Bruce H. Nelson

Bruce Nelson was born in Oakland, CA and was raised in Berkeley and El Cerrito, CA.  He is a third generation Californian.  He attended El Cerrito schools and is a graduate of Golden Gate University in San Francisco and the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy in Quantico, VA. He is a retired police captain having spent 30 years with the El Cerrito Police Department.  After retirement, he spent 2 years as the director a child advocacy center in Contra Costa County and also consulted in local government relations.

Bruce married Helen Heibel Ghiringhelli in 1999.  He enjoys spending time with his daughters Carri, Kristen, Sara and their families.  Helen and Bruce spend as much time as they can with their 8 grandchildren.  Bruce is also very active in issues related to traumatic brain injury and is a member and former Chair of the California Traumatic Brain Injury Advisory Board. He is also past President and currently Treasurer of the Brain Injury Resource Center of the Redwood Empire.

Bruce is the managing member of Heibel Ranch Vineyards LLC.   Since 2001 he has spent many hours in the vineyard and working on the financial aspects of running the operation.