Saint Paul – Governor Tim Pawlenty today announced the appointment of Michael Brethorst, Neal Cuthbert, John Monson and Nancy Straw to the Center for Rural Policy and Development.

Brethorst, of Barnesville, is the chief operations officer for the City of Barnesville. He is a captain in the Minnesota Army National Guard where he holds the position of senior counter intelligence officer with the 34th Infantry Division. Brethorst earned a master of science degree in public, human services, and health administration from Minnesota State University Moorhead; a bachelor of science degree in public administration and community and economic development administration from St. Cloud State University; and an associate of arts degree in business from Fergus Falls Community College. Brethorst is appointed as rural town representative to fulfill a six-year term that expires January 2, 2012. He replaces Steve Ringquist on the board.

Cuthbert, of Minneapolis, is the vice president of the McKnight Foundation’s arts program where he provides leadership, management and oversight for all grant program related activities. McKnight is Minnesota’s largest private funder of the arts. Prior to his work at McKnight, Cuthbert was director and publisher of the Artpaper and worked as a planner for the Metropolitan Council. Cuthbert is appointed as representative of a private foundation member to fulfill a six-year term that expires January 4, 2010. He replaces Louis Hohfeld on the board.

Monson, of Cannon Falls, was appointed by President Bush to serve as Farm Services Agency’s State Director in Minnesota. He was the youngest presidential appointee in state history. Monson served on the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary’s Farm Policy Steering Committee throughout his term as state director.

Monson left the USDA in 2006 to join AgStar Financial Services as the vice president of rural finance, where he is responsible for economic business development. Monson is appointed as a business member to fulfill a six-year term that expires January 7, 2013. He replaces Allan Olson on the board.

Straw, of Fergus Falls, is the president and chief executive officer for the West Central Initiative where she is responsible for strategic planning, operations, and fundraising. She is a member of the Minnesota Humanities Center, Regional Economic Development Group, and the Federal Reserve Bank Advisory Council on Small Business and Labor Council Foundations. Straw is appointed as a representative of a regional initiative organization to fulfill a six-year term that expires January 3, 2011. She replaces Sherry Ristau on the board.

The Center for Rural Policy and Development is a non-partisan, not-for-profit policy research organization dedicated to the study of the economic, demographic and cultural factors that affect rural Minnesotans and their communities. Based in St. Peter, Minnesota, the Center publishes the Rural Minnesota Journal, the Atlas of Minnesota and regularly advises policymakers on rural issues through its research reports. All of the center’s products and reports can be found on line at www.ruralmn.org. The Center’s Board consists of 17 members, 12 appointed by the Governor.