Mitchell Melich (1 February 1912 in Bingham Canyon, Salt Lake County, Utah – 12 June 1999) was Solicitor for the United States Department of the Interior under the first Richard Nixon administration.
Biography[edit]
Melich was born in Bingham Canyon, Utah to parents who were immigrants from Serbia.[1] In high school and college Melich worked as a copper miner in Bingham Canyon.[2] He received a law degree from the University of Utah in 1934.[1] That same year he moved to Moab, Utah.[1] He worked as Moab attorney and also as Grand County, Utah attorney.[1] He was elected to the Utah State Senate in 1942.[1] He served in the state senate until 1950 and was the majority leader in 1949.[2] In 1948 he ran unsuccessfully for U.S. congress.[1]
In 1952 he was involved with Charles Steen in founding Utex Exploration Co.[1][3] He also was president of Uranium Reduction Co. from 1954 to 1962.[1]
A lawyer and a member of the Republican Party, Melich ran for the Utah governorship in 1964, but lost to Democrat Cal Rampton.[3]
While he was solicitor to the interior department Melich served for a short time as acting secretary of the interior after Walter J. Hickel was removed from office.[2]
After his time with the interior department Melich moved to Salt Lake City where he worked as a lawyer with the law firm of Ray, Quinney and Nebeker.[2]
References[edit]
