Opening Ceremonies

Guest Speaker:
                                Thor Eric Nelson

Thor Eric Nelson was born in Westminster, California.  His family moved to Minot when he was 4, returning to the hometown of his father.  He attended Minot Public Schools, graduating from Minot High School in 1986.  After High School, he played Junior A hockey in Waterloo, Iowa.  He then played in Yorkton, Saskatchewan and Minot.  He attended UND for 1 year and then transferred to Minot State University.

Thor started officiating in 1990, working youth, High School, and Junior A games.  He moved up the officiating ladder and began working NCAA Division I and minor pro hockey as well as the Western Hockey League.  He attended the following USA Hockey development hockey camps for officials; THe Western Regional Camp in St. Cloud, MN in 1991, National Development Camp in Colorado Springs, CO in 1993.  He was then moved to the NHL Prospect camp in Toronto, Ontario in 1993.  In 1994, he officiated the U.S. Olympic Festival in St. Louis, MO and was selected to referee the Gold Medal Game.

He has also worked the North Dakota State High School Championships in 1993 and 1994 as well as state chamionships for youth hockey.  In 1992 he was selected to officiation the Women's National Championships in Duluth, MN.  He was then called upon to officiate the 1993 National Bantam Championships in Grand Forks, ND where he was selected to work the Championship game.  In 1994 he was chosed to work the WCHA Playoffs.

He was hired by the National Hockey League in the summer of 1994 to work in the AHL and IHL.  In 1997 he became a Full-Time NHL Officials having officiated 700 NHL games to date.  In 2004 he was named to officiate the NHL All Star Game in St. Paul, MN.  He also has had the privilege to work the Stanley Cup Playoffs six times.

Thor's most memorable career achievement to date is his selection to officiate the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy.  He officiated 4 preliminary round games, 1 quarter-final game and the most memorable game of his career - the Gold Medal Game between Sweden and Finland.

Thor and his wife Jessica live in Minot with their children: Hannah, Thor, Odin and Rhone.

Jack Brown Award of Excellence:
The Jack Brown Award of Excellence is awarded to volunteers or local organizing committee members for outstanding contributions to the Prairie Rose State Games. The award is given in memory of Jack Brown founding member of the Prairie Rose State Games and longtime icon of the sports and recreation community in North Dakota. The Jack Brown award was first awarded in 2002 to his son Dick Brown.