Reed, Mark E. (Mark Edward), 1866-1933

Lumberman, politician, financier, and Washington State Representative.

Reed was hired to run the Simpson Logging Company's store in Shelton, Washington in 1897, and took over management of the company upon Sol Simpson's death in 1906. Reed expanded the firm, and strove to build a company that could survive the turbulent timber industry. He resisted the unionization of his labor force, but sought to reduce turnover by continually improving conditions in his logging camps. He also expanded operations to make pulp and other products out of wood that had been previosly wasted, and fought for the eight-hour work day with the Spruce Production Board during WWI. These strategies and his refusal to take on large amounts of debt allowed the company to grow during the 1920's and survive the Great Depression. He served as mayor of Shelton for four years, and then won a Republican seat in the Washington State House of Representatives in 1914, where he strongly favored reducing taxes and opposed most Progressive Era reforms, but was willing to compromise with reformers and organized labor. He was elected Speaker of the House every legislative session between 1923 and 1929, and fought governor and fellow Republican Roland Hartley over the level of gubernatorial control over administrative agencies and state spending for education, roads, and reclamation. In 1927 and 1929 Reed helped craft compromises between the pro- and anti-Hartley factions, but did not seek re-election in 1930. Thereafter he agreed to manage President Hoover's 1932 re-election campaign in Washington State. At various times in his life he was also director of the First National Bank of Seattle, and afilliated with the Phoenix Logging Company, Reed Mill Company, and the Washington National Bank of Olympia. He died in 1933.

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