Elwyn Tinklenberg | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Tinklenberg at an IBEW local picnic | |
| Mayor of Blaine, Minnesota | |
| In office 1987–1996 | |
| Succeeded by | Tom Ryan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 26, 1950 Princeton, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic-Farmer-Labor |
| Spouse | Terri Tinklenberg |
| Children | Patrick Tinklenberg, Aaron Tinklenberg, Jessica Tinklenberg, Aaron Richey, Alli Richey, Anna Richey |
| Alma mater | University of Minnesota Duluth |
Elwyn "El" Tinklenberg (born February 26, 1950) has been an American government official and candidate for public office. He was Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Transportation, a city council member and mayor, and a two-time candidate for the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party nomination for U.S. Congress from Minnesota's 6th District.
Tinklenberg was born in Princeton, Minnesota and grew up on a farm in Pease, Minnesota, a small, Dutch farming community in central Minnesota. He earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Minnesota Duluth in 1973. Afterward, he enrolled at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois. He completed his Master of Divinity at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities in 1977. He served as a United Methodist minister in Blaine, Minnesota, from 1977 to 1986 before being elected to the Blaine City Council and then Mayor of Blaine. He was appointed Minnesota Transportation Commissioner in 1998.