Michelle Kommer
BISMARCK, N.D. (KFGO) – Michelle Kommer of Fargo will be the next member of the State Board of Higher Education, effective immediately.
Gov. Kelly Armstrong made the appointment after a committee selected three finalists earlier this month.
“As a business owner and former state agency leader who understands the crucial role of higher education in addressing our state’s workforce challenges, Michelle will bring valuable perspective and experience to the board,” Armstrong said. “We appreciate her willingness to serve and look forward to working with her and the entire board to ensure that our campuses are aligned with changing workforce needs and continue to be our state’s best recruiting tool.”
Kommer has owned and operated Highroad Partners since 2020, a firm providing human resources, payroll, employee benefits, medicare advisory and consulting services.
She previously served as North Dakota’s Commerce Commissioner, Labor Commissioner and Executive Director of Job Service North Dakota.
Kommer earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Mayville State University, a master’s degree in management from the University of Mary and a law degree from the University of North Dakota School of Law. She is licensed to practice law in North Dakota and Minnesota.
She fills the board seat that was held by Levi Bachmeier, who resigned when he took the job as North Dakota’s Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Kommer will serve the remainder of Bachmeier’s four-year term, which expires June 30, 2029. Her appointment must be confirmed by the State Senate.
The other two finalists for the board position were Stan Schauer of Bismarck, the Director of Assessments for the Department of Public Instruction, and Darin Scherr of Bismarck, the Business and Operations Manager for the Bismarck School District.
The Board of Higher Education has eight voting members appointed by the governor, including one student member, and two non-voting members who represent the North Dakota University System’s faculty and staff.
The board oversees the system’s 11 public colleges and universities.
Comments