Erik Helland

Erik Helland grew up on his family's farm.{{cite web|url=http://www.erikhelland.com/?page_id=2 |title=Erik Helland |publisher=Erik Helland |date= |accessdate=2011-11-28}} He graduated from Ballard High School and then went on to earn his undergraduate degree in biochemistry and molecular biology and his Juris Doctor from Drake University.

Helland worked for a bank as a compliance officer. and became an Iowa field staffer for John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign. In 2008, he decided to run to represent the 69th district in the Iowa House of Representatives, which includes Grimes, Johnston, Polk City, Saylorville, Alleman, Elkhart, and parts of Sheldahl, from 2009 to 2013. He was the state director for Tim Pawlenty's 2012 presidential campaign in Iowa.{{cite web|author=Team Pawlenty |url=http://www.timpawlenty.com/articles/press-release-governor-pawlenty-unveils-iowa-staff |title=Press Release - Governor Pawlenty Unveils Iowa Staff | Pawlenty 2012 |publisher=Timpawlenty.com |date=2011-06-16 |accessdate=2011-11-28}}

He faced Richard Sosalla in the general election and won with 61% of the vote. He was re-elected in 2010 without opposition. He was the Midwest political director for former New York Governor George Pataki’s 21st Century Political Action Committee.

Helland was the Iowa state director for Tim Pawlenty's 2012 presidential campaign. He was also the majority whip in the Iowa House of Representatives. In 2012, he lost reelection in the Republican primary to Jake Highfill.{{Cite web |url=http://electionresults.sos.iowa.gov/default.aspx?eid=22 |title=Secretary of State - Election Night Results - June 5th, 2012 |access-date=2013-03-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130211131217/http://electionresults.sos.iowa.gov/default.aspx?eid=22 |archive-date=2013-02-11 |url-status=dead }} His Committee assignments included Administration and Rules, Legislative Council, Local Government, State Government and Ways and Means.{{cn|date=August 2023}}

Between 2013 and 2023 Helland ran a business, which deals with Medicaid appeals in Alaska.

In 2020, Governor Kim Reynolds appointed him as a member to the Public Employment Relations Board until 2024,{{Cite web |date=2020-04-24 |title=Gov Reynolds Erik Helland appointment letter member of PERB|url=https://www.bleedingheartland.com/static/media/2022/07/ErikHelland2020appointmentletter.jpg |website=bleedingheartland}} and in 2021, she appointed him as a chair to the Public Employment Relations Board until 2022.{{Cite web |date=2020-04-24 |title=Gov Reynolds Erik Helland appointment letter as Chair |url=https://www.bleedingheartland.com/static/media/2022/07/ErikHelland2021appointmentletter.jpg |website=bleedingheartland}} even though the Iowa Senate did not confirm him.State senators never voted on Helland's nomination, since the Governor withdrew his nomination at the end of the 2021 legislative session and "played musical chairs with"the Public Employment Relations Board.{{Cite web |last=Belin |first=Laura |date=2022-07-29 |title=Governor still playing musical chairs with employment board |url=https://www.bleedingheartland.com/2022/07/29/governor-still-playing-musical-chairs-with-employment-board/ |access-date=2023-08-30 |website=Bleeding Heartland |language=en}}

In 2023, Governor Kim Reynolds appointed him Chair of the Iowa Utilities Board.

{{Election box begin | title=2012 Republican Primary for Iowa’s 69th House of Representatives District}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Republican Party of Iowa

|candidate = Jake Highfill

|votes = 622

|percentage = 52.1

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Republican Party of Iowa

|candidate = Erik Helland

|votes = 572

|percentage = 47.9

|change =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=2010 General Election for Iowa’s 69th House of Representatives District}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Republican Party of Iowa

|candidate = Erik Helland

|votes = 14,681

|percentage = 100.0

|change =

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=2008 General Election for Iowa’s 69th House of Representatives District}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Republican Party of Iowa

|candidate = Erik Helland

|votes = 14,228

|percentage = 61.0

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|

|party = Iowa Democratic Party

|candidate = Richard Sosalla

|votes = 9,111

|percentage = 39.0

|change =

}}

{{Election box end}}

Helland is married. They live in Des Moines with their three children.{{Cite web |date=2023-08-30 |title=Board Members |url=https://iub.iowa.gov/about-us/board-members |access-date=2023-08-30 |website=iub.iowa.gov |language=en |publisher=Iowa Utilities Board}}

He is a former president of the Grimes Lions club and a former board member of the Des Moines Young Variety. As of 2011, he attended St. Peter’s Lutheran Church.

{{Reflist}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20110129235635/http://www.iowahouserepublicans.com/members/erik-helland Iowa House of Representatives profile]
• [http://www.votesmart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=103388 Interest Group Ratings]
• [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/uniquecandidate.phtml?uc=9442 Campaign Finance Information]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Helland, Erik}}

Category:Republican Party members of the Iowa House of Representatives

Category:Living people

Category:1980 births

Category:Iowa lawyers

Category:People from Johnston, Iowa

Category:Drake University Law School alumni

Category:21st-century members of the Iowa General Assembly