Pete Wyckoff, PhD was appointed Deputy Commissioner of Energy Resources in September 2024. He joined Commerce in March 2023 as Assistant Commissioner of Federal and State Initiatives for the Energy Resources Division. During that time, he has worked closely with the Governor’s Office and Legislature to coordinate efforts to bring millions in federal clean energy funds to Minnesota. He oversaw the Commerce Offices of Energy Affordability and Energy Development during a time of rapid expansion, as Commerce has worked to stand up many new programs funded by recent federal and state legislation. Prior to joining Commerce, Wyckoff served as Senior Policy Advisor for Energy for U.S. Senator Tina Smith. He also worked for former U.S. Senator Al Franken and at the U.S. Department of Energy during his time in Washington, DC. Wyckoff is an environmental scientist by training and an emeritus professor of the University of Minnesota Morris. Wyckoff received his bachelor’s degree in biology and political science from Drew University in New Jersey and a PhD in Ecology from Duke University in North Carolina.