Nick Fish

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American politician and lawyer (1958–2020)

title: "Nick Fish" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1958-births", "2020-deaths", "21st-century-oregon-politicians", "deaths-from-stomach-cancer-in-oregon", "fish-family", "harvard-university-alumni", "lawyers-from-new-york-city", "lawyers-from-portland,-oregon", "northeastern-university-school-of-law-alumni", "oregon-democrats", "people-from-millbrook,-new-york", "portland-city-council-members-(oregon)", "united-states-congressional-aides"] description: "American politician and lawyer (1958–2020)" topic_path: "law" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Fish" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary American politician and lawyer (1958–2020) ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox officeholder"]

FieldValue
nameNick Fish
officePortland City Commissioner
termstart2008
termendJanuary 2, 2020
predecessorErik Sten
successorDan Ryan
birth_placeMillbrook, New York, U.S.
relativesFish family
alma_materHarvard University (BA)
Northeastern University (JD)
birth_date
birth_nameNicholas Stuyvesant Fish
death_date
death_placePortland, Oregon, U.S.
partyDemocratic
imageCommissioner Nick Fish.jpg
captionFish in 2014
::

| name = Nick Fish | office = Portland City Commissioner | termstart = 2008 | termend = January 2, 2020 | predecessor = Erik Sten | successor = Dan Ryan | birth_place = Millbrook, New York, U.S. | relatives = Fish family | alma_mater = Harvard University (BA) Northeastern University (JD) | birth_date = | birth_name = Nicholas Stuyvesant Fish | death_date = | death_place = Portland, Oregon, U.S. | party = Democratic | image = Commissioner Nick Fish.jpg | caption = Fish in 2014

Nicholas Stuyvesant Fish (September 30, 1958 – January 2, 2020) was an American politician and lawyer who served as a Commissioner of Portland, Oregon from 2008 to 2020. A Democrat, Fish worked with Portland Parks & Recreation, the Portland Housing Bureau, and the Bureau of Environmental Services.

Early life

Fish was born and raised in Millbrook, New York. He is a member of the prominent Fish political family. He was the son of Julia MacKenzie and Hamilton Fish IV, who represented New York in the United States House of Representatives from 1969 to 1995. His grandfather, Hamilton Fish III, represented New York in the United States House of Representatives from 1920 to 1945 and served in 369th U.S. Infantry Regiment known as the "Harlem Hellfighters." Fish's great-great grandfather was Hamilton Fish, the 26th United States Secretary of State.

Career

After graduating from Harvard University in 1981, Fish worked as a legislative aide for Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank. He received a Juris Doctor degree from Northeastern University in 1986. Fish practiced law in New York City and in Portland, Oregon.

Fish spent ten years representing health care workers and unions in New York City. He was appointed to Manhattan Community Board Five, a neighborhood association, serving as chair for two years.

Fish championed the renovation of the Times Square Hotel. Working with community non-profit Common Ground, the hotel was remodeled into affordable housing and a thriving community of theater district workers, residents living with HIV/AIDS, and formerly homeless individuals. The Times Square renovation received the Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence in 1997.

Fish moved to Portland, Oregon in 1996 after his wife, Patricia Schechter, was offered a teaching position in the History Department at Portland State University.

Prior to running for elected office, Fish practiced employment law in Oregon, and hosted Outlook Portland with Nick Fish, a public affairs show on KRCW.

Fish served on the boards of Home Forward (formerly the Housing Authority of Portland), the Oregon Cultural Trust, Volunteers of America, and the St. Mark's Historic Landmark Fund.

Politics

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/ff/Pdxcitycouncil02217-4947_(32933458711).jpg" caption="Fish at a meeting of the City Commission"] ::

Fish first ran for a seat on the Portland City Council in 2002, losing to Randy Leonard. He ran again in 2004, losing to future Mayor Sam Adams. In 2008, Fish again ran for the Council, this time in a special election for the unexpired term of resigned Commissioner Erik Sten. He won the seat with 61.4% of the vote. He was re-elected to a full four-year term in 2010 with just under 80% of the vote.

Until February 2013, Fish served as Commissioner-in-Charge of the Portland Housing Bureau and Portland Parks & Recreation.

In 2010, Fish led the creation of the new Portland Housing Bureau, streamlining and consolidating the City's housing programs and services. In 2011, he celebrated the opening of Bud Clark Commons, a cornerstone of the City's 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness.

In June 2013, a shuffling of bureaus among the commissioners by Mayor Hales saw Fish assigned the Bureau of Environment Services and the Portland Water Bureau, and placed in charge of the Regional Arts & Culture Council.

Personal life

Fish and his wife lived for 20 years in Northeast Portland before renting an apartment in Goose Hollow towards the end of Nick's life.

Fish was diagnosed with stomach cancer in 2017. On December 31, 2019, Fish said he was no longer able to carry out his work as a commissioner and announced his plan to resign upon the election of a successor. Two days later, Fish died at his home in Portland, Oregon from stomach cancer. He was 61 years old.

References

References

  1. "Nick Fish (In Memoriam) | the City of Portland, Oregon".
  2. Fish, Nick. "Democratic Party of Oregon".
  3. Bingham, Larry. (2010-09-28). "Portland city Commissioner Nick Fish hopes to secure a medal for a WWI soldier who served with his grandfather".
  4. "Democratic Party of Oregon-Commissioner Nick ish".
  5. "Nick Fish {{!}} Democratic Party of Oregon".
  6. (February 2018). "Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence". Bruner Foundation.
  7. "Portland State College of Liberal Arts & Sciences: Department of History {{!}} Faculty bio-Patricia Schechter".
  8. "2002 September Special Election - Official Results".
  9. "City of Portland 2004 November Election - Official Results".
  10. "City of Portland 2008 May Election - Official Results".
  11. "City of Portland 2010 May Election - Official Results".
  12. Fish, Nick. "Commissioner Nick Fish".
  13. Kost, Ryan. (June 4, 2013). "Hales shuffles city bureaus". [[The Oregonian]].
  14. "Meet Nick {{!}} The City of Portland, Oregon".
  15. Oregonian/OregonLive, Jessica Floum {{!}} The. (2017-08-17). "Portland Commissioner Nick Fish diagnosed with cancer".
  16. "Commissioner Fish says he's blessed with support while battling cancer, hopes Wheeler runs for second term".
  17. "A Message to the Community from Commissioner Nick Fish".
  18. "Portland City Commissioner Nick Fish dead from stomach cancer".

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1958-births2020-deaths21st-century-oregon-politiciansdeaths-from-stomach-cancer-in-oregonfish-familyharvard-university-alumnilawyers-from-new-york-citylawyers-from-portland,-oregonnortheastern-university-school-of-law-alumnioregon-democratspeople-from-millbrook,-new-yorkportland-city-council-members-(oregon)united-states-congressional-aides