Nels Pierson is truly a product of Minnesota’s First Congressional District (CD), learning the value of hard work and community service growing up on what is now a 4th generation family dairy farm near Butterfield, MN. He has lived in the First District his entire life, graduating from Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, MN, and establishing a family and career in Rochester, MN.
Nels mirrors the approachable, industrious mindset of his neighbors in the First Congressional District. He and his wife, Nicole, have been married for over 20 years and have five children through birth and adoption. After 20 years of working in property development and real estate sales, Nels became President of A.B. Systems, Inc., a design/build commercial construction company headquartered in Rochester.
Involvement in the community turned into public service as Nels volunteered with community organizations and the local Republican Party. His volunteering and willingness to take action led to a grassroots effort as campaign manager for Minnesota Senator Carla Nelson’s first election to the Minnesota House. After that race, Nels served as campaign manager for Minnesota 1st District Congressman Gil Gutknecht for two cycles.
In 2013, Nels was encouraged to run for an open Minnesota House seat and was elected to represent the citizens of House District 26B, covering five cities and 14 of the 18 townships in Olmsted County.
During his first term, Nels advocated for the rural interests of his neighbors for programs and funding for the Minnesota Turkey Growers to address the 2015 Avian Flu outbreak.
He fought for improvements in health care delivery for vulnerable individuals and is very proud of being named with an Outstanding Leadership Award from the Commission of Deaf, Deaf-blind, and Hard of Hearing Minnesotans.
He sought and supported changes in K-12 instruction to focus on teaching for the application of knowledge and skills rather than teaching to the test.
Truly focused on all Minnesotans, Nels will meet with anyone who needs help with a legislative issue and doesn’t shy away from tough discussions with those across the aisle.
Presently, he serves on the Capital Investment and Human Services Finance and Policy Committees, Behavioral Health Policy Division, and the Legislative Audit Commission.
A hallmark trait, his supporters often remark,
This spills over into his ongoing community service endeavors. He has served on the board of directors of the History Center of Olmsted County, as a Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce ambassador, volunteered as a Rochester Youth Soccer coach at his children’s schools, and within his church community. Nels enjoys long-distance running and, among many other races, has completed every Med-City marathon since they began in 1996.
In addition to a B.A. from Gustavus Adolphus College, Nels earned his Juris Doctor from the Hamline University School of Law in 2012.
