Top IT Official To Leave Gov. Dayton's Cabinet

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The state's chief information officer is leaving Gov. Mark Dayton's administration.

Commissioner Carolyn Parnell will step down Jan. 5 to pursue other work. She announced her departure Tuesday in an email to employees. Dayton appointed Parnell in 2011.

As head of Minnesota's information technology branch, called MN.IT, Parnell consolidated all of the state's IT services. MN.IT also had a hand in the rocky rollout of the state's health insurance exchange.

Parnell is the third member of Dayton's cabinet to depart since the Democratic governor won a second term this fall. Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board Commissioner Tony Sertich and Metropolitan Council Chair Sue Haigh announced their resignations last month.

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