Governor Tim Pawlenty today announced the appointment of Ikram –ul– Huq to the Council on Asian-Pacific Minnesotans.

Ikram –ul– Huq, of Apple Valley, has served as a post closer for GMAC/RFC Mortgage Corporation in Bloomington since 2004. In 2003, he was a contract employee at Wells Fargo in Bloomington. From 1999 to 2003, Huq was finance administrator/fee for service products at Ceridian in Bloomington. From 1998 to 1999, he was a contract employee at US Bank Corp in St. Paul. Huq also worked for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Iperu, Nigeria, where he served as deputy director of the Sha Sha training center and was controller of examinations.

Huq received a M.A. in economics from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. He is a leading member of the Urdu Poetic Society, which includes Pakistani and Indian Urdu poets. Huq currently serves as Imam at the Masjid Ar Rehman in Bloomington and is a founding member and religious director of the Muslim Community Center in Bloomington. A former professional cricket player, he currently serves as president of the Cosmos Cricket Club in Minnesota.

Huq is appointed to the council as a representative of the Pakistani community and will serve a four-year term which ends January 4, 2010. He fills the council seat formerly held by Adeel Lari.

The Council on Asian-Pacific Minnesotans advises the Governor and Legislature on issues pertaining to Asian-Pacific Minnesotans. The Council also advocates on issues of importance to the Asian-Pacific community in Minnesota. The Council is made up of 23 members, including 19 appointed by the Governor.