Government Affairs Committee April 2009

The April Government Affairs Meeting will feature Tom Hanson, Commissioner of Minnesota Management & Budget (Formerly Department of Finance). 

Commissioner Hanson will discuss the budget and the impacts on the business community. 

See below for a complete bio: 

Tom Hanson is a native of Mahnomen, Minnesota. He has over 20 years of experience working as a public servant, of which 12 years have been spent in Minnesota state government.

Until he was appointed Commissioner of Finance (now Minnesota Management & Budget) in December of 2006, Tom served as deputy chief of staff and director of legislative and cabinet affairs to Governor Tim Pawlenty. He joined the Pawlenty administration from the Minnesota House of Representatives' Republican Caucus. He served as the Legislative Director to the Speaker of the House from 1999 to 2003 and was the House GOP Caucus Director of Legislative Services from 1995-1998. He also served in Washington D.C. from 1985-1991 as a Congressional Press Secretary and Legislative Analyst. He has been a member of the National Conference of State Government's Legislative Effectiveness Committee and the Council of State Government's Suggested Legislation Committee.

Commissioner Hanson graduated from Concordia College Magna Cum Laude in 1985 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History with Business and Political Science minors. He earned his Juris Doctorate from George Mason University School of Law in 1993 and is admitted to practice in Minnesota. He currently lives in Maple Grove, Minnesota with his wife, Kris and their son, Sam.