The disability community loses a leader, hero, advocate and visionary
SOUTH SAINT PAUL, Minn. – The Association of Residential Resources in Minnesota (ARRM) is saddened to announce the unexpected death of Hammer CEO Tim Nelson, who was a former vice-president and board member at ARRM. He passed away Tuesday at the age of 58, and is survived by his wife, Jean Nelson, two children, and one grandchild.
“Tim was a sweet and supremely caring man and one of the truly great leaders in the disability community, said ARRM CEO Bruce Nelson. “No one had more credibility than Tim. He was brilliant, had a brother with a developmental disability and was a leader among advocates and providers. When Tim spoke, people knew his perspective was from both his heart and his head. He was able to bridge the gap and find solutions among differing ideas.”
Tim Nelson started working for Hammer in 1977 as a direct support professional, and was appointed CEO in 1998 after having served Hammer in a variety of capacities. He was responsible for the overall management and operations of Hammer, and during his tenure as CEO, worked tirelessly to elevate Hammer as a visionary organization that employs dedicated staff to help people with disabilities experience the highest possible quality of life and independence.
Under Nelson’s leadership, Hammer was named a “Top Ten Minnesota Workplace” in a Star Tribune survey in 2010 and 2011, and a “Top 50 Places to Work” in a survey conducted by the Nonprofit Times, a national publication for nonprofit executives. In June, 2011, Nelson received a Changemaker Award from the Arc Greater Twin Cities for his efforts in positively changing systems and policy that benefit individuals with disabilities and their families.
A lifelong advocate for people with developmental disabilities, Nelson was the board president of The Arc of Minnesota, where he helped to advance public policy efforts locally and at the federal level. He also served on many committees, boards and task forces for a wide variety of disability organizations and agencies, such as the American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR), The Council on Quality and Leadership (CQL) and the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS).
Funeral arrangements have not yet been finalized.
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