Secretary Ken Carlson has been actively involved with IAPMO for nearly twenty years. Immediately prior to his current appointment, he served on the IAPMO board of directors representing the northern district for six years.

Carlson first became involved in the plumbing industry after his studies at Portland State University were interrupted by a stint with the Oregon Air National Guard. His term of service ended in 1974. At that time, he was also in the middle of his apprenticeship with the Plumbers Local #51 Apprenticeship Training School, completing the apprenticeship in 1976. From 1971 to 1984, Carlson was employed by Howard's Plumbing in Portland, where he worked his way up from apprentice to journeyman and on to plumbing supervisor.

In 1984, Carlson accepted a position with the city of Portland as a plumbing inspector. He was promoted to senior plumbing inspector in 1990, and became chief plumbing inspector in 1998. He is chairman of the Oregon State Plumbing Board and a member of the American Society of Sanitary Engineering and the American Society of Plumbing Engineers. Carlson has been active in IAPMO since 1987 and has served as vice chairman and chairman of the Cascade chapter, where he now serves as secretary.

Born in Iowa but raised in Portland, Carlson has continued to live in the Portland area all of his life. He and his wife of thirty-nine years, Cathy, raised two children, Clint and Kristi, who are now adults. He enjoys spoiling his five grandchildren and, when he has time, also likes hunting, shooting, archery, and spending time outdoors.