Revenue commissioner leaving for role at science museum

Minnesota’s Department of Revenue commissioner is planning to leave the department for a role with the Science Museum of Minnesota next month.

Wednesday, Gov. Tim Walz’s office announced that Robert Doty will become the chief financial officer at the museum and leave his current role on Sept. 2.

Doty was appointed by Walz in November 2020. After he leaves, he will continue to serve as an advisor, Walz’s office says.

“Commissioner Doty has truly exemplified what it means to be a public servant,” Walz said. “We owe many of our state’s biggest accomplishments over these past few years to his dedication and work. Commissioner Doty was crucial in navigating the pandemic, passing frontline worker payments, and growing Minnesota’s thriving economy. I look forward to seeing what’s next for Robert and am grateful he will serve as an advisor.”

After Doty leaves, Deputy Commissioner Lee Ho will serve as the temporary commissioner through the end of the year.

“I am grateful for the opportunity provided to me by Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan to serve as the Commissioner for the Minnesota Department of Revenue,” Doty said in a statement. “It has truly been an honor to serve people in Minnesota and to positively impact their lives. I am proud of the work accomplished over my tenure at Revenue, specifically the programs that provided relief to Minnesotans during the pandemic including successful distribution of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to counties and cities, COVID-19 business relief payments, COVID-19 Tribal Relations Grants, and now the Frontline Worker Payments as well as the efforts to engrain equity into the work of tax administration and the creation of the Office of Public Engagement. This experience has been the high point of my career. I am forever grateful for all the hard work, dedication, and support of the staff at Revenue and throughout the enterprise. I will miss this work and the interactions with all my colleagues through the enterprise.”

Previously, Doty was the chief operations officer and chief financial officer for Minneapolis Public Schools, then the executive director of the Minnesota Lottery before he joined the Department of Revenue as an assistant commissioner in 2019.