Board of Commissioners

Carl Crimmins, a board member since March 2011, was appointed to District A, (see other district information) which includes in Hennepin County, the cities of Corcoran, Dayton, Greenfield, Independence, Loretto, Maple Grove, Maple Plain, Medicine Lake, Medina, Plymouth, Rogers, Brooklyn Park, Champlin, and Osseo; and both the Ramsey and Hennepin County portions of the city of Saint Anthony. In Anoka County, the cities of Columbia Heights, Fridley, and Hilltop; in Ramsey County, the city of New Brighton.

Crimmins is also a member of the Product Certification and Standards Council for the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials, is a lifetime member of the 11th Armored Cavalry's Veterans of Vietnam and Cambodia and is a member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart. He resides in Champlin.

Commissioner Crimmins serves on the Operations, Finance and Administration committee.

James Lawrence was appointed by Gov. Tim Walz as Chair of the MAC Board of Commissioners in January 2026. He had previously been appointed to the MAC in February 2021 by Walz to represent District C.

Mr. Lawrence is Chairman of Lake Harriet Capital LLC, a private investment firm. Previously, Mr. Lawrence served as chairman of Rothschild North America and earlier as Chief Executive Officer of Rothschild North America and as co-head of global investment banking at Rothschild from 2010 to 2015. 

Prior to Rothschild, Mr. Lawrence was Chief Financial Officer of the Anglo Dutch company, Unilever, and he served as Executive Director on the boards of Unilever NV and Unilever PLC.  He joined Unilever in 2007 after serving as the Vice Chairman and Chief Financial officer of General Mills for nine years.  Also, he had responsibility for General Mills’ international business.  Prior to General Mills Mr. Lawrence was Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Northwest Airlines from 1996 to 1998, and before that Mr. Lawrence was a division president at PepsiCo, serving as CEO of Pepsi-Cola Asia, Middle East, Africa from 1992 to 1996. 

In 1983, he cofounded The LEK Partnership in London.  Before that he was partner of Bain and Company, having opened their London and Munich offices.  His first job after business school was working for The Boston Consulting Group. 

Mr. Lawrence is currently a Non-Executive director of Avnet Inc., Smurfit Kappa group and AerCap and until 2018, IAG (International Consolidated Airlines Group).  Since 1990, Mr. Lawrence has served on 17 public company boards, several private company boards and numerous non-profit boards. In his various roles, he has been advisor or principal in numerous mergers, activist campaigns, acquisitions, joint ventures and divestitures. 

Mr. Lawrence earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Yale University and an M.B.A. with distinction from Harvard Business School.

Chair Lawrence is a member of the Planning, Development and Environment Committee.

Gov. Tim Walz appointed Rodney Skoog to the Metropolitan Airports Commission board in July 2019 to District F, (see other district information) which includes in Anoka County, the cities of Centerville, Columbus, and Lino Lakes; in Ramsey County, the cities of Gem Lake and White Bear Lake; and in Washington County, the cities of Afton, Bayport, Birchwood Village, Dellwood, Forest Lake, Grant, Hugo, Lake Elmo, Lake St. Croix Beach, Lakeland, Lakeland Shores, Mahtomedi, Marine on St. Croix, May, Oak Park Heights, Pine Springs, St. Mary’s Point, Scandia, Stillwater, White Bear Lake, Willernie, and the northeast quadrant of the City of Woodbury, south of I-94, east of Woodbury Drive, and north of Bailey Road; and the townships of Baytown, May, Stillwater, and West Lakeland. In Dakota County, the district includes the cities of Coates, Hampton, Hastings, Miesville, New Trier, Randolph, Rosemount, South St. Paul, and Vermillion; and the townships of Douglas, Hampton, Marshan, Nininger, Randolph, Ravenna, and Vermillion; in Ramsey County, the portion of the city of Maplewood south of I-94; and in Washington County, the cities of Cottage Grove, Hastings, Newport, St. Paul Park, and the remaining two-thirds of the City of Woodbury west of Woodbury Drive and south of Bailey Road; and the townships of Denmark and Grey Cloud Island.

Mr. Skoog served as the Executive Administrator for the Minnesota Laborers Fringe Benefit Funds from 1991 until his retirement in May 2022. The Funds are multiemployer employee benefit plans covering more than 28,000 participants throughout the state of Minnesota and North Dakota, providing essential healthcare coverage, retirement security and training benefits. He is also a delegate to the Laborers District Council of Minnesota and North Dakota. 

Skoog has served as the project leader for the Research Grant Steering Committee, a non-profit entity associated with the Mitchell Hamline College of Law providing grants directed to tobacco cessation programs. He is also a former member of the Board of Directors for HealthWORKS Coalition and a frequent presenter on topics including healthcare, pension, and retirement security.  

Skoog is a lifelong resident of the Twin Cities area. He received his B.S. in Finance and Economics from the University of St. Thomas. He has been active in the aviation community since 1995 and holds a Commercial Pilot Certificate and a Certified Flight Instructor Certificate. 

Commissioner Skoog serves on the Operating, Finance and Administration Committee.

Richard Ginsberg was appointed to the MAC by Gov. Mark Dayton in January 2017 and reappointed by Gov. Tim Walz in February 2021 to District G, (see other district information) which includes the communities in Ramsey County of Little Canada, North St. Paul, the portions of the City of Maplewood north of I-94, and the portions of the City of Saint Paul south of the Mississippi River and east of Edgerton Street; and in Washington County, the cities of Landfall and Oakdale. Also portions of the City of Saint Paul north of the Mississippi River and west of Edgerton Street.

