Governor Tim Pawlenty today announced the appointment of Barbara Frank and Jeff Swanson to the Board of Firefighter Training and Education.

Frank, of Danube, owns The Pullet Connection, a family business that produces over one million replacement laying hens per year. She is secretary of the Renville County Farm Bureau, treasurer of the Minnesota Agriculture and Rural Leadership (MARL) Alumni Association, a member of the Renville County Agriculture and Renewable Energy Task Force, a board member of the Broiler and Egg Association of Minnesota, and a founding director and chair of the board for SAVES Resource Center, a sexual assault and violence education and advocacy group in Renville County. Frank replaces Peg Larsen on the Board of Firefighter Training and Education as a public member for a four-year term that expires on January 3, 2011.

Swanson, of Detroit Lakes, is the chief of the Detroit Lakes Fire Department, a position he has held since 1986. He was the assistant fire chief from 1982 to 1985, captain of the fire department from 1976 to 1981, and a firefighter from 1974 to 1975. Swanson also co-owns Swanson Repair Inc, and Swanson Repair and Rental. He is a member of the Minnesota State Fire Chiefs Association (MSFCA), serves on its board of directors, and is a past chairman of the board as well as a past president of the MSFCA. He is also an emergency first responder and has worked for Dakota EMS/Detroit Lakes Ambulance Service. Swanson replaces Douglas Holton on the Board of Firefighter Training and Education as a fire chief member to complete a four-year term that expires on January 4, 2010.

The Board of Firefighter Training and Education reviews fire service training needs, establishes standards for educational programs and establishes qualifications for fire service training instructors. The Board consists of 15 members, including 14 appointed by the Governor.