Omaha World-Herald: Solomon poised to advance in NU Board of Regents race

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Candidates Susanne Shore and Justin Solomon advanced to the Nov. 3 general election from a special election that drew a sizeable slate of candidates for the District 4 seat on the University of Nebraska Board of Regents.

Rounding out the list of candidates in the race, which is officially nonpartisan, were Larry Bradley and Jim Rogers, who were trailed by Michael Skocz.

The District 4 seat represents central and eastern Douglas County.

All were seeking to succeed Joel Makovicka of Omaha, a former Husker fullback and physical therapist whom Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen appointed to succeed former NU Regent Elizabeth O'Connor of Omaha, a Democrat who resigned Jan. 9. The term expires in 2030. 

Makovicka did not file for reelection, leaving the District 4 race wide open.

Shore, the wife of former governor and current U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, holds a bachelor's degree and MBA from Oklahoma State University, as well as a bachelor's degree in nursing from Creighton University.

Solomon is the chief operating officer and chief financial officer for Integrated Life Choices. He is a former student regent and student body president for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He earned a master’s degree in business administration and a bachelor’s degree, both from UNL. 

Bradley is an adjunct professor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and member of the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District board. Rogers is  a former chair of the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s mathematics and statistical sciences department.

In District 1, Brent Comstock of Lincoln, founder of an advertising and marketing firm, and Jeremy Hosein of Lincoln, a neurosurgeon and former student regent, will advance to the general election. They were trailed by Roland Nance of Lincoln.

Lincoln Regent Tim Clare, who has served on the board since 2009, announced last year he would not seek a fourth term as the District 1 regent. The district is situated in northeast Lancaster County and covers most of Lincoln.

In District 2, Elizabeth Butler, the Omaha city clerk and a member of the Papillion La Vista school board, and Jill Wolfe of the Elkhorn area, a former owner of Midwest Medical Transport, advanced automatically.

NU Regent Jack Stark had previously announced that he would not seek a second term representing the district, which represents southwestern Douglas County and northwestern Sarpy County.