Brian M. Nelson has been identified as one of New Jersey’s “Rising Stars” of government and politics in a newspaper group’s list of men and women likely to emerge as the next generation of leaders at the regional and state levels and beyond.

The staff of Gannett media outlets in New Jersey – including six daily newspapers and several weeklies and websites – contacted party leaders and other officials from around the state and asked them to identify up-and-coming political leaders. In the resulting report, published in Gannett newspapers and on its websites on Sunday, April 21, one source says of Mr. Nelson, “He is a true leader whose influence will only grow in time.”

Mr. Nelson is a member of the board of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, appointed by Gov. Chris Christie, and serves as counsel to government agencies, including as township attorney in Middletown. A former executive director of the New Jersey Republican State Committee, Mr. Nelson served as New Jersey counsel to Gov. Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign in 2008 and was a member of Gov. Christie’s transition team.  Mr. Nelson’s wide-ranging experience includes representation of government entities, elected and appointed officials, nonprofits, and private and public corporations that do business in the State of New Jersey.