Gordon C. Faber (April 2, 1931 – August 18, 2014) was an American politician and businessman in the U.S. state of Oregon. He served as mayor of Hillsboro, Oregon, from 1993 to 2001.
Early Life and Education
Faber was born on April 2, 1931, in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, to Ben Faber. His family moved to Hillsboro, Oregon, in 1934, where he grew up. He graduated from Hillsboro High School in 1949 and attended Lewis & Clark College in Portland for a year and a half before enlisting in the United States Air Force at the onset of the Korean War. He served in the Armed Forces Special Weapons project for nearly four years. After his military service, he returned to Oregon and earned a degree in economics from Willamette University in 1956.
Business Career
Following college, Faber worked in his family's plumbing, electrical, and retail appliance business in Hillsboro. He eventually bought out his brother and father, and operated the business until selling it in 1985. He later worked as a car salesman and then as a real estate agent for Barbara Sue Seal Properties. He was also an active member of Hillsboro's Rotary International club, serving as its president from 1984 to 1985.
Political Career
Faber's political career began on Hillsboro's budget committee. He served on the Hillsboro City Council from 1981 to 1985 and again from 1987 to 1993. In July 1992, he announced his candidacy for mayor to replace Shirley Huffman, who was term-limited. He ran unopposed and won the election in November 1992, taking office in 1993.
As mayor, Faber cast a tie-breaking vote in April 1995 that allowed construction of an apartment complex in the Jackson School neighborhood, a decision he later described as the toughest he had to make. He initially stated he would not seek a second term but changed his mind, winning re-election in November 1996 with 84% of the vote against opponent Gordon B. Sherman.
During his tenure, Hillsboro grew from approximately 40,000 residents to 72,630, becoming the fifth most populous city in Oregon. Key developments included the opening of the MAX Light Rail Blue Line to Hillsboro, the creation of the Ronler Acres urban renewal district (which led to a new Intel campus), the construction of Hillsboro Stadium, and the development of the Hillsboro 2020 Vision plan. Faber also worked to defeat a proposal to site a women's prison in Hillsboro in 1997, with the facility ultimately built in Wilsonville.
Faber left office on January 2, 2001, and was succeeded by Tom Hughes.
Later Life and Legacy
After leaving office, Faber suffered a heart attack but survived. The Gordon Faber Recreation Complex in northeast Hillsboro, which includes Hillsboro Stadium and Hillsboro Ballpark, is named in his honor. A scholarship in his name, administered by the Hillsboro Community Foundation, supports local students pursuing nursing careers. Faber died on August 18, 2014, at his home in Hillsboro at age 83 due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
