I know that government is not the answer to every problem, but my goal is to make it work efficiently and give everyone a seat at the table, including those who have not felt welcome in the past.”

Jen Fox

HASTINGS, Minn.— Local business owner and lifelong Hastings resident Jen Fox recently announced her candidacy for the Minnesota House of Representatives, representing District 41B. District 41B includes Hastings and portions of Cottage Grove, as well as Denmark and Nininger townships.

Fox currently serves on the Hastings City Council representing Ward 2 and is the city’s Acting Mayor. She has served on the council’s Finance Committee, Planning Committee, and Public Safety Committee. In addition to these responsibilities, Fox represents Hastings on the Dakota County 911 Board and the Hastings Chamber Tourism Board.

“I know that government is not the answer to every problem, but my goal is to make it work efficiently and give everyone a seat at the table, including those who have not felt welcome in the past. I also believe that government should not reach into our private lives and dictate our personal decisions. That is the true definition of freedom.”

Prior to her election to city council, Fox served as a commissioner on the Hastings Economic Development and Redevelopment Authority (HEDRA), where she was appointed Treasurer by her fellow board members. HEDRA guides the development and implementation of the city's economic and redevelopment strategies. The seven-member board is appointed by the Hastings City Council and consists of five citizens.

Professionally, Fox is part owner of Spiral Brewery, a popular business on Second Street in downtown Hastings where she runs the Sales and Distribution Division. She has also worked for the State of Minnesota as the Director of Consumer Outreach and Community Relations for the Minnesota Department of Commerce, and in several communications roles at the Minnesota Office of Higher Education.

Fox holds a Master’s Degree in Public Policy and Leadership from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, and a Bachelor’s Degree from Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter.

As a lifelong Hastings resident with decades of involvement in the community, a local business owner, and current City Council member, Fox and her own small business have personally felt the outcomes of legislative decisions made in recent years. She is running to bring a voice from the district to St. Paul on behalf of business owners, local governments and all residents in District 41. Fox is committed to enhancing stakeholder engagement as decisions are made that impact the district.

“The issues that our district’s communities face today are greater than what we, as local governments, can face alone,” Fox said. “We need support at the state capitol for bonding, infrastructure, and clean water now more than ever."