Saline Area Schools Pick a New School Board Trustee

The Saline Area Schools Board of Education appointed Nate Hanson to fill the vacancy on the school board left by Brad Gerbe. The appointment came at the July 14 school board meeting where a handful of the candidates were interviewed.

After much back and forth amongst the school board with it seeming divided on who they wanted to appoint, either Hanson or candidate Kelly Van Singel, the Board of Education finally ended up appointing Hanson to serve on the school board until Dec. 31, 2026.

The vacancy came about after the resignation of former school board trustee Brad Gerbe, who said on June 10 that he was stepping down because this fall he would be employed as a teacher with Saline Area Schools.

Originally from Iowa, Hanson and his family moved to Saline in 2024. His education and work background include a degree in finance from the University of Iowa, and for the last 22 years he has been a commercial airline pilot and before that he was a Financial Advisor for Merrill Lynch/ Prudential Securities. He has two children in the district, one in middle school and one in high school.

In his letter of interest, Hanson said, “We’ve been in Saline for a little over a year and I would bring a fresh perspective without any past bias to the board.”  

Here is more from Hanson’s letter expressing his interest in the role.

“As a pilot I work in a dynamic environment that requires poise and calm under pressure. I understand the importance of expanding your team, gathering information, and working together to reach safe decisions.  Being impulsive is the biggest threat to safety for pilots. One of my strengths is being calm and poised in difficult environments which would lend itself well to being a trustee.”   

“I’ve naturally gravitated to a teaching/coaching role in all of my past professional experiences and feel I genuinely connect with educators and teachers.”   

“I view my lack of formal experience as a teacher or educator as a strength as it allows me to see things from a broad and unbiased perspective.”

“There are several teachers, coaches, and administrators who have been very supportive of our family and move to Saline.  Most of my big decisions tend to follow a natural path that feels right. When I reflect on what has happened to our family and the district this past year we all feel like we are home.   I’ve learned a lot about the board and was extremely impressed with the selection process for a new superintendent. This is a great opportunity for me to give back to the community and support the district. I’ve discussed my decision with my family and several community members and everyone is supportive of my applying for the position of trustee.”

Photo of Nate Hanson during the July 14 meeting from the Saline Area Schools YouTube Channel