Meet Brian

Brian Hardin comes from a fourth-generation Scotts Bluff County farm family where he learned the value of skinned knuckles and long days. He graduated from Gering High School. He then earned a bachelor’s degree from Chadron State College and a master’s degree from Denver Seminary. A consistent theme throughout his life is leadership. He co-founded one of the larger Independent Marketing Operations in insurance in the US in the early 2000’s. He recruited and trained several thousand independent brokers from all 50 states. He worked daily with those brokers to successfully market their local agencies in both rural and metropolitan contexts. When the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) was enacted, Brian worked with state and local leaders to understand the sweeping changes coming to both personal healthcare choices and the wider economy. His background in working with diverse people in many areas of the country through financial services transitioned into a small-business consulting firm with clients from diverse sectors such as financial technology, cybersecurity, unfunded liabilities, early childhood education and the fine arts. Approximately half of the firm’s clients are international companies transitioning to the US market.

Thinking creatively within the entrepreneurial world is his passion. He currently has business interests and ownership in consulting, financial services, insurance carrier plan design, and commercial childcare.

Brian wants to bring his leadership background to create new opportunities for agriculture and small business. Too many farmers and ranchers experience crushing debt. The exploration of new markets for our produce and attracting new ag-related business here is key. He also wants to help create jobs that attract young workers to Nebraska in general, and western Nebraska in particular. That means both 1) attracting business creators and 2) growing our own business creators. That also means we need to engage that process more aggressively than the states around us.

“Our next generation will go where they have the best work and home-life opportunities. Our farmers and ranchers are some of the very best in the world. We WANT to export our food production. Unfortunately, we’re also unintentionally exporting many of our best and brightest young adults to other states. They leave and don’t come back. Nebraska is bleeding its future. We must create the conditions that encourage the next generation to invest their lives… here. They need career options that allow them to buy a home and plan a future. Let’s build THAT!”

Brian is committed to the well-being of the people in Scotts Bluff, Banner, and Kimball counties and looks forward to serving them with openness. He believes personal liberty can thrive only where government is limited. He wants to hear from you and your hopes for our part of Nebraska. It would be his honor to represent District 48!

Brian and his wife Lili are active in their local church. He is a member of both the NRA and the US Concealed Carry Association. They reside in Gering and have adult children in Nebraska and Colorado. They also have one unruly Jack Russell Terrier.