[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 33 (Tuesday, February 27, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S2267]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO W. DON NELSON

  Mr. NELSON of Nebraska. Mr. President, I rise today to express my 
best wishes and appreciation to a staff member who is leaving my office 
after many years of public service.
  W. Don Nelson has served with distinction as my State director in 
Lincoln, NE, since I was elected in 2000, which is no small job in a 
State that stretches 500 miles.
  Although we share the same last name, we do not share a family 
relationship. We do share a passion for public service. W. Don, as he 
is known throughout Nebraska, has a long history of bipartisan 
government service at the highest levels.
  Mr. Nelson worked for former Congressman Douglas Bereuter when he was 
director of the Nebraska State Office of Planning and Programming. He 
also served as a chief policy adviser for former Nebraska Governors 
Norbert Tiemann, Jim Exon, and former Wyoming Governor Ed Herschler and 
was chief of staff for Nebraska Governor Bob Kerrey. Before Don became 
my State director he was in the private sector serving as managing 
director for the Nebraska office of a major national securities firm.
  To say that W. Don Nelson was an important and vital part of the 
staff for those of us whom he served is an understatement. His 
background as a lawyer and investment banker made him invaluable in 
government service but his abilities stretched far beyond that.
  W. Don Nelson is one of the most fiercely loyal and completely 
trustworthy individuals I have ever had the privilege to know. His 
intellect and depth of knowledge on virtually any issue is uncanny. He 
has the courage to confront adversaries at the highest levels and the 
compassion to help those who are less fortunate. He is a gracious host 
and gentleman to friends, and a devoted father and husband to a loving 
family.
  W. Don may be retiring but not to a rocking chair. The W. Don Nelson 
that so many Nebraskans know will never sit back and rest on his 
laurels. His so-called retirement will be in front of a computer screen 
and stalking the halls of government buildings visiting with elected 
and appointed officials from the other side of the desk, as a reporter.
  After answering questions from reporters for much of his career, he 
will be asking the questions. He is crossing over to start his own 
newspaper, called Prairie Fire, in Lincoln, NE. Its objective is to be 
the progressive voice of the Great Plains offering thoughtful, 
bipartisan public discourse about all matters relating to politics and 
the arts and, I imagine, Don's passion, the environment.
  All of us will miss Don, his quirky sense of humor, his vintage 
neckties, his sports cars, and even his outward display of pride in 
Cornhusker Country for his alma maters, the University of Florida and 
Florida State University.
  We wish him every success in his new role as editor, publisher, and 
writer.

                          ____________________