The National Governors Association (NGA) today announced that Governor Tim Pawlenty has been elected to serve as Vice Chair of the organization for 2006-2007, and is in line to become NGA Chair in August 2007.

“I am extremely honored to help lead an organization that serves as the collective voice of our nation's governors,” Governor Pawlenty said. “As one of the healthiest, smartest, and most innovative states in America, Minnesota deserves to be in the national spotlight and the nation will benefit from our leadership.”

The NGA provides governors and their senior staff members with services that range from representing states on Capitol Hill and before the Administration on key federal issues to developing policy reports on innovative state programs and hosting networking seminars for state government executive branch officials. The NGA Center for Best Practices focuses on state innovations and best practices on issues that range from education and health to technology, welfare reform, and the environment.

Governor Pawlenty will hold the following positions with NGA:
• Vice-Chair of NGA, August 2006-August 2007, (becomes Chair in August 2007)
• Chair of the NGA Center for Best Practices
• Member of the NGA Executive Committee & Finance Committee
• Co-Chair of the Redesigning the American High School Task Force (required as part of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation grant monies to NGA)
• Member of the “Innovative States” Task Force (Gov. Napolitano’s initiative)
• Member of the NGA Public Safety Task Force

When Governor Pawlenty succeeds Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano as Chair of the NGA for the organization’s centennial year in 2007-2008, he will become only the second Minnesotan to serve as chair of the NGA, following in the footsteps of Gov. Harold Stassen, who was NGA Chair in 1941-42.