Nick Fish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nick Fish
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| Portland City Commissioner | |
| In office 2008 – January 2, 2020 |
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| Preceded by | Erik Sten |
| Succeeded by | Dan Ryan |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Nicholas Stuyvesant Fish
September 30, 1958 Millbrook, New York, U.S. |
| Died | January 2, 2020 (aged 61) Portland, Oregon, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Relatives | Fish family |
| Alma mater | Harvard University (BA) Northeastern University (JD) |
Nicholas Stuyvesant Fish (born September 30, 1958 – died January 2, 2020) was an American politician and lawyer. He served as a City Commissioner in Portland, Oregon, from 2008 to 2020. As a member of the Democratic Party, Fish helped manage important city services. These included Portland Parks & Recreation, the Portland Housing Bureau, and the Bureau of Environmental Services.
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Early Life and Family History
Nick Fish was born and grew up in Millbrook, New York. He came from the well-known Fish political family. His father, Hamilton Fish IV, was a U.S. Representative for New York from 1969 to 1995.
His grandfather, Hamilton Fish III, also represented New York in the U.S. House of Representatives. He served from 1920 to 1945. He was also a soldier in the 369th U.S. Infantry Regiment, known as the "Harlem Hellfighters." Nick Fish's great-great grandfather, Hamilton Fish, was the 26th United States Secretary of State. This shows a long family history of public service in government.
Education and Early Career
After finishing his studies at Harvard University in 1981, Nick Fish worked for Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank. He then earned his law degree from Northeastern University in 1986. Fish practiced law in both New York City and Portland, Oregon.
In New York City, he spent ten years representing health care workers and their unions. He was also appointed to a neighborhood group called Manhattan Community Board Five. He served as its chairman for two years.
Fish played a key role in the renovation of the Times Square Hotel. He worked with a non-profit group called Common Ground. They turned the hotel into affordable housing. It became a lively community for theater workers, people living with HIV/AIDS, and those who used to be homeless. This project won the Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence in 1997.
In 1996, Fish moved to Portland, Oregon. His wife, Patricia Schechter, got a teaching job at Portland State University. Before running for office, Fish practiced employment law in Oregon. He also hosted a public affairs TV show called Outlook Portland with Nick Fish on KRCW.
He also served on the boards of several important organizations. These included Home Forward (which helps with housing), the Oregon Cultural Trust, and Volunteers of America.
Public Service in Portland
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Nick Fish first ran for a seat on the Portland City Council in 2002 but did not win. He ran again in 2004 and also lost. In 2008, he ran for the Council a third time in a special election. This time, he won the seat with 61.4% of the votes. He was re-elected for a full four-year term in 2010, winning almost 80% of the votes.
As a City Commissioner, Fish was in charge of different city bureaus. Until February 2013, he oversaw the Portland Housing Bureau and Portland Parks & Recreation.
In 2010, Fish led the creation of the new Portland Housing Bureau. This helped to organize and improve the city's housing programs. In 2011, he celebrated the opening of Bud Clark Commons. This building was a major part of the City's 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness.
In June 2013, Mayor Hales changed which bureaus each commissioner managed. Fish was then assigned the Bureau of Environmental Services and the Portland Water Bureau. He also became responsible for the Regional Arts & Culture Council.
Personal Life and Legacy
Nick Fish and his wife lived in Northeast Portland for 20 years. Later in his life, they rented an apartment in Goose Hollow.
Fish was diagnosed with stomach cancer in 2017. On December 31, 2019, he announced that he could no longer do his work as a commissioner. He planned to resign once a new commissioner was elected. Two days later, on January 2, 2020, Nick Fish passed away at his home in Portland.
