On January 12, 2011, Governor Mark Dayton appointed Mike Rothman to serve as Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Commerce.

Under the leadership of Commissioner Rothman, the Commerce Department is responsible for consumer protection, regulation of financial service industries including insurance, state-chartered banks, credit unions, securities, and real estate. The Department licenses franchises, collection agencies, and currency exchanges.

The Commerce Department is also responsible for enforcement of Public Utilities Commission (PUC) rules and orders, regulation of natural gas and electric public utilities, energy conservation standards and information programs, low-income home energy assistance and weatherization, regulation of telephone companies, the administration of Telecommunications Access Minnesota (TAM), petrofund, and unclaimed property programs.

Commissioner Rothman brings a distinguished record of consumer protection to the Department of Commerce and extensive public- and private-sector experience on insurance and financial service-related issues.