Four vie for three seats

Lew Hudson

Age: 78.

Address: Baxter.

Position sought: Re-election to Brainerd School Board.

Occupation: Retired newspaper reporter and columnist.

Education: Bloomfield, Iowa, High School Class of 1945, U.S. Navy 1945-46 and Drake University from 1946-1949.

Civic/Community involvement: Executive secretary, Rosenmeier Center for State and Local Government at Central Lakes College; board member, Retired Senior Volunteer Program; chair of Brainerd School District's Facilities Review Citizen's Advisory Committee (1989), adjunct faculty, Central Lakes College (1992-96), teaching journalism and political science; Brainerd School District board member from 1994-2005, twice serving as board chair.

Why are you running? "District 181, with more than 1,200 employees and an annual budget of $66 million, is dedicated to the most important task of any public agency - educating our young people. My years on the board have taught me how the system works and how to work within it effectively to advance that goal. My particular talent is long-range planning, which is what has brought us to where we are and will guide us into the future. To that effort I pledge every talent I possess."

Michael Lambert

Age: 48.

Address: Brainerd.

Position sought: Election to Brainerd School Board.

Occupation: Brainerd police officer for 19 years.

Education: A.A.S. in law enforcement.

Civic/community involvement: MADD's Youth in Action; MADD's Victim Impact Panel; Brainerd girls' youth softball coach; Kiwanis member and board member; Brainerd Police Department Officer of the Year for 2001 and 2004.

Why are you running? "Like many of the residents of this district I'm a blue-collar worker and I will bring a different perspective to the school board based on my community involvement and my experience as a police officer. I'm concerned about future plans to decommission some of Brainerd's neighborhood schools and if I'm elected Nov. 8, I will be the only school board member that lives in the city of Brainerd. I will fight to keep these schools open. Off-year elections, March referendums I feel, are not proper when some of our residents are out of the area to become involved."

Ruth Nelson

Age: 47.

Address: East Gull Lake.

Position sought: Election to Brainerd School Board.

Occupation: Marketing/communications.

Education: Bachelor of science degree in business from the University of Minnesota.

Civic/community involvement: Lord of Life Lutheran Church council president; Brainerd Schools Parent Advisory Committee; fifth- and sixth-grade Math Master program coach; past PTA president and PTA secretary; newsletter editor for the city of East Gull Lake and member of the city park and recreation committee.

Why are you running? "Brainerd has wonderful schools. I have stayed actively involved in the schools by volunteering in classrooms and being on various school district committees. I have enjoyed working in the schools and want to stay involved. As a school board member, all decisions I make will be based on what is best for the students. It is vitally important that all children receive the best education we can provide. This will be my goal. I will visit the schools. I will listen to parents, teachers and the community. I will work hard to continue the tradition of excellence in District 181."

Bob Nystrom

Age: 48.

Address: Baxter.

Position sought: Re-election to Brainerd School Board.

Education: 1975 Brainerd High School graduate; 1977 Brainerd Community College graduate, A.A. degree; 1980 University of Minnesota graduate, bachelor of science degree in pharmacy.

Occupation: Pharmacist.

Civic/community involvement: Past business owner, Nystrom Drug in downtown Brainerd; Brainerd Rotary Club member; Lakewood Evangelical Free Church member; and four-year member of Brainerd School Board.

Why are you running? "I'm running for a second term on the Brainerd School Board because I believe that we've come to an important crossroad in public education. We have much to be proud of in the district. However, we're entering an era of less state funding of education and ever-increasing mandates put on us by the state and federal governments. We must remain diligent and positive in the hard decisions that have to be made about our school district. I believe my past business and board experience have prepared me for the road we will be traveling on in the near future."