Alan Anderson

Alan Anderson was appointed Commissioner of the North Dakota Department of Commerce by Governor Jack Dalrymple in May 2011. As Commissioner, Alan oversees the lead agency responsible for attracting, retaining and expanding wealth in North Dakota. Commerce serves businesses and communities statewide through four divisions: Community Services, Economic Development and Finance, Workforce Development, and Tourism. The agency has hundreds of partners -- local, state, federal, public, private, and non-profit – and is the primary facilitator for all entities involved in the economic and community development process. Alan has three decades of business development experience, including the coordination of multi-million dollar projects and high-level strategy planning. He has a strong academic background in both the business and engineering areas, and diverse experience in managing complex projects, defining future growth opportunities and developing a diverse workforce. He has 30 years of leadership and development experience in the oil and gas industry, serving on the management team for the Tesoro Corporation. Before retiring from the company last year, he served as vice president of operations strategy and development, charged with the overall development of future business opportunities and the evaluation of strategic options for the company’s future growth. He was elected chairman of the North Dakota Petroleum Council and has served on numerous boards, including Bismarck State College and the Bismarck/Mandan Chamber of Commerce. He was appointed to the North Dakota Oil and Gas Research Council and has been active with Dickinson State University’s Business Challenge, the Missouri Slope United Way and the American Red Cross. A native of Underwood, Alan received a Bachelor of Science degree in Geological Engineering from the University of North Dakota and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Utah. He and his wife, Kelly, have three children.