St. Paul, Minn., March 17, 2007 – Delegates at the 2007 Education Minnesota Representative Convention, held March 16-17 at the Saint Paul RiverCentre, elected three new officers to lead the statewide educator’s union: Tom Dooher as president, Paul Mueller as vice president, and Denise Specht as secretary-treasurer.

Tom Dooher was elected to serve as Education Minnesota’s president for a three-year term. He will take office July 1. Dooher fills the office currently held by Judy Schaubach, who is retiring after 20 years as a state leader for Education Minnesota and the former Minnesota Education Association.

“I appreciate the members’ confidence in electing me their president. I am proud to represent the 70,000 educator members who make up our union and share their passion for the education profession,” said Dooher. “I look forward to standing with them to fight for world-class public education in Minnesota.”

Dooher is a physical education teacher on leave from Sandburg Middle School, Golden Valley, Minn., and currently serves as the president of the Robbinsdale Federation of Teachers. He holds a bachelor of arts degree from the University of St. Thomas, a master of education degree from Hamline University, and a public human resources certificate from the Carlson School of Management. He and his wife, Denise, live in Brooklyn Park, Minn.

Paul Mueller, currently a career and technology community programs and industrial technology teacher at Brooklyn Center High Schools in the Brooklyn Center Schools district, was elected vice president and Denise Specht, a Title I teacher at Golden Lake Elementary in the Centennial School District, as secretary-treasurer.

In other action, convention delegates honored Carmen Peters with the 2007 Peterson-Schaubach Outstanding Leadership Award for his contributions to Education Minnesota, its local unions and its core purpose. Peters served as a choral music teacher on leave from Sauk Rapids Public Schools. He is retiring in June from his position as Education Minnesota secretary-treasurer.

The organization also welcomed a new category of membership. For the first time, it’s opened up associate membership to individuals who support the goals of Education Minnesota but are not part of a local union affiliate, which can include charter school teachers and others who support public education.

The more than 700 delegates attending the convention were elected by their local unions to represent the 70,000 members of Education Minnesota.

About Education Minnesota
Education Minnesota represents 70,000 professionals working to put schools first. Members include teachers and educational support professionals in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade public schools, faculty at Minnesota’s community and technical colleges and University of Minnesota campuses in Duluth and Crookston, retired educators, and student teachers. Education Minnesota is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, National Education Association and AFL-CIO.