MINNEAPOLIS, MN – The Executive Director of the Minnesota Business Partnership (MBP), Charlie Weaver, announced his plans to retire from the organization this summer after nearly 20 years of leading one of the state’s most influential public policy and civic engagement organizations.
Weaver began his role at the MBP in November of 2003 after serving as former Governor Pawlenty’s first chief of staff. Prior to that, he was the Commissioner of Public Safety under Governor Ventura and also served ten years as an elected member of the Minnesota House of Representatives, representing the Anoka area. Weaver, an attorney, began his career in private law practice and then served as a prosecutor in the Anoka County Attorney’s office.
“It has been a joy to lead the Minnesota Business Partnership over these past 20 years,” said Weaver. “I’ve been blessed to work with great teams at the Partnership and some of the most talented business leaders in the country who care deeply about the future of Minnesota. I’ve also been lucky to have collaborated with friends on both sides of the aisle who share the goal of making Minnesota a great place to live, work and raise a family. To work on things you care about with people you admire and respect – and have some fun along the way – it just doesn’t get any better than that.”
Jeff Harmening, Chair of the MBP and Chairman and CEO of General Mills, noted, “Charlie has been an outstanding champion for Minnesota employers. Charlie will leave a legacy of immeasurably helping the business community successfully navigate the complexities of policy development and public engagement. Among his accomplishments, Charlie helped business leaders understand our rapidly changing environment and identified strategies to be more effective. In addition, while the work of MBP has always been serious, Charlie never takes himself too seriously, a trait that only made him even more effective. The business community is grateful to Charlie for his many contributions to help us build a better state.”
The MBP Executive Committee has retained Tim Frischmon of the executive recruitment firm Furst Group to manage the search process for the next Executive Director.
The Minnesota Business Partnership, founded in 1977, is comprised of the CEOs and senior executives of more than 100 of the state’s largest employers and headquarter companies that have a significant business and community presence in Minnesota. The MBP has maintained a focus on working to shape critical public policy issues that are relevant to all Minnesotans: education, jobs, health care and the economic vitality of our state. The organization is nonpartisan, with a statewide reach and works to engage leaders across the political spectrum and well as civic and community leaders throughout Minnesota.