Board members named to oversee major Rochester redevelopment effort
Gov. Mark Dayton announced today his appointments to an eight-member board that will make spending decisions about the state's contribution to Mayo Clinic's expansion plan, what his office calls the "state’s largest-ever economic development project."
Dayton appointed his own chief of staff Tina Smith, Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, Rani Engineering President Susan Rani and former Wells Fargo CEO Jim Campbell to the Destination Medical Center Board of Directors.
The Mayo Clinic also announced today that it has appointed former Medtronic CEO Bill George to the board.
The board will determine how $455 million in state money will be spent for development projects in the greater Rochester area. Dayton signed a bill into law in May that established the Destination Medical Center. The Mayo Clinic wanted the subsidy to basically overhaul downtown Rochester to support the clinic's expansion in the city over the next two decades.
Create a More Connected Minnesota
MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.
The board will authorize spending on everything from new roads, bridges, parking garages, to entertainment venues and shopping outlets. In turn, Mayo Clinic has promised to invest billions of dollars in the city.
The state money will leverage an estimated $5.6 billion in local and private investment over the next 20 years, create tens of thousands of new jobs, and secure the state’s competitive position as an international hub for health care and medical advancement, according to a statement from Dayton's office.
The new appointees join Rochester Mayor Ardell Brede and Rochester city council member Ed Hruska on the board. Olmsted County board members will appoint someone at their meeting tonight.
Here's some biographical information from the governor's office on Dayton's choices:
James Campbell, retired Group Executive Vice President of Wells Fargo & Company, has been appointed to serve a six-year term on the DMC board. Prior to his retirement, Mr. Campbell was also Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Wells Fargo Minnesota. Mr. Campbell began his 38-year financial services career with Northwestern National Bank of Minneapolis as a commercial lending trainee. He later became President and Chief Executive Officer of Norwest Bank Minnesota. Mr. Campbell currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Marvin Companies, Lifetouch, Inc., and Forsythe Appraisals. He also chairs the Board of the United Health Foundation. He was previously the Chairman of the Board of the Itasca Project, the University of Minnesota Foundation, the Greater Twin Cities United Way, and Abbott-Northwestern Hospital.
Tina Flint Smith, Chief of Staff to Governor Mark Dayton, has been appointed to serve a six-year term on the DMC board. During the 2013 Legislative Session, Ms. Smith was instrumental in bringing together the coalition of local leaders, private sector partners, and state legislators, which developed and passed legislation establishing the Destination Medical Center. Prior to serving as the Governor’s Chief of Staff, Ms. Smith previously served as Chief of Staff for Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak. She earned her MBA from Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Management, worked at General Mills, and has invaluable experience with government, businesses and nonprofits.
Susan Rani, President of Rani Engineering, Inc., has been appointed to serve a four-year term on the DMC board. Ms. Rani is an entrepreneur, shareholder, and founder of Rani Engineering, Inc. – a Minneapolis-based firm with offices in California and North Dakota. She is a registered professional engineer with more than thirty years of experience in the planning, design, and construction of buildings, industrial facilities, highways, railroads, airports, waterways, and wastewater treatment plants. Ms. Rani has served on the boards of American Consulting Engineering Companies Minnesota, the St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce, Mounds Park Academy, the Association of Women Contractors, and the National Association of Minority Contractors, Upper Midwest.
The Honorable R.T. Rybak, the Mayor of Minneapolis, has been appointed to serve a four-year term on the DMC board. As Mayor, Mr. Rybak has led a multi-pronged approach to adding jobs and growing the City’s economy through helping small businesses succeed, fostering innovation, increasing regional cooperation, and training displaced workers in fast-growing sectors. Under his leadership, Minneapolis has topped many national lists of the best cities in which to live, work, visit, and do business. Mayor Rybak understands how to create successful partnerships between the public and private sectors.