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    Information on Minnesota State Agencies, Boards, Task Forces, and Commissions

    Compiled by the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library

    Administration Department

    Also known as:
    Admin Department
    Active dates:1939-
    Authority:
    Minn. Stat. 16B.02
    1939 Minn. Laws Chap. 431 Art. 2
    Rule(s):
    Minn. Rules Chapters 1200-1365
    Function:

    Central management agency of Minnesota state government. The Department of Administration provides a broad range of business management, administrative and professional services and a variety of resources to state agencies, local governments and to the public. Among its responsibilities, the department manages the state's procurement process, manages more than 400 construction projects and 700 property leases, maintains 22 state-owned buildings, including the State Capitol, leases vehicles, sells surplus property, coordinates the state's Enterprise Lean business process improvement program and more.

    Preceded by:
    Administration and Finance Commission
    History:

    The Minnesota Department of Administration was established in 1939 by Governor Harold Stassen as part of an effort to reform state government's administrative functions.

    The Department is a successor to the Commission of Administration and Finance (1925 Minn. Laws Chap. 426 Art 3). The department formerly had responsibility for assisting agencies in preparation of biennial budget requests, approving the allotment and encumbrance of state funds, and managing the state accounting system. These are now functions of Minnesota Management & Budget (formerly the Department of Finance).

    For a history of the predecessor agency to the Department of Administration see, The Minnesota Commission of Administration and Finance, 1925-1939: An Administrative History, by Lloyd M. Short and Carl W. Tiller.
    Agency heads:

    Commissioners (term: 4 years or pleasure of governor):

    Leslie M. Gravlin (Dept. of Adminstration's first commissioner) June 1939 -September 1942
    Theodore G. Driscoll, September 1, 1943 - 1947
    Earl L. Berg, June 28, 1947 - 1954
    Arthur Naftalin, 1954-1961
    William E. Stevenson, 1961-1965
    Stephen T. Quigley, 1965-1967
    Rolland F. Hatfield, 1967-1971
    Richard L. Brubacher, 1971-1978
    James J. Hiniker, 1979-1983(?)
    Sandra Hale, 1983-199?
    Dana B. Badgerow, June 1991 - 1993
    Debra Rae Anderson, August 1993 - December 16, 1994
    Elaine Hansen, January 17, 1995-?
    David E. Fisher, March 1999-?
    Brian Lamb, January 6, 2003 - August, 2004
    Kent Allin (Acting Director), September 16, 2004 - October 25, 2004
    Dana B. Badgerow, October 25, 2004 - May 11, 2009
    Sheila Reger, May 11, 2009 - 2011
    Spencer Cronk, February 8, 2011 - August 2014
    Matt Massman, August 2014 - 2018
    Alice Roberts-Davis, January 7, 2019 - June 2023
    Stacie Christensen (temporary commissioner), June 2023 - October 8, 2023
    Tamar Gronvall, October 9, 2023 -
    Internet resource:
    Minnesota Department of Administration
    Minnesota Management & Budget Agency Profile
    Reports:
    Department of Administration Informational Bulletin, 1991-2009
    Note: The Legislative Reference Library may have additional reports on or by this group available through our catalog.
    Documents/Articles:
    Governor Walz selects Tamar Gronvall to serve as Commissioner of Administration. Office of Governor Tim Walz & Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan, 9/18/2023.
    News clippings and documents: Commissioner of Administration. Agencies Notebook Collection, 1959-2015.
    News clippings and documents: Department of Administration. Agencies Notebook Collection, 1971-2019.
    Record last updated: 11/02/2023
     

    All information on this group from the Library’s collection of agency notebooks has been digitized. These materials are incorporated into the “documents/articles” section of the record. Please contact a librarian with any questions. The Minnesota Agencies database is a work in progress.

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