Minnesota
Steve Kelley
Commissioner
(Midwest Zone)
Mailing Address
Minnesota Department of Commerce
85 7th Place East, Suite 280
St. Paul, Minnesota 55101
Phone: (651) 539-1500
Fax: (651) 539-1547
Street Address
Same as mailing address
Steve Kelley was appointed Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Commerce by Governor Tim Walz on January 7, 2019.
He was most recently a Senior Fellow at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of MN. Before joining the Humphrey School in 2007, he served in the MN Senate for 10 years and the House of Representatives for 4 years. During his legislative service, he chaired the Senate Education Committee and served on committees dealing with energy and telecommunications regulation in both the House and Senate. He was one of the Legislature's leading experts on telecommunications policy, including issues related to broadband service.
Kelley has taught courses in education law and policy, science, technology and environmental policy, and global venture design. He has worked on issues relating to energy and environmental policy, design thinking and innovation, STEM education and public engagement with science. One of his projects at the University of MN was assisting with the bipartisan Renewable Energy Policy Exchange sponsored by the German federal government through which the University introduces MN policymakers to Germany's energy policy and brings German experts to MN to share policy ideas.
Before his election to the Legislature, he was a member of the Board of Directors of Medica (formerly Physicians Health Plan) and a public member of the MN Board of Medical Practice. Before and during his legislative service, Kelley practiced commercial litigation in MN. He represented both plaintiffs and defendants in complex cases involving securities fraud, accounting malpractice and other financial transactions.
Kelley and his wife, Sophie Bell Kelley, live in Hopkins and have two married children and 4 grandchildren. He received a B.A in political science and political economy from Williams College and his law degree from Columbia University.
He was most recently a Senior Fellow at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of MN. Before joining the Humphrey School in 2007, he served in the MN Senate for 10 years and the House of Representatives for 4 years. During his legislative service, he chaired the Senate Education Committee and served on committees dealing with energy and telecommunications regulation in both the House and Senate. He was one of the Legislature's leading experts on telecommunications policy, including issues related to broadband service.
Kelley has taught courses in education law and policy, science, technology and environmental policy, and global venture design. He has worked on issues relating to energy and environmental policy, design thinking and innovation, STEM education and public engagement with science. One of his projects at the University of MN was assisting with the bipartisan Renewable Energy Policy Exchange sponsored by the German federal government through which the University introduces MN policymakers to Germany's energy policy and brings German experts to MN to share policy ideas.
Before his election to the Legislature, he was a member of the Board of Directors of Medica (formerly Physicians Health Plan) and a public member of the MN Board of Medical Practice. Before and during his legislative service, Kelley practiced commercial litigation in MN. He represented both plaintiffs and defendants in complex cases involving securities fraud, accounting malpractice and other financial transactions.
Kelley and his wife, Sophie Bell Kelley, live in Hopkins and have two married children and 4 grandchildren. He received a B.A in political science and political economy from Williams College and his law degree from Columbia University.
