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Acting Commissioner, DEED
Ward Einess is acting commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). The agency is charged with the mission of employing all available resources to support the economic success of Minnesota's individuals, businesses and communities.
Einess has a wealth of experience in legislative analysis and public policy. He served as Governor Tim Pawlenty's senior policy adviser and worked closely with DEED on several key initiatives before accepting the position as deputy commissioner in October 2005. Before joining the administration, Einess was director of fiscal policy for the Minnesota Business Partnership. He is a licensed attorney who worked as a judicial law clerk before serving as researcher and legislative analyst for the Minnesota Senate Republican Caucus.
Einess shares Governor Pawlenty's commitment to improving the competitive position of the state's economy by facilitating the growth of new and existing business across the state. He is an active proponent of the state's tax-free Job Opportunity Building Zones for Greater Minnesota.
Einess is a 1988 graduate of Gustavus Adolphus College, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science/History. He graduated from Hamline University School of Law in 1991, and was admitted to the Minnesota State Bar in 1991.
