St. Paul - Governor Mark Dayton today announced the appointment of Edwin Van Petten as Executive Director of the Minnesota State Lottery. Van Petten held the position of Executive Director for the Kansas State Lottery for 11 years.

"It is such an honor to join Governor Dayton's team" Van Petten said. "I am excited about the opportunity to lead such an innovative and successful organization."

During his tenure as Executive Director of the Kansas State Lottery Van Petten oversaw a 68 percent increase in ticket sales. He was also recognized with awards from the Kansas Responsible Gambling Alliance, the Public Gaming Research Institute, and the Kansas Department of Commerce Travel and Tourism for his leadership on behalf of the lottery and his work promoting the state of Kansas.

Prior to working for the Kansas lottery Van Petten served as the Deputy Disciplinary Administrator for the Kansas Supreme Court, Chief of the Criminal Division as Deputy Attorney General of the state of Kansas, and as Assistant Attorney General for the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.