David L. Mallino

David Lloyd Mallino Sr. died Sunday, Aug. 17, 2014, at his home in Missoula. He was 71.

Mr. Mallino grew up in Monessen, Pennsylvania, but spent most of his working life in Washington, D.C., where he was a well-known lobbyist on labor issues. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Maryland with a dissertation on the politics of OSHA regulations and occupational disease, and those issues were part of his portfolio at the Government Research Corporation, the original publisher of the National Journal, in the early 1970s.

In 1975, Mr. Mallino was working for then-Congressman John Dent of Pennsylvania when the congressman took the unusual step of filing a trade case – and anti-dumping petition – against most of the foreign car companies selling into the United States. Three years later, in 1978, Volkswagen opened the first foreign automobile factory in the United States in New Stanton, Pennsylvania.

During his tenure with the congressman, he was also the principle staff investigator for the House Education and Labor Committee into the Scotia Coal Mine disasters – two explosions on March 9 and March 11, 1976, that killed a total of 26 miners in Letcher County, Kentucky. After Congressman Dent's retirement in 1978, Mr. Mallino went to work for Secretary of Labor Ray Marshal, where he served as the secretary of DOL's Steel Tripartite Committee, which brought together labor, industry and government, in an effort to develop a comprehensive national steel policy.

After leaving government service, Mr. Mallino worked for the United Steelworkers of America, the Industrial Union Department of the AFL-CIO, and others. Then in 2000, Mr. Mallino started his own company, Mallino Government Relations, which principally represented a number of labor unions on occupational safety and labor standards issues.

In 2011, Mr. Mallino moved to Missoula. There he continued his work with Mallino Government Relations but took up something new as well. He became a playwright. His play "Ruby," based on the life of a notorious Montana madam, opened in Missoula in September 2013. It was produced and directed by Mr. Mallino's daughter, Carrie Ann Mallino, and the cast included former Montana Congressman Pat Williams.

Mr. Mallino is survived by his wife, Margaret Mallino; his son, David Lloyd Mallino, Jr.; his daughter, Carrie Ann Mallino; and two granddaughters, Margaret Kathryn Mallino and Abigail Louise Mallino. His daughter Margaret Christine Mallino died in infancy.

A memorial service will be held in September in Washington, D.C.
Read David Mallino's Obituary and Guestbook on www.missoulafuneralhomes.com.