Ramsey County Attorney John Choi has been elected president of the Minnesota County Attorneys Association, becoming the first person of color to take the post.
The association elected Choi and other new leaders on Thursday.
"It is an honor and a privilege to serve as MCAA president, and I look forward to working with my colleagues and peers on issues important to the people we serve," Choi said in a written statement.
Choi was first elected as county attorney in 2010, becoming the state's first Asian-American county attorney and first Korean-American county attorney in the country, according to his office. He won re-election in 2014.
Choi previously served as St. Paul city attorney and was also a partner at Kennedy & Graven, focusing on local government law.
The county attorney's office has 336 staff members and a $44 million budget.
Mower County Attorney Kristen Nelsen was elected president-elect, Chief Deputy Hennepin County Attorney David Brown was elected secretary, and Stevens County Attorney Aaron Jordan was elected treasurer.
The new officers will serve this month through December 2018. Nelsen will serve as president from then through December 2019.
The MCAA represents all 87 elected county attorneys in Minnesota and more than 800 of their assistants.
