Governor Tim Pawlenty today announced the reappointment of Eric J. Magnuson as Chair, and the appointment of 26 members to the Commission on Judicial Selection. Governor Pawlenty’s appointees are:

Richard Breen, of Brainerd, is an attorney and partner in the Brainerd law firm of Breen and Person. Breen, who has been a member of the commission since 1999, is reappointed as a Ninth Judicial District attorney member.

Leonardo Castro, of White Bear Township, is the Fourth Judicial District Chief Public Defender in Hennepin County.

Castro, who has been an at-large Governor-appointed attorney member of the commission since 2002, and was a Supreme Court-appointed Fifth Judicial District attorney member prior to that, is reappointed to another term.

Marcus Christianson, of Mankato, is an attorney with the Mankato law firm of Maschka, Riedy and Ries. Christianson, who has been a member of the commission sine 2003, is reappointed as a Fifth Judicial District attorney member.

Loyola Colebeck, of Rochester, is a co-owner of a small business in Rochester and a community volunteer. Colebeck replaces Jean Michaels as an at-large non-attorney member on the commission.

John Delmonico, of Minneapolis, is president of the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis. Delmonico, who has been a member of the commission since 2003, is reappointed as a Fourth Judicial District non-attorney member.

Rene Diebold, of Marshall, is an attorney in private practice in Marshall. Diebold, who has been a member of the commission since 2004, is reappointed as an at-large attorney member.

Michael Dougherty, of Burnsville, is an attorney with the Apple Valley law firm of Severson, Sheldon, Dougherty and Molenda. Dougherty, who has been a member of the commission since 2003, is reappointed as a First Judicial District attorney member.

Brenda Elmer, of Moorhead, is the northwest Minnesota representative to U.S. Senator Norm Coleman. Elmer replaces Dr. Paul Dovre as a Seventh Judicial District non-attorney member on the commission.

Sonja Faust, of Waconia, is a self-employed certified public accountant. Faust, who has been a member of the commission since 2003, is reappointed as a First Judicial District non-attorney member.

Jill Frieders, of Rochester, is an attorney and partner in the Rochester law firm of O’Brien and Wolf. Frieders, who has been a member of the commission since 2003, is reappointed as a Third Judicial District attorney member.

Paul Gam, of Arden Hills, is vice president of international development with St. Jude Medical, Inc., in St. Paul. Gam replaces Iris Cornelius as a Second Judicial District non-attorney member on the commission.

Susan Kamrath, of Canby, is the Canby CARES Coordinator for Independent School District 891. Kamrath, who has been a member of the commission since 2003, is reappointed as an Eighth Judicial District non-attorney member.

Karen Klinzing, of Woodbury, is an assistant commissioner with the Minnesota Department of Education and just concluded serving two-terms as a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives. Klinzing replaces Christine Rice as a Tenth Judicial District non-attorney member on the commission.

Eric Magnuson, of Inver Grove Heights, is an attorney and partner in the Minneapolis law firm of Rider Bennett. Magnuson has been chair of the commission since 2003.

Rita Hillmann Olson, of New Prague, owns Lakeville Floral and K & R Contracting, Inc. Olson, who has been a member of the commission since 2003, is reappointed to a Third Judicial District non-attorney position.

Richard Ostlund, of Eden Prairie, is an attorney and partner in the Minneapolis law firm of Anthony, Ostlund and Baer. Ostlund, who has been a member of the commission since 2003, is reappointed as a Fourth Judicial District attorney member.

Alberto Quintela, of St. Paul, is an attorney in private practice, and a board member of Prevent Child Abuse-Minnesota, as well as the Northern Star Latino Boy Scouts Council. Quintela replaces Steven Kirsch as a Second Judicial District attorney member on the commission.

Carrie Ruud, of Breezy Point, is a real estate broker with Lakes and Leisure Realty, Inc., and just concluded serving one term as a Minnesota state Senator. Ruud replaces Mary Ellen Domeier as an at-large, non-attorney member on the commission.

Melinda Sanders, of St. Cloud, is an attorney and shareholder with the St. Cloud law firm of Quinlivan and Hughes. Sanders replaces Thomas Reif as a Seventh Judicial District attorney member on the commission.

Lenor Scheffler, of Eden Prairie, is an attorney with the Minneapolis law firm of Best and Flanagan and a former Chief Judge of the Upper Sioux Community Tribal Court. Scheffler, who has been a member of the commission since 2003, is reappointed as an at-large attorney member.

Glen Schumann, of Woodbury, is an attorney and shareholder with the Minneapolis law firm of Moss and Barnett. Schumann replaces James Weber as a Tenth Judicial District attorney member on the commission.

Ronald Schutz, of Medina, is an attorney and partner in the Minneapolis law firm of Robins, Kaplan, Miller and Ciresi. Schutz, who has been a member of the commission since 2003, is reappointed as an at-large attorney member.

Larry Stauber, of Duluth, is an attorney and partner with the Duluth law firm of Stauber and Lien. Stauber replaces Thomas Thibodeau as a Sixth Judicial District attorney member on the commission.

Stephen Stennes, of Montevideo, is an attorney with the law firm of Prindle, Maland, Sellner, Stennes and Knutsen in Montevideo. Stennes replaces L. Wayne Larson as an Eighth Judicial District attorney member of the commission.

David Sturrock, of Marshall, is a professor of political science at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall. Sturrock, who has been a member of the commission since 2003, is reappointed as a Fifth Judicial District non-attorney member.

Daniel Urshan, of Duluth, is a financial advisor with A Plus Financial Group, and the former mayor of Hermantown. Urshan replaces David Ellefson as a Sixth Judicial District non-attorney member on the commission.

Victoria White, of Walker, is the economic development director for the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe in Cass Lake. White, who has been a member of the commission since 2003, is reappointed as a Ninth Judicial District non-attorney member.

The Commission on Judicial Selection solicits judicial candidates, evaluates applicants and recommends three to five finalists to the governor for district court and Workers’ Compensation Court of Appeals vacancies that occur during the term of a judge. The commission consists of 49 members; 27 appointed by the Governor, and 22 by the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court is also expected to announce their appointees today as well.