 and became an audio department
head in 1999. That same year he was named Ravinia Festival Master Carpenter, Technical
Director and Steward. From 2000-2009, Freeman Companies called on Carlson to become
Technical Director on their largest annual event, The National Association of Homebuilders
Show Opening Ceremonies.
Carlson was elected to Local 2’s Executive Board in 2002 by the biggest vote, to
that date, in Local 2 history. He was elected Business Manager in 2005 and re-elected
Business Manager by acclamation in 2008, 2011, 2014 and 2017.
Carlson was elected to IATSE Vice President in 2008 and was re-elected by acclamation
in 2009, 2013 and 2017. He’s chaired the IATSE’s 9th District, which covers every
IATSE Local within Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska,
Kansas, Minnesota and Missouri, since 2009. He’s a member of the IATSE PAC Committee
and he’s often served as President or Vice-President of the Chicago Entertainment
Industry Labor Council since 2007.
Carlson was elected Illinois AFL-CIO Vice-President in 2013 and was re-elected by
acclamation in 2016; He sits on Chicago’s Amalgamated Bank Labor Advisory Board,
is an advisor to Flashpoint Academy, is Technical Advisor to Ravinia Festival, has
been a Local 2 Benefit Plan Trustee since 2005 and is a Board Member of 216 S. Jefferson
Street’s Building Association.
Carlson spearheaded the purchase of Local 2’s first ever office; began a Journeyman
/ Apprentice Training Fund (JATF), organized the Joffrey Ballet, Hubbard Street
Dance Company, Shakespeare Theater and the Aragon Ballroom. He also negotiated first
ever Agreements for work at Sears Centre Arena, Lollapalooza, Huntington Pavilion,
Toyota Park, Union Park, Wintrust Arena, RiverEdge Park and many more.