LINCOLN- Gov. Pete Ricketts appointed North Platte banker Mike Jacobson to fill the open seat of former state Sen. Mike Groene, who resigned this week following allegations that he took inappropriate photos of a former female staff member.

Jacobson, founder and president of NebraskaLand National Bank, was sworn in as the District 42 senator on Wednesday morning after the governor's announcement at the state Capitol. He was joined by his wife, Julie. Jacobson will complete Groene's term, which ends in early January 2023, and stated that he will run for election to the seat for a full term

Jacobson has been active in the community, serving as Chair of the North Platte Redevelopment Authority, Chair of the North Platte Airport Authority, and on the Great Plains Health Board of Directors. He’s also a Past President of both the North Platte Development Corporation and North Platte Public Schools Foundation Board. He has also given leadership to numerous professional and statewide associations. He’s a Past Chairman of the Nebraska Bankers Association and Past President of the Agriculture Builders of Nebraska Inc.

He has been a board member of the Nebraska Independent Community Bankers and has served on various committees with the American Bankers Association. Additionally, he’s served on the Governor’s Agricultural Advisory Council; University of Nebraska President’s Advisory Council; and University of Nebraska Council for Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching (CARET).

Jacobson is a graduate of Sutton High School and holds a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Economics/Agricultural Education from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Three North Platte residents had filed for the District 42 seat: Lincoln County Commissioner Chris Bruns, Brenda Fourtner, and retired Great Plains Health CEO Mel McNea. The district redrawn by the Legislature last year includes all of Lincoln, Logan, McPherson, Thomas, and Hooker counties and a large part of Perkins County.

For the full article click HERE