Last week, the Senate Rules and Administration Committee formally approved the appointment of Sen. Gary Dahms (R-Redwood Falls) to several key commissions. Sen. Dahms was reappointed to the Minnesota Agriculture Education Leadership Council (MAELC) and the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR), in addition to his new appointment to the Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement (LCPR).
“I am tremendously excited to bring my strong personal and professional experiences to these appointments,” said Sen. Dahms. “Each of these commissions represent areas of particular importance to both the communities of my district and to me. It has always been my number one priority to be an effective advocate for my constituents’ interests, as well as the interests of Minnesotans from all corners of our state.”
Sen. Dahms has a strong background in both agriculture and employee related matters. He holds a bachelor’s degree in agricultural business from the University of Minnesota, has served on a wide range of local boards, commissions, and associations, and operated an insurance agency for over 25 years. Last year, he was inducted into the Minnesota FFA Hall of Fame.
Sen. Dahms was first appointed to the Minnesota Agriculture Education Leadership Council in 2010 where he serves with a diverse coalition of public and private leaders to foster growth in agricultural education. He has served on the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources, a body tasked with providing recommendations on certain natural resources funding projects to the legislature since 2011. This will be Sen. Dahms’ first term on the Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement which considers issues related to state employee retirement and pension packages.
Sen. Dahms is serving his third term in the Minnesota Senate, where he chairs the Commerce and Consumer Protection Finance and Policy Committee and serves as an assistant majority leader. He represents Senate District 16 which includes communities in six southwestern Minnesota counties.