Russ Becker, who has served as CEO of APi Group since 2004, will become chair of the Minnesota Business Partnership (MBP) in January.

The Partnership is an association of the state’s largest employers, which historically has weighed in on state policies that affect jobs and the economy, education and workforce, and health care.

Becker will succeed Medtronic CEO Geoff Martha, who announced Becker’s leadership selection Thursday night at the conclusion of a major MBP gathering in U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.

Becker will assume the chair’s role at an important time for the Partnership.

Minnesota’s growth rate trails a majority of U.S. states. So there’s a strong need for business executives to work with politicians and civic leaders to create conditions that will stimulate business expansions and attract new companies to Minnesota.

In addition, Becker will work with a new Partnership CEO. Kurt Zellers abruptly left that position in late June after being CEO for less than three years. Charlie Weaver, an attorney and former legislator, was executive director of the Partnership from 2003 to 2023. Duane Benson, a former state senator, held the job from 1994 to 2003.

Martha said that he looked forward to partnering with Becker as he prepares for the chair’s role. With about three months left on his term as chair, Martha also indicated that he would continue to “oversee the selection process of the new CEO.”

In addressing the attendees at the MBP event, Becker was direct about the Partnership’s work and in describing himself and his leadership approach.

“While some may look at this time in Minnesota as challenging, I look at it like it’s an opportunity,” Becker said. “But it’s going to take all of us to work together to get things done. I am really excited to get to work.”

He pledged to pursue an economic growth agenda and to support opportunities that Minnesotans want and deserve.

“I grew up in a mining community in northern Minnesota,” Becker said, referring to his hometown of Virginia. “I married a woman who grew up in a mining community in northern Minnesota. This is where I developed my strong appreciation for the hardworking men and women who actually get the work done. I bring that same appreciation to APi today.”

‘Hockey guy’ who believes in community service

APi Group is based in New Brighton, and it provides fire and life safety, security, elevator and escalator, and specialty services. “APi is a $9 billion Fortune 500 company that operates in 25 countries around the world,” Becker said. It employs about 33,000 people. During Becker’s leadership tenure, APi Group has completed more than 150 acquisitions.

“We were founded in St. Paul, Minnesota as a plumbing shop in 1926,” Becker said.

“I’m a Minnesotan at my core, and yes, I am a hockey guy.” Becker was a defenseman for the hockey team at Michigan Tech, where he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil engineering in 1989 and 1991.

“But most important, I look forward to giving back to both the business community as well as the communities we serve,” he said.

Becker has held numerous leadership roles throughout his adult life, but he doesn’t feel the need to give lengthy speeches when he gets in front of a microphone.

“I am an individual of few words,” he said Thursday night. “I’m very happy to be here. But this is not my jam.”

Becker was on a four-member CEO panel at a Partnership event in July. What he said then offers insights about how he’ll tackle the role of Partnership chair.

He praised the leadership of former CEOs Richard David of U.S. Bancorp, Doug Baker of Ecolab, and Dave MacLennan of Cargill.

“For me, they were role models on how to be community advocates and for helping shape what our community looks like,” Becker said. “I look up to them and I aspire to that [type of leadership],” he said. “I think that we all can learn from each other, and hope to follow in those folks’ footsteps.”

Becker is a member of the Executive Committee of the Minnesota Business Partnership, where he has been co-chairing the Health Policy Committee.

He served on the board of trustees for Dunwoody College of Technology. He chaired the board for Children’s Hospitals and Clinics. He previously served on the board of Liberty Diversified International. He’s currently a board member for Warroad-based Marvin.

Fighting Minnesota’s ‘economic drift’

On Thursday night, Martha spoke to the audience about the state of Minnesota’s economy and the role that business leaders should play in strengthening it.

“In recent years, we’ve been forced to play quite a bit of defense,” Martha said. “We’ve come together around Covid, George Floyd, and Operation Metro Surge. These moments, as you know, hit Minnesota in a particularly tough way.”

He noted that people across the globe saw Minnesotans and businesses banding together and standing up for neighbors and communities.

After being forced to play defense, he said it’s now time for Minnesota to play offense. “We’re starting to fall behind,” he said. “For the past decade, the nation’s economic growth rate averaged 2.5%, but our state trailed coming in at 1.7%.”

He spotlighted how Minnesota ranked from 2019 to 2024. “We ranked—I’m embarrassed to say this—33rd in GDP and 39th in job growth.”

He referred to those rankings as “tremendously disappointing.” Then he gave the condition a label that business leaders want to shed in the coming years. “I’ll call this economic drift,” Martha said. “It just can’t continue.”

The outgoing Partnership chair sees change on the horizon in 2027. “Tonight is a celebration of a lot of milestones, but it’s also a rally cry to do our part for the business community to build a stronger future for Minnesota,” Martha said.

“In 2027, we’re going to have a new group of elected officials who are going to take office,” he said. “While the candidates may debate their differences, I want to reinforce something that unites everyone in this room and people across the state. Growth is good for Minnesota.”