Gov. John Hickenlooper announced today that Rep. Jim Riesberg, D-Greeley, will be the state’s new Commissioner of Insurance. Riesberg will resign his House seat on June 30 and start work on July 1.
“Jim has deep experience as a legislator and public servant. He also has a distinguished career in the insurance, human resources and private sectors,” said Hickenlooper in a press release. “He shares our commitment to an ethic of outstanding customer service and we are pleased to have him as the new commissioner.”
Riesberg will replace John J. Postolowski, who was appointed as interim insurance commissioner on December 1. Postolowski joined the Division of Insurance in 1998, and was eventually promoted to his current deputy position in 2004. He will retain that position.
Riesberg was first elected in 2004 to represent House District 50 (Greeley, Garden City and Evans) in the Colorado General Assembly. He is currently ranking member of the Health and Environment Committee and a member of the Appropriations Committee.
“There’s important work to be done,” said Riesberg, “including implementing the Health Benefit Exchange. This position will require striking a balance between the needs of the insurance industry with the needs of consumers, and I’m confident this can be accomplished. I look forward to working with consumers, the insurance industry, the Department of Regulatory Affairs, the Governor’s Office, and my colleagues in the legislature in this new capacity,” said Riesberg.
Riesberg is a Colorado native who has lived in Greeley for 30 years. Riesberg has a bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s degree in gerontology, both from the University of Northern Colorado.
House Democratic Leader Sal Pace, D-Pueblo, released the following statement praising the Governor’s decision.
“Jim is the right choice for the job and for Colorado. He has a deep and broad understanding of health care and insurance matters and has been a leader in our caucus and in the General Assembly. He’s extremely hard-working and an expert in this field, with decades of experience, and will be an outstanding commissioner of insurance for the state. As a legislator, Jim has been a thoughtful voice for consumers and has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to Colorado’s senior citizens. I wish Jim the best of luck and look forward to working with him in his new capacity.”
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