Woodbury's Sorel stepping down as transportation commissioner

• Commissioner Sorel

Commissioner Tom Sorel of the Minnesota Department of Transportation, a Woodbury resident.

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Tom Sorel, the state’s transportation commission and Woodbury resident, announced today he will resign his post and take the reins at AAA Minneapolis.

Sorel has served as commissioner since 2008 when he was appointed by Gov. Tim Pawlenty. He was re-appointed to the position by Gov. Mark Dayton.

Sorel starts his new job as president and CEO of AAA Minneapolis on Dec. 1.

“It has been a tremendous honor to serve the citizens of Minnesota as MnDOT Commissioner for the past four years,” Sorel said in a news release. “MnDOT is a great organization supported by exemplary public servants who I will miss tremendously.”

Dayton praised Sorel’s “strong leadership” during his tenure at MnDOT. Sorel came to the job after serving as a longtime federal transportation official.

“Tom Sorel has served the state of Minnesota with excellence, and I thank him for his dedicated public service to the people of Minnesota,” Dayton said in the release.

Dayton named MnDOT Deputy Commissioner Bernie Arseneau as acting transportation commissioner.

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