>> ERIC: THE MINNESOTA BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP HELD ITS ANNUAL DINNER THIS WEEK WITH A NEW LEADER FOR THE FIRST TIME IN DECADES.

HE HAS A LOT OF EXPERIENCE IN POLITICS AND MEDIA, STARTING WITH COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR FOR U.S.

SENATOR ROD GRAMS AND RISING TO STATE HOUSE SPEAKER.

POLITICAL REPORTER MARY LAHAMMER HAS COVERED KURT ZELLERS FOR DECADES AND CAUGHT UP WITH HIM IN HIS NEW CORNER OFFICE IN DOWNTOWN MINNEAPOLIS.

>> IS THAT ME?

>> I DON'T THINK SO.

[ Laughter ] >> I DON'T HAVE TO -- >> Mary: MORE THAN A DECADE AGO, A YOUNGS DAD NAMES KURT ZELLERS BECAME THE NEW REPUBLICAN SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE.

WHAT ARE THOSE CHILDREN MOW?

>> ONE OF THEM IS A THRIVING FRESHMAN AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA.

REAGAN'S DOING GREAT ND WILL HAS NOW LIVED AWAY FROM HOME FOR THREE YEARS AS A BOARDING STUDENT AT CHATTUCK ST. MARY'S.

TWO YEARS IN A ROW, HE'S GOT TO WEAR THE RED, WHITE, AND BLUE I'M PROUD OF MINNESOTA AND USA HOCKEY.

>> Mary: NOW THOSE KIDS ARE ALL GROWN UP AND DAD HAS A NEW JOB AS HEAD OF THE MINNESOTA UBUSINESS PARTNERSHIP.

>> LITTLE FAMILY SECRET, I WAS OVER FOR THE LINCOLN TOURNAMENT WHEN THE BOARD VOTED ON MY POSITION.

EARLY IN THE MORNING, YOU JUST TELL ME WHEN, BUT I SAID, THIS IS KIND OF A ONCE IN A LIFETIME DEAL SO 'M GOING TO BE THERE.

AND IMAGINE, THAT A LOT OF MINNESOTA COMPANIES HAVE HOCKEY CONNECTIONS.

>> Mary: ZELLERS ADMITTEDLY HAS BIG SHOES TO FILL.

ARE THERE STILL MODERATE REPUBLICANS LEFT.

>> INTERESTS GOT TO BE.

THE CLIMATE'S CERTAINLY CHANGED IN THE LAST TEN YEARS.

THERE'S MORE ANGER.

YOU KNOW, AND LESS FRIENDSHIP, LESS REACHING ACROSS THE AISLE.

>> Mary: WEAVER WAS BELOVED IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, THE POLITICAL COMMUNITY, BIPARTISAN, REACH ACROSS THE AISLE.

ARE YOU GOING TO BE CHARLIE WEAVER?

>> I'M NOT CHARLIE WEAVER, BUT I'M MY OWN IRS HAVE OF THAT, YEAH.

JEFF HAYDEN GAVE ME A GREAT BIG HUG.

SO DID TOM BAKK.

AND A LOT OF THE REPUBLICANS IN THE FRIENDS SAID THIS IS GREAT.

WE NEED SOMEBODY WITH A LITTLE BIT MORE, TAKE A LITTLE BIT HARDER STANCE.

>> Mary: ARE YOU A MODERATE?

>> YOU KNOW, DEPENDING ON THE DAY, DEPENDING ON THE ISSUE, YEAH.

I'M STILL FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE.

I'M SAY I'M MORE PRACTICAL THAN MODERATE.

WE'RE GOING TO BE REALLY STRONG WITH THE GOVERNOR AND THE DEMOCRATS.

IF THIS MAKES IT MORE OR LESS COMPETITIVE FOR MINNESOTA BUSINESSES WE'RE GOING TO CALL IT OUT.

IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE DOING SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO MAKE US LEADING IN THE NATION, WE'LL BE THERE TO SUPPORT YOU.

BUT IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING THAT'S SIMILAR TO CALIFORNIA, FOR TAX POLICY, WE'RE GOING TO CALL ON OUT.

>> Mary: LIKE CHARLIE, HOW MUCH DOES YOUR POLITICAL EXPERIENCE HELP YOU WITH THIS?

>> WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN OVERTURN OF ABOUT A QUARTER OF OUR CEOs.

YOU KIND OF WORK YOUR WAY UP.

THERE'S A LOT OF CEOs COMING IN FROM OUTSTATE.

>> Mary: TONIGHT WE'RE BRINGING DOWN THE AVERAGE AGE AT THE GUEST HERE AT "ALMANAC."

ZELLERS CAME OF AGE AS HIS PARTY AND POLITICS CHANGED INTO A DIVISIVE, DIFFICULT ERA.

HOW MUCH WOULD YOU SAY POLITICS CHANGED SINCE YOU LEFT?

>> A LOT.

AND THE ONE THING THAT'S REALLY DISIS A POINTING AND MORE OF A PERSON THING IS, YOU KNOW, LEGISLATORS DON'T MEET WITH THEIR CONSTITUENTS.

IF YOU SAY, HI, I'M KURT WITH A.M. ME TOOLS.

>> Mary: HOW IS THE POLARIZATION?

>> WE'RE GOING TO PRIMARY YOU.

YOU BETTER NOT DO THAT.

BRINGING CANDIDATES, NOT OPPOSING PARTY CANDIDATES BUT BRINGING CANDIDATES FROM YOUR OWN PARTY TO THE CAPITOL TO SIT IN THE GALLERY OR BE THERE VISITING, THAT'S HARD CORE.

WE'RE GOING TO SUPPORT DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN, CANDIDATES THAT ARE PRO-BUSINESS AND IF THAT MEANS GETTING INVOLVED IN HELPING THEM FIGHT OFF A PRIMARY OPPONENT, YEAH, I'M ALL ON BOARD.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE WE'LL JUST TAKE WHATEVER WE CAN GET.

WE'RE GOING TO GO FIND PRO-BUSINESS CANDIDATES.

BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE.

>> Mary: HIS JOB WILL BE TO HELP GUIDE AND DVOCATE FOR A BUSINESS LANDSCAPE THAT'S GOING ALSO GOING THROUGH CHANGES.

HOW MUCH DOES THAT CHANGE BUSINESS?

>> YOU KNOW, AND I THINK WE'RE KIND OF THAT AT EBB WHERE IT WAS LIKE, OH, THIS IS GREAT.

EVERYBODY'S REALLY PRODUCTIVE, AND THEN WELL, MAYBE THEY ARE SHOWING UP IN THEIR PAJAMAS AND MAYBE THEY'RE NOT ON CAMERA.

AND I THINK ONCE THAT KIND OF THE AND THE NEW WORKFORCE, YEAH, IT'S EASY TO WORK FROM HOME, BUT IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO BE FACE TO FASHION.

>> Mary: LAST QUESTION.

YOU WERE HOUSE SPEAKER.

IS THIS THE BEST JOB EVER YET?

>> OH, YEAH, NOW KNOW WHY CHARL YEAR WAS SO HAPPY.

I SAID I DON'T KNOW IF I