Ginsberg is the sole proprietor of The Rotunda Group, a government relations firm that focuses on state and local government issues. Previously, he worked in the administration of Gov. Rudy Perpich, Hennepin County's Office of Governmental Affairs and the law firm Lockridge Grindal Nauen.

Additionally, Ginsberg served as a member of the Visit Saint Paul Board's Executive Committee and also chaired the board's Building and Finance committees.

Ginsberg was born and raised in Hibbing, Minn., earned his BA in criminal justice and public administration from St. Cloud State University, and completed course work at Mitchell Hamline School of Law. 

Ginsberg serves on the Operations, Finance and Administration committee.

Governor Tim Walz appointed Yodit Bizen to the MAC board in July 2019 to District H, (see other district information) which includes in Dakota County the cities of Apple Valley, Eagan, Inver Grove Heights, Lilydale, Mendota, Mendota Heights, Sunfish Lake, and West St. Paul; also Burnsville, Empire, Farmington, and Lakeville; and the townships of Castle Rock, Eureka, Greenvale, Sciota, and Waterford; and in Scott County, the city of Savage.

Bizen has been a member of the workforce at the MSP Airport since 2001, and previously worked in occupational therapy for Lake Ridge Healthcare Center and the Wilder Adult Health Care Center. She has also served as a personal care provider with Augastena Health Center, Activity Aide, and JCC. She is a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association and the Minnesota Occupational Therapy Association.

Commissioner Bizen serves on the Planning, Development and Environment Committee.

Patti Gartland was appointed to the Metropolitan Airports Commission on March 26, 2014 by Gov. Dayton, and reappointed in January 2018. She received a third-term reappointment by Gov. Walz in January 2022. She is one of four outstate representatives (see other district information) on the board.

In addition to her previous service as president of the Greater St. Cloud Development Corporation from 2013 to 2023, Gartland also served as the Sartell, Minnesota city administrator for nearly 12 years. During her tenure, the city experienced a more than 65 percent increase in population growth and development activity totaling nearly a half billion dollars.

Gartland has also served on the boards of the MN Land Trust and the Coalition of Greater MN Cities. She is also past chair of the St. Cloud Area Wastewater Advisory Commission and is a past board member and chair for the United Way of Central Minnesota. 

Gartland is a lifelong resident of the greater St. Cloud community. She is a graduate of St. Cloud State University (SCSU).

Commissioner Gartland is a member of the Planning, Development and Environment Committee. 

Dixie Hoard, of Thief River Falls, was appointed by Gov. Mark Dayton on February 9, 2015. She is one of four outstate representatives (see other district information) on the board.

Hoard, a Realtor serving the Thief River Falls area, previously worked as a flight attendant for almost 30 years for Northwest Orient Airlines, Northwest Airlines, and later Delta Air Lines, where she was based out of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, flying mainly international routes.

Hoard lives in Thief River Falls with her husband, Chuck, of 29 years. She has two grown children. 

Hoard serves on the Operations, Finance and Administration committee.

Andrea Mokros was appointed to the MAC’s Board of Commissioners in July 2025 by Gov. Tim Walz to represent District D. Commissioner Mokros has a broad background in executive leadership and creative communications, with extensive experience in organizational strategies and navigating public policy. She is currently the founder and CEO of Mokros Strategies, LLC — a strategic consulting firm — and Privé Travel, a boutique travel agency. She is a native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and a graduate of the University of Minnesota. She resides in St. Louis Park.

Her past positions include: executive vice president and chief public affairs and brand officer, Fairview Health Services; senior vice president, corporate and public affairs, Weber Shandwick; vice president, communications and events, Minnesota Super Bowl Host Committee; special assistant to the president and director of strategic planning for the first lady, the White House; deputy chief of staff, Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton; deputy chief of staff, U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar; director of the executive office, Kissinger McLarty Associates; and national advance lead, presidential campaigns, 2004-present.

Pamela Deal, of Andover, was appointed by Gov. Tim Walz in July 2025 to represent District E.

Commissioner Deal brings a diverse business background to the MAC’s board that includes leadership roles in the insurance industry and real estate development. She was the executive vice president of NAU Country Insurance Company, operating in 42 states, with more than 3,000 full-time and part-time employees.

Currently, she is the majority shareholder of PSD LLC, a developer of office buildings, commercial real estate, multi-family residences and single-family homes, based in Ramsey, Minnesota. Her work with PSD included the development of a new Veterans Administration location in Ramsey.

In the community, Commissioner Deal has served on the Allina Mercy Hospital board in Coon Rapids, Minnesota; serves on the board and chairs the Development Committee for Achieve Services Inc., based in Blaine, Minnesota, which provides innovative opportunities to people with disabilities, and served on the Council of St. Stephen’s Church in Anoka, Minnesota.

Barrett Ziemer was appointed to the MAC’s Board of Commissioners in July 2025 by Gov. Tim Walz as one of four outstate representatives. Commissioner Ziemer is experienced in operational airport leadership, serving both commercial and general aviation. He currently serves as executive director of the Range Regional Airport/Chisholm‑Hibbing Airport Authority — which is his hometown airport. He previously served as assistant director of the airport. He is a lifelong resident of Hibbing and a graduate of the University of North Dakota with a Bachelor of Arts in airport administration.

Commissioner Ziemer brings a perspective from Greater Minnesota to the MAC board and helps ensure statewide aviation interests are part of the MAC’s deliberations. His professional background in airport administration equips him to contribute meaningfully to planning and development issues — including the environmental, infrastructure and community‑impact considerations handled by the MAC’s Planning, Development and Environment Committee.