C-Level Awards 2026: Kent Miller, President/Business Manager, Wisconsin Laborers’ District Council

Kent Miller has spent more than two decades building a career from the ground up — literally.

Miller began as a union pipe layer before rising through the ranks of the Laborers’ International Union of North America to become President/Business Manager of the Wisconsin Laborers’ District Council in 2022. He now leads an organization representing 10,000 active and retired skilled construction craft laborers across Wisconsin.

His leadership philosophy is straightforward: lead from the jobsite up, not the office down.

“I am not flashy or showy, and instead provide steady, visible, and consistent leadership,” Miller said. “I focus on clear direction, consensus building, and empowering staff to do their jobs effectively.”

Under his leadership, LIUNA Wisconsin has grown membership, secured more work and strengthened its health and pension funds by engaging early with developers and project owners on major power generation projects, data centers and key infrastructure.

Brian Hornung, Chief Operating Officer at Findorff, praised Miller’s approach.

“He is a decisive business leader who fosters strong, pro-labor management relationships and remains deeply community-minded in his approach to leadership,” Hornung said.

Miller also serves on the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO Executive Board and the Wisconsin Building Trades Council Executive Board.