Hospitality Minnesota, a St. Paul-based association management organization, announced Tuesday that it has named Dan McElroy president.

McElroy-who has been commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) since 2007-will replace Dave Siegel and will assume his position in early January. Siegel left the organization earlier this year to take a position as executive director of the Builders Association of the Twin Cities.

Hospitality Minnesota is the management entity of the Minnesota Restaurant Association, the Minnesota Lodging Association, and the Minnesota Resort and Campground Association. The associations joined forces in 1958.

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.

He served on the city council in Burnsville for five years and was also the city's mayor for eight years. In addition, McElroy was a state representative in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 1995 to 2003.

“Dan's background in public policy will help advance the missions of our three associations and better serve our members,” Mitch Peterson, chairman of Hospitality Minnesota's board, said in a statement. “We believe his extensive experience in government affairs will help each organization understand the array of issues impacting their respective industries.”

According to a statement from the organization, McElroy has gained an understanding of the hospitality world through his involvement in the private sector's travel and leisure industry as the CEO for Travel Agency Management Solutions, Inc., president of Mainline Travel, and chief financial officer of Travel Professionals.

“I am honored and excited to lead Hospitality Minnesota as it prepares for future growth,” McElroy said in a statement. “I am ready to start a new chapter in my career where I can help Minnesota's restaurant, lodging, and resort and campground industries recover from the effects of the national recession. These communities work hard and I hope to help them rebuild by strengthening existing policy initiatives and increasing value to our members.”