Remembering Matthew T. Denholm, Regional Director of Region 9-Cincinnati

It is with great sadness that we announce the unexpected passing of our colleague, Matt Denholm.

Matt was appointed in 2020 to serve as the Regional Director of Region 9-Cincinnati, where his office is responsible for conducting elections, investigating unfair labor practice charges, and protecting the right of workers to act collectively to improve their wages and working conditions in parts of Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and West Virginia.

His career with the Agency, and specifically Region 9, began in 1977 when Matt was hired as a Field Examiner. In 2000, he became the Region’s Compliance Officer, and, the following year, he was promoted to Supervisory Field Examiner. At the end of 2014, Matt was promoted to Assistant to the Regional Director, and ably served as Acting Regional Director from June 2018 through August 2019.

A native of Akron, Ohio, Matt began his distinguished service to our country while in the United States Air Force acting as a Vietnamese linguist from 1970 to 1974. He graduated summa cum laude from the University of Akron in 1977 with a degree in Political Science.

Current and former NLRB colleagues remember Matt as a strong leader whose commitment to the Agency’s mission is laudable.

“Matt was a tremendously dedicated public servant whose 46-year career at our Agency surely improved countless workers’ lives,” said General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo. “For decades, he tirelessly worked with Regional staff to promote and enforce the National Labor Relations Act and to fight for workers’ rights to join together to advocate for workplace change. He will be sorely missed.”

“We are deeply saddened by Matt’s sudden death. He has been an asset to the Agency for more than four decades, and his dedication to the Agency has been an inspiration to all who were fortunate to work with him,” said Chairman McFerran. “We extend our deepest sympathy to his family and friends.”

Matthew is survived by his wife Michelle and their son Christian.

Patricia K. Nachand, the Regional Director of Region 25-Indianapolis, will serve as Acting Regional Director of Region 9.

Established in 1935, the National Labor Relations Board is an independent federal agency that protects employees, employers, and unions from unfair labor practices and protects the right of private sector employees to join together, with or without a union, to improve wages, benefits and working conditions. The NLRB conducts hundreds of workplace elections and investigates thousands of unfair labor practice charges each year. Region 9 serves Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia from its Regional Office in Cincinnati.