Jonathan Fortner, formerly a research consultant for the Minnesota House of Representatives, joined the Lignite Energy Council on January 2, 2018, as the director of government relations. He succeeds Tyler Hamman who left the LEC in 2017.
“After an exhaustive search, we chose Jonathan because of his legislative expertise and experience,” said Jason Bohrer, president and CEO of the Lignite Energy Council. “As the lignite industry looks to the future, favorable legislative and regulatory actions will be increasingly important to the vitality and longevity of the mines and plants.”
Fortner graduated from high school in Aberdeen, South Dakota, and earned an undergraduate degree from Presentation College in Aberdeen. He also earned two master’s degrees – one in business administration and the other in public administration – from the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks.
He and his wife Stephanie will be relocating to Bismarck in 2018. They currently reside in Maple Grove, Minnesota.
Prior to his current employer, Fortner worked as a lobbyist for the Faegre Baker Daniels law firm in Minnesota.