Reps. Nofs, Accavitti, Ball, Baxter, Casperson, Clack, Elsenheimer, Farrah, Garfield, Gosselin, Hansen, Hildenbrand, Hopgood, Huizenga, Jones, Kolb, Kooiman, LaJoy, Marleau, Meyer, Moore, Mortimer, Pearce, Phillips, Proos, Robertson, Sak, Shaffer, Stahl, Taub and Vander Veen offered the following resolution:

            House Resolution No. 85.

A resolution of tribute for Robert Brent Nelson upon the completion of his term on the Michigan Public Service Commission.

Whereas, It is a great pleasure to extend this expression of our thanks and best wishes to Robert Brent Nelson for over six years of service on the Michigan Public Service Commission; and

Whereas, Commissioner Nelson’s commitment to excellence in public service spanning over thirty years has provided our state and country with outstanding leadership through a period of time when the energy, transportation and telecommunications industries have experienced unprecedented changes. Through these times, Commissioner Nelson has exhibited the highest standards of citizenship, dedication and unselfishness; and

Whereas, Prior to his appointment to the Public Service Commission, Commissioner Nelson served as President of the Michigan Electric and Gas Association from December 1987 until his appointment to the Commission on May 10, 1999.  From 1979 to 1987, he was Director of the Commission’s Office of Regulatory and Consumer Affairs, overseeing the legislative, legal, public affairs and consumer services functions of the Commission.  From 1976 to 1979, he served as both Assistant and Deputy Director of Policy at the Commission.  From 1974 to 1976, he was an Assistant and, later, Senior Assistant Prosecutor for Ingham County.  From 1970 to 1974, he was a trial attorney for the Federal Communications Commission.  He served as the Chairman of the Administrative Law Section of the Michigan Bar Association, and has also served as Chairman of the East Lansing Cable and Telecommunications Commission; and

Whereas, During his recent tenure as a Michigan Public Service Commissioner, Robert Brent Nelson served as member of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners’, served as Chairman of the Telecommunications Committee, and served on the Consumer Affairs Committee; and

Whereas, He was also a member of the North American Numbering Council, an advisory committee to the Federal Communications Commission on numbering issues, served on the Advisory Council for the Center for Public Utilities at New Mexico State University, and is a member of the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Services; and

Whereas, Commissioner Nelson worked tirelessly to implement energy and telecommunications restructuring legislation in Michigan; and

Whereas, Commission Nelson has frequently provided critical expert testimony before many state legislative and congressional panels; and

Whereas, Commissioner Nelson’s intelligence, vision and integrity have earned him widespread acclaim and our deepest appreciation; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives, That the members of this legislative body honor and commend Robert Brent Nelson upon leaving state government after years of distinguished service to Michigan and sincerely wish him continued success in all endeavors; and be it further

Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to Robert Brent Nelson as a token of our esteem.