Kathleen A. Gaylord
Admitted to bar, 1979, Minnesota

Kathleen Gaylord is an attorney and partner at Weinblatt & Gaylord PLC. Her work includes tax analysis, real estate financing, and employment law. In addition, Kathleen has taught Election Law for the Minnesota Institute of Legal Education (MILE). In previous employment, Kathleen served as Regional Manager of Properties and Facilities for Northwest Airlines, Inc. managing a portfolio of airport properties across the country prior to her promotion to the position of Senior Corporate Counsel. While at Northwest, she was successful in acquiring almost a billion dollars in airline assistance aid from the Minnesota Legislature to preserve 18,000 jobs in Minnesota. As the Chair of the Public Affairs Committee for the Air Transportation Association in Washington, DC, Kathleen also lobbied Congress and state legislatures across the country on behalf of the airline industry and has lectured on transportation issues across the United States. Before joining Northwest, Kathleen worked for the Minnesota legislature. Her work focused on tax legislation and research. Kathleen developed an income-based property tax relief system known as the "Circuit Breaker" for the Minnesota Legislature and, while Executive Director of the Minnesota Tax Study Commission, designed the first computer simulation of the state's complex tax and local government aid system.

Kathleen earned a BA degree magna cum laude from the University of Minnesota in economics and a J.D. degree in law from the William Mitchell College of Law. Her education also includes post- graduate work at the University of Minnesota in both business taxation and public administration.

In 2002 Kathleen Gaylord was elected Dakota County Commissioner after serving ten years as the Mayor of South Saint Paul and eight years as a member of the South Saint Paul City Council. As Mayor, Kathleen developed a reputation for teamwork, respect, and openness to residents and employees. She initiated major improvements in the budget process and successfully initiated and developed major civic projects and basic infrastructure improvements. In 2000, Kathleen chaired the National League of Cities Transportation Steering and Policy Committees and was elected to the National League of Cities (NLC) Board of Directors in 2001.

Education: Macalester College; University of Minnesota (B.A., magna cum laude, 1974); William Mitchell College of Law (J.D., 1979). Phi Beta Kappa.

Experience: Minnesota Tax Study Commission, 1974-1981; Director of State Government Affairs and Corporate Counsel, 1989-1991 and Senior Corporate Counsel, 1991-1995 Northwest Airlines, Inc; Mayor, South Saint Paul, 1993-2004; Chair, Public Affairs Committee, Air Transport Association, 1993-1994; President, Dakota County League of Governments, 1996-1997; President, Metropolitan Public Airports Foundation, 1997; Chair, Transportation Infrastructure and Services Committee, 2000; Board Member, National League of Cities, 2000-2004; Co-Chair, Metro East Development Partnership, 2002; Commissioner, Dakota County Board of Commissioners, 2003-; Chair, Dakota County Board of Commissioners, 2005-.

Legal Associations: Dakota County Bar Association, Minnesota State Bar Association, and American Bar Association.