Greg Blaine of Little Falls was voted the new president of the Gordon Rosenmeier Center for State and Local Government.
Other new positions elected include: vice chair, James Russell; secretary, Laura Raedeke; and treasurer, Eric Klang.
The mission of the Rosenmeier Center for State and Local Government is to inform, educate and encourage residents of central Minnesota to participate in effective governance, planning and leadership; and to assist in the process of identifying and building leadership capacity, improving cooperation between state and local government.
The Rosenmeier Center has sponsored many forums since its inception, featuring state and local officials, scholars and experts on important state and local issues, as well as discussions on how to resolve them in order to advance the public interest.
"Greg Blaine as President of the Rosenmeier Center brings remarkable experience and ability to this key position. Blaine is an elected Morrison County Commissioner and served three terms in the Minnesota House of Representatives,” Executive Director Steve Wenzel said in a news release. "Gordon Rosenmeier was the single most powerful, the most influential and most respected legislator in all of Minnesota history. Blaine understands well Rosenmeier's philosophy of government and will do a great job of promoting and preserving Rosenmeier's legacy in Minnesota state government."
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"I am greatly honored that the Rosenmeier Center Board elected me to serve as its President,” Blaine said in a news release. “It was my privilege to have known Gordon Rosenmeier on a personal level for a number of years. Very often our families would gather for dinner and social discussions. Gordon Rosenmeier understood the potential for the common good by having state and local government as an equal — not subservient — partner with our national government in Washington. Rosenmeier’s tremendous leadership was displayed through his dedication to ‘better living for the people of Minnesota;’ and I will continue to preserve Gordon's legacy and his philosophy of government in my role as President of the Rosenmeier Center."
The Rosenmeier Center was formed in 1989 by retired Central Lakes College President Sally Ihne in recognition of Senator Rosenmeier’s 30-year contribution as a Minnesota state legislator from Little Falls. He authored legislation creating the Minnesota Planning Agency, the Department of Corrections, the Pollution Control Agency and the Brainerd Regional Human Service Center. Rosenmeier’s legislative memorabilia is on display today in the Rosenmeier Room of the CLC Library.
“The Rosenmeier Center for State and Local Government continues to be a great asset to Central Lakes College and has hosted many renowned speakers that educate and inform our citizenry on the critical issues relating to our region,” current CLC President Hara Charlier said. “Congratulations to Greg and the new officers as they begin the work of the Rosenmeier Center for the coming years.”
