North Dakota Elected Officials Appointed to National Leadership Positions

North Dakota Officials Appointed to CSG Leadership Positions

Rep. Kim Koppelman of North Dakota, the Chairman-elect of the Council of State Governments, has announced the appointment of four North Dakota officials to prominent national leadership positions in CSG.

Rep. Blair Thoreson of Fargo was appointed to co-chair the CSG Technology Working Group.

Sen. Rich Wardner of Dickinson will co-chair the CSG Education Policy Task Force,

Speaker of the House, Rep. Jeff Delzer of Underwood, will vice chair the Health Policy Task Force.

Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem will vice chair the Public Safety and Justice Task Force once co-chaired by Koppelman.

"These appointments are important to North Dakota, because they give our state great influence in this very prominent national state government organization," said Koppelman. "It isn't often that this many people from our state rise to this level of leadership in such an important national organization, particularly at the same time."

CSG is the only national organization made up of all three branches of government in all 50 states. Its members also include US territories and several Canadian provinces, including those bordering North Dakota, are affiliate members.

"These appointments are in keeping with North Dakota's long history of active participation and leadership within the interstate community," said Mike McCabe, director of CSG Midwest, one of four regions within CSG's national structure. "CSG is honored to have this fine group of distinguished public officials from North Dakota in key leadership positions and we look forward to Representative Koppelman's turn at the helm."

The Midwestern Region includes 11 states, from North Dakota to Ohio. Regional meetings, as well as national meetings, are held each year.