Immediate Past-President
2023 - 2024
Dr. Gaal was the Director of Training and Workforce Development for the St. Louis-Kansas City Carpenters
Regional Council. He retired after 40 years of service at the end of January 2019. As a labor representative,
John continues to serve on the St. Louis Airport Commission, St. Louis County Workforce Development Board, Missouri Workforce Development Board, and International Vocational Education and Training Association’s Board of Directors (president-elect). Within the past decade, he completed terms of service on the US DOL’s Federal Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship, International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans’ Board of Directors (Chair, Committee on Apprenticeship, Training & Education), National Skills Coalition’s Leadership Council, Association of Skilled and Technical Sciences’ Board of Directors (president), and Association for Career and Technical Education’s Board of Directors.
Dr. Gaal received the Missouri Trade and Technical Outstanding Leadership Award in 2004, the Missouri NEA’s Horace Mann Award in 2007, NAACP’s Labor
Dr. Gaal received the Missouri Trade and Technical Outstanding Leadership Award in 2004, the Missouri NEA’s Horace Mann Award in 2007, NAACP’s Labor
Diversity Advocate Award in 2007, St. Louis Council of Construction Consumers 2008 Diversity Champion
Award, US Labor & Employment Relations Association’s 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award, 2016 SLCC Dick Mantia Labor Award, 2018 CFSTL’s Board of Advisors’ Award, and 2018 ACTE’s Lifetime Service Award.
John completed a union apprenticeship in carpentry over 35 years ago and has since earned an associate’s degree in construction management, a bachelor’s degree in architecture, master’s degree in international business, and a doctorate in organizational leadership. In addition, he completed post-doctoral programs at Harvard University (Trade Union Leadership: 2009) and University of Florida (Marketing & Management: 2014). John was honored with two Fulbright (Specialist) Scholarships in Labor and Industrial Relations (Tokyo, Japan: 2010 and Toronto, Canada: 2015).
He has published numerous articles in peer-reviewed and professional journals on issues related to workforce development. Since 2018, John completed the Mental Health First Aid Train-The-Trainer course, NAMI Family-to-Family Teacher Training course, Missouri Certified Peer Specialist certification, and NWI’s Certified Wellness Practitioner certification.
Dr. Gaal has been married for 35 years, has four children, and is in his 24th year as an adjunct professor at Webster University. Dr. Gaal is IVETA President 2021-2022.
John completed a union apprenticeship in carpentry over 35 years ago and has since earned an associate’s degree in construction management, a bachelor’s degree in architecture, master’s degree in international business, and a doctorate in organizational leadership. In addition, he completed post-doctoral programs at Harvard University (Trade Union Leadership: 2009) and University of Florida (Marketing & Management: 2014). John was honored with two Fulbright (Specialist) Scholarships in Labor and Industrial Relations (Tokyo, Japan: 2010 and Toronto, Canada: 2015).
He has published numerous articles in peer-reviewed and professional journals on issues related to workforce development. Since 2018, John completed the Mental Health First Aid Train-The-Trainer course, NAMI Family-to-Family Teacher Training course, Missouri Certified Peer Specialist certification, and NWI’s Certified Wellness Practitioner certification.
Dr. Gaal has been married for 35 years, has four children, and is in his 24th year as an adjunct professor at Webster University. Dr. Gaal is IVETA President 2021-2022.