David M. Jennings

David M. Jennings
David M. Jennings
Minnesota Commissioner of Commerce
	In office; January 8, 1999 – August 6, 1999
50th Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives
	In office; January 8, 1985 – January 5, 1987
Preceded by	Harry A. Sieben. Jr.
Succeeded by	Fred Norton
Minnesota State Representative from Martin and Watonwan Counties
	In office; January 3, 1979 – January 5, 1987
Preceded by	Darrel Peterson
Succeeded by	Gene Hugoson
Personal details
Born	December 17, 1948; school superintendent

David M. Jennings (December 17, 1948 – May 21, 2023) was an American politician from the state of Minnesota. A member of the Republican Party, he served as Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives, and the superintendent of Eastern Carver County School District 112, based in Chaska.^[1]^[2]

Jennings served in the

magna cum laude, from Minnesota State University, Mankato in 1976. He worked in small construction and as a Congressional staff aide until he was first elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 1978.^[1]

Jennings rose quickly, becoming

Independent-Republicans gained a majority in the 1984 elections. He became Speaker of the House in January 1985, a position he held for two years until his departure from the legislature.^[1]

Beginning in 1990, Jennings was employed as a corporate executive for Schwan's Food Co., based in Marshall, Minnesota, leaving there in December 1998.

In 1999, Jennings served briefly as Minnesota's Commissioner of Commerce under Governor Jesse Ventura, after which he became CEO of the Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce. In January 2002, Jennings became Chief Operating Officer of the Minneapolis Public Schools and later served as interim superintendent of the Minneapolis school district from October 2003 to June 2004. He was considered for permanent appointment, but withdrew from consideration after the appointment process was criticized. He went on to serve as deputy director of operations for the Minnesota Historical Society for one year, before accepting a permanent appointment as superintendent of schools for the Eastern Carver County School District, based in Chaska in July 2005.^[2]

Jennings was married and had one son and stepson. He died on May 21, 2023, at the age of 74.^[3]

References

External links

Party political offices
Preceded by Don Koenig	Republican nominee for Minnesota Secretary of State 1990	Succeeded by Richard Kimbler
Political offices
Preceded by Harry A. Sieben Jr.	Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives 1985–1987	Succeeded by Fred Norton
Preceded by Glen Sherwood	Minnesota House Minority Leader 1982–1985	Succeeded by Fred Norton
Preceded by Douglas W. Carlson	State Representative from Minnesota District 29A 1983–1987	Succeeded by Mark J. Piepho
Preceded by Darrell L. Peterson	State Representative from Minnesota District 27B 1979–1983	Succeeded by Wendell Erickson

[leg.state.mn.us-1] Leg.state.mn.us

[bizjournals.com-2] Bizjournals.com

[3] Former Republican House Speaker Dave Jennings dies at 74

[1]

[2]

[3]

v t e Speakers of the Minnesota House of Representatives
Territorial (1849–1857)	Furber Ames Ludden Day Taylor Norris Gardner Furber
State (since 1857)	Watrous Bradley Coggswell Benson Sherwood Benson Armstrong Wakefield Farmer Davidson J. Merriam Hall Kinyon Gibbs Gilman Fletcher Gibbs W. Merriam Graves Champlin Lee Van Sant Jones Dare Dowling Babcock Clague L. Johnson Rockne Dunn Rines Flowers Parker Nolan J. Johnson Swenson Munn G. Johnson Barker Hall Hartle A. Johnson Chilgren Duxbury Dirlam Sabo Searle Norton Sieben Jennings Norton Vanasek Long Anderson Carruthers Sviggum Anderson Kelliher Zellers Thissen Daudt Hortman

Authority control databases
International	VIAF
National	United States