Rep. Dan Nordberg will serve as the regional administrator for Region 8 of the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Republican State Rep. Dan Nordberg of Colorado Springs announced Monday that he will resign his seat to accept an appointment with President Trump’s administration. Nordberg will serve as the regional administrator for Region 8 of the U.S. Small Business Administration.

In his new position, Nordberg will oversee SBA’s programs in the six states that comprise Region 8: Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. The SBA has an office in every state and 10 regional offices located across the United States. The SBA connects small businesses in all stages of the business lifecycle to resources that provide the capital, counseling and contracting expertise they need to start, grow and expand their business.

Nordberg was elected in 2012 to represent House District 14, consisting of northern Colorado Springs suburbs, and reelected in 2014 and 2016. Since taking office in 2013, he has sat on the House Business Affairs and Labor committee, and served as its ranking member since 2015. Nordberg also previously served as chairman of the Legislative Audit Committee, the body tasked with examining state agencies’ financial records and reviewing and releasing audit reports and recommendations for special studies.

During his five years in the Legislature, Nordberg established himself as a collaborative leader and champion for small business, a reputation that he believes was at least partly responsible for his appointment to the SBA.

"I’m ready and excited to go to work for small business to support and counsel America’s dynamic entrepreneurs," says Nordberg. "This is a tremendous honor and I look forward to joining the SBA team and participating in its great mission to support small business." Nordberg is especially eager to use his position to help small businesses improve their cybersecurity, to work with stakeholders to find solutions to skilled labor shortages, and to provide veterans the resources necessary to transition to jobs after their service in the military.

Before his service in the Legislature, Nordberg worked as district director for U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn. In this capacity, he served as a liaison to Colorado’s business community as well as federal and state agencies.

Previous to that, Nordberg worked as a legislative aide in Washington, D.C. where he focused on small business, homeland security and financial services issues.

Born and raised in Colorado, Nordberg graduated from Colorado State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political science. He and his wife Maura, a school psychologist, are the proud parents of three children.

Nordberg stated that his resignation will take effect the beginning of January and that the House District 14 Republican Vacancy Committee will meet on Dec. 21 to appoint his replacement. The person chosen by the committee will be seated before the start of Colorado’s 2018 legislative session and serve out the remainder of his term.

Reactions to Rep. Nordberg’s Appointment:

"Dan Nordberg’s leadership skills, effective interpersonal style and depth of knowledge on business policy issues make him uniquely qualified to tackle this role," Gardner said. "He will serve Colorado well and I look forward to working with him to advocate on behalf of Colorado’s small businesses."-U.S. Senator Cory Gardner

"I’ve had the privilege of working with and knowing Dan through his public service in the Colorado General Assembly, and I can say confidently that he possesses both the passion and competency to fill this role with excellence. His colleagues on both sides of the aisle respect and admire him for his even-handedness, honesty and integrity. His policy expertise and sharp intelligence make him a great choice for this appointment."-U.S. Representative Doug Lamborn

"No Member of the House Republican Caucus sponsored more bills into law last session than Rep. Nordberg. That’s a real testament to his quality as a legislator and a person. We’ll certainly miss his leadership but are excited for him and this great opportunity to serve our country."-Colorado House Minority Leader Patrick Neville

"I’ve been incredibly fortunate to work with Representative Nordberg at the State Capitol. He has been an amazing champion on behalf of Colorado businesses and achieved great legislative successes due to his honesty, integrity and ability to work with members on both sides of the aisle. He is the perfect fit for this new opportunity and we look forward to continuing to work with him to protect the needs of Colorado businesses!"-Loren Furman, Senior Vice President, State and Federal Relations, CO Association of Commerce & Industry

Rep. Dan Nordberg’s Honors and Awards:

* 2017 Kempe Foundation "Champion for Kids" Award. Recognized for legislative efforts to improve the coordination of child welfare services between the Colorado Department of Human Services and the military.

* 2017 Department of Defense Certificate of Appreciation. Awarded by the Office of Military Community and Family Policy for leadership on public policy changes which positively impact the quality of life for service members and their families residing in Colorado.

* 2016 Jewish Colorado "Legislative Appreciation" Award. Honored for demonstrating leadership on issues of importance to the Jewish community.

* 2016 Independent Bankers of Colorado "Defender of Main Street" Award.

* 2015 Independent Bankers of Colorado "Legislator of the Year" Award. Recognized for ardent support of small business and community banking.

* 2015 University of Colorado-Colorado Springs Legislative Recognition Award. Presented in appreciation for support of higher education priorities in Southern Colorado.

* 2013, 2014, 2016, & 2017 Colorado Civil Justice League "Common Sense in the Courtroom" Award. Presented for efforts to promote tort reform and protect small businesses from frivolous lawsuits.

* 2013 Colorado Springs Business Journal "Rising Star" Award. Nominated by peers and selected based on career accomplishments and commitment to community.

Notable Legislation:

In 2014, Nordberg sponsored HB 14-1003, a Non-Resident Disaster Relief Worker Tax Exemption. That legislation, which was signed into law by Gov. John Hickenlooper, exempts non-residents from the state income tax if they perform emergency-related work on critical infrastructure that has been affected by a declared state disaster emergency. This was a direct response to some of the major flooding the Front Range had experienced the year before. The measure also provides an exemption to non-resident emergency service workers if they provide emergency service work related to the declared disaster emergency.

In 2015, Nordberg went after the state’s health insurance marketplace, Connect for Health Colorado, calling for an audit of the state’s agency responsible for administering the federal Affordable Care Act. The audit unearthed what Nordberg and several other legislators called "disturbing discrepancies," including a general finding that the exchange could not "sufficiently ensure that public funds were being spent in accordance with federal requirements." In addition, it was found that $489,000 in "unallowable or unreasonable" payments had been made to vendors and service providers and that there was $31.6 million in contract irregularities. The culmination of his efforts led to the successful passage of SB15-019, legislation which expanded the authority of the state auditor to conduct a full, comprehensive performance audit of Connect for Health Colorado.

In 2015, Nordberg teamed up with Rep. Beth McCann (currently Denver District Attorney) to sponsor HB 15-1078: Report Missing Youth in State’s Custody. This bill addresses a disturbing trend in human trafficking by ensuring that if a child in foster care goes missing, he or she is immediately reported to law enforcement and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Because children in foster care are often preyed upon by human traffickers, it is vital they are reported missing at a moment’s notice to help save them from their captors.

In 2016, Nordberg sponsored SB16-197, the single biggest rewrite of state liquor law since the end of Prohibition, and one that headed off what would have been a hard-fought ballot initiative, with each side planning to spend millions on their respective campaigns. The bill ended up being lauded by both sides of the issue — big box stores like Wal-Mart and Target and little mom and pop liquor stores alike — as a true compromise measure that protected small businesses while also phasing in greater consumer choice in the marketplace.

In 2017, Nordberg sponsored Senate Bill 17-028, known as the Healthy Families and Military Preparedness Act. The bill, which passed the Senate unanimously, passed the House 64 -1 and was signed by the governor, establishes better coordination of child welfare services between the Colorado Department of Human Services and the military. To honor his efforts, the Kempe foundation named Nordberg as their 2017 "Champion for Kids."