Gary Hansen to Run for Minnesota House Seat

Eagan City Councilmember Gary Hansen has registered as an election candidate for a seat in the Minnesota House of Representatives for District 38A, according to a news release.

Diane Anderson currently represents 38A.

Hansen works as a risk management officer at AgriBank FCB in St. Paul, and is a second-term councilmember in Eagan. When the mayor is absent, he is the acting mayor, according to the news release. He also works as a commercial arbitrator on the Minnesota Alternative Dispute Resolution Rule 114 Neutrals Roster, as well as a securities arbitrator for Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. The Better Business Bureau of Minnesota/North Dakota Community Mediation Center named him arbitrator of the year in 2007.

The release also goes on to detail his community involvement. He represents Eagan on the Dakota Communications Center Board of Directors. He is vice chairman of the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority Board. He's on the Cedar Corridor Group, which is working to bring bus rapid transit through the transportation corridor. He's also a member of the Suburban Transit Association Legislative Committee, as well as the Metro Cities Transportation and General Government Policy Committee. His past accomplishments include past chairman of the Minnesota State Bar Association (MSBA) Environmental and Natural Resources Law Section, among others.

Hansen has a bachelor's degree in economics and political science from South Dakota State University, and he graduated cum laude from William Mitchell College of Law.

He and his wife, who teaches math at Eagan High School, have lived in Eagan for 27 years. They have two daughters and a son who live in the Twin Cities area.

Hansen said in the news release that he has been encouraged by Eagan and Burnsville residents to run for a spot in the House. The statement says many people are concerned about divisiveness and an inability to resolve problems that Minnesotans think are important.

“We need to work together on long-term solutions to resolve the state’s budget crisis and support initiatives that enable job creation,” Hansen is quoted as saying in the statement.