Two Minnesota attorneys have been selected by Governor Mark Dayton to lead two of the state's key business departments-the Department of Revenue and the Department of Commerce.

Myron Frans-a tax attorney who formerly worked at Minneapolis-based law firm Faegre & Benson, LLP-has been named commissioner of revenue, and Mike Rothman-a shareholder at Minneapolis-based law firm Winthrop & Weinstine, PA-is the state's new commissioner of commerce.

The appointments were announced Wednesday.

Frans, who has been a tax attorney for 27 years and previously served as a senior tax partner at Faegre & Benson, will not begin his new position full-time immediately due to his obligations as president and CEO of Golden Valley-based Leeds Precision Instruments, Inc. Dayton said that Frans will serve on a voluntary part-time basis in the meantime.

Dan Salamone-former commissioner who is now deputy commissioner-will manage the department on an interim basis until Frans assumes his role full time. It is unclear when that will happen and a Thursday morning call to Dayton's office was not immediately returned.

Prior to joining Faegre & Benson, Frans was a tax partner at Minneapolis-based law firm Gray Plant Mooty. Frans began his tax practice in 1983 with the firm of Miller & Chevalier, which is in Washington, DC. He has been active in the American Bar Association, the Minnesota Bar Association, and the Hennepin County Bar Association.

Rothman, who has been a shareholder with Winthrop & Weinstine since 2002, will leave the firm and officially begin his position on January 12.

In addition to his work at Winthrop & Weinstine, which includes co-chairing the firm's insurance and financial services practice group, Rothman has taught as an adjunct professor at the University of Minnesota Law School. He is also a founding board member of the Minnesota Urban Debate League and sits on several other community advisory boards and organizations.