Saint Paul -- Governor Tim Pawlenty today announced the appointment of Ruth Grendahl to the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State College and University System (MnSCU).

Ruth Grendahl, of Apple Valley, is the owner of RnD Products, a business which markets electrical construction products nationally. From 1991 to 1999, she served as Deputy Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Public Service.

Grendahl has been a member of the Apple Valley City Council since 1997. In 2004, the Metropolitan Council appointed her Chair of the Minnesota Livable Communities Advisory Committee. Grendahl has been a Commissioner of the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority (MVTA) since 1997. She currently serves as the MVTA's Treasurer and as Chair of the Finance Committee.

Grendahl previously served on the College of Science, Engineering and Technology Industrial Advisory Board at Minnesota State University-Mankato. She also previously served two terms as a member of the Board of the Perpich Center for Arts Education, including serving as the board's chair.

Grendahl received a B.A. in Political Science, a B.S. in Urban and Regional Studies, and a M.A. in Public Administration from Minnesota State University-Mankato. She is appointed to the Board seat for a resident of the second Congressional District and will serve a six-year term which ends June 30, 2010. Grendahl replaces Mary Choate on the Board.

The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System is comprised of 32 institutions of higher learning, including community colleges, technical colleges, and state universities. The system is governed by a 15-member Board of Trustees appointed by the Governor. The Board has broad policy responsibility for system planning, academic programs, fiscal management, personnel, admissions requirements, tuition and fees, and rules and regulations. The Board appoints the system's chancellor and presidents of the state colleges and universities