Dear Attorneys and Trustees,　

In April 2018, the Bankruptcy Clerk’s offices for the District of North Dakota and the District of South Dakota entered into a three-year Horizontal Consolidation Pilot Project initiated by the Judicial Conference of the United States Courts.  During the term of the project, Frederick M. Entwistle, Bankruptcy Clerk for the District of South Dakota, served as the Bankruptcy Clerk for both the District of South Dakota and the District of North Dakota.  On May 1, 2021, the three-year term of the project ended.  The employees of the North Dakota Bankruptcy Clerk’s Office join me in thanking Mr. Entwistle for his support, encouragement and outstanding leadership during the past three years, especially in light of the challenges presented during the pandemic. 

After a competitive selection process, Kay A. Melquist accepted the appointment to serve as the next Clerk of Bankruptcy Court for the District of North Dakota.  Ms. Melquist, who began her career with the Bankruptcy Clerk’s Office in 1986 as a Notice Clerk, earned numerous promotions within the office.  Her outstanding work and dedication to the Office eventually lead to her appointment as Chief Deputy in 2005, where she shared responsibility for the administration and supervision of the day-to-day operations and administrative management of the Clerk’s Office.  Ms. Melquist also served and continues to serve as mentor for the Federal Judicial Center Federal Court Leadership and Development Program, the National Conference of Bankruptcy Clerks and New Chief Deputy Mentor Program.  She frequently speaks at national and local conferences, given her broad experience and well-earned expertise in bankruptcy clerk functions.  As Chief Deputy, Ms. Melquist also worked with North Dakota United States District Court and other federal agencies on projects of joint interest.  Please join me in congratulating Ms. Melquist on her appointment as Clerk of Bankruptcy Court.  

Shon Hastings, Chief Bankruptcy Judge, District of North Dakota