Minnesota Names Looman as Commerce Commissioner

Gov. Mark Dayton has appointed Jessica Looman to serve as Minnesota Commerce Commissioner to replace Mike Rothman who resigned from the post last week when he announced he is launching a campaign to become the state’s attorney general.

The commerce department oversees the business of insurance, as well as other industries including financial services and energy, in Minnesota.

Looman has served as deputy commissioner for the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) since 2014. As deputy commissioner, Looman oversaw the strategic coordination of the department’s five divisions responsible for ensuring equitable, healthy, and safe work and living environments across Minnesota. Looman began her service at DLI in January 2011 as Assistant Commissioner, overseeing the department’s Construction Codes, Licensing and Labor Standards, and Apprenticeship Divisions, as well as the Research and Statistics Unit.

During her time at DLI, Looman led efforts to increase the department’s efficiency and improve its services for workers and businesses. Innovative reforms led by Looman have reduced costs for more than 110,000 construction permits and 120,000 professional licenses issued by the department every year. She has also engaged stakeholders to address technical, regulatory and policy issues to help protect and grow Minnesota’s economy.

Prior to her service at DLI, Looman served as general counsel for the Laborers District Council of Minnesota and North Dakota – an 11,000-member labor organization representing workers in the construction industry. In that role, Looman focused on organizational development, wages, contract enforcement, and collective bargaining. She also helped with the Laborers Union apprenticeship program, unemployment insurance, labor standards, workforce diversity, and other workplace issues.

Looman is a graduate of George Washington University (B.A. in political science) and the University of Minnesota Law School (JD).