Minnesota Governor Tim Walz this week reappointed Yvonne Prettner Solon to a third term on the Duluth Seaway Port Authority Board of Commissioners.
Prettner Solon served previously on the board as a Duluth City Council appointee from 1990-1994, including a term as board president in 1993. She later became Minnesota’s 47th lieutenant governor, serving in that capacity from 2010-2014, before being appointed by former Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton to a second term on the Port Authority board in 2015. Prettner Solon’s most recent appointment extends through January 2027.
Raised in Duluth, Prettner Solon graduated from the University of Minnesota Duluth and embarked first on a career in psychology. She then became a Duluth city councilor in 1988, a move that led to more than 25 years in public service, including three terms as a state senator before becoming lieutenant governor.
“We are excited to continue working with Commissioner Prettner Solon,” said Deb DeLuca, executive director of the Duluth Seaway Port Authority. “Her political acumen and decades of experience, at all levels, give her unique perspective and insight. That, combined with her wisdom and passion for this region and our working waterfront, makes her a tremendous asset to the board.”
The Duluth Seaway Port Authority is an independent public agency created by the Minnesota Legislature in 1955 to foster regional maritime and economic development and advocate for port interests. The Port Authority is governed by a seven-member board of commissioners – two appointed by the governor of Minnesota, two by the St. Louis County Board and three by the Duluth City Council.