Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development | 332 Minnesota Street, Suite E200, St. Paul, MN | Phone: 651-259-7119 | E-mail: dan.mcelroy@state.mn.us 

No member of Governor Pawlenty’s cabinet has worked with him in as many roles as Dan McElroy, commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. McElroy joined Governor Pawlenty's leadership team in 2003 as commissioner of finance and later served as the governor's chief of staff before becoming the Governor's senior advisor on innovation in 2005. McElroy chairs the boards of the Minnesota Job Skills Partnership, the Urban Initiative Loan Program, and the Public Facilities Authority.  He is a trustee of the Minnesota State College and University System and a member of the board of the Minnesota Bio Business Alliance. McElroy served in the Minnesota House with Pawlenty from 1995 to 2003.


Born: July 15, 1948 in Minneapolis

Spouse: Mary Lohmann McElroy, married in 1977

Education: BA, University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana

Career history: Commissioner of Employment and Economic Development, January 2007-present; Senior Advisor on Innovation, Office of Governor Tim Pawlenty, September 2005-December 2006; Chief of Staff, Office of Governor Tim Pawlenty, January 2004-September 2005; Commissioner of Finance, January 2003-January 2004; Member, Minnesota House of Representatives, January 1995-January 2003; Mayor, City of Burnsville, January 1987-January 1995; Member, Burnsville City Council, January 1983-January 1987; President, Travel Agency Management Solutions, July 1994-December 2002; and  President, Mainline Travel, 1992-1994.

Outside activities: Trustee, Minnesota State College and University System; Chair, Minnesota Public Facilities Authority; Chair, Minnesota Job Skills Partnership Board; Chair, Minnesota Urban Initiatives Loan Board; Chair, Minnesota Agriculture and Economic Development Loan Board; Member, Minnesota Environmental Quality Board; Director, Bio Business Alliance of Minnesota Member, Blandin Broadband Initiative Board; Member, NextGen Energy Board; Member, Burnsville Breakfast Rotary; and Member, Burnsville Chamber of Commerce.

Awards received: Mr. McElroy was named Business Person of the Year by the Burnsville Chamber of Commerce, received two Distinguished Service Awards from the League of Minnesota Cities, was named a Distinguished Alumni by De La Salle High School, and was honored by several groups as their Legislator of the Year when he served in the Minnesota House.

Key achievements: Mr. McElroy has been married to his wife, Mame, for almost 31 years and is very involved with his extended family. He built, with his business partners, a large and successful travel agency group and later a successful software development and consulting practice assisting travel agencies. He authored Governor Carlson’s major adoption reform initiative in 1996. He served as Commissioner of Finance during the budget challenge in 2003.