James Metzen

James P. Metzen (October 26, 1943 – July 11, 2016) was an American politician and member of the Minnesota Senate. A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), he represented District 52, which included portions of Dakota County in the southeastern Twin Cities metropolitan area.

Early career Metzen started in the banking business at Southview Bank, working his way up the chain of command until he sold his interest in the bank in 1992. He is a former Vice President of Community Affairs at Key Community Bank, which has branches in Inver Grove Heights and South St. Paul. Metzen was integral in the bank's initial startup. His father, Butch, was a union organizer and one-time Dakota County Commissioner.

Minnesota Legislature Prior to his election to the Senate, Metzen served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 1975 to 1986, representing the old District 52A before the 1982 legislative redistricting and District 39B thereafter. He was also a member of the South St. Paul City Council from 1967 to 1974.

Personal life Metzen resided in South St. Paul with his wife, Sandie. His brother, David, is a former University of Minnesota hockey standout, and a former regent of the University of Minnesota. David's wife, Leslie, is a former district court judge in Dakota County. Metzen has two children Jeff and John. He also has two grandchildren, Nicolas and Allyson.

On the morning of May 22, 2007, Metzen was arrested for driving under the influence just hours after the 2007 legislative session came to an end. The arrest occurred less than a mile away from his home. During a field sobriety test, he blew a 0.15, which is nearly twice the Minnesota legal limit of 0.08. He wrote a letter of apology for the incident to Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller and his peers. On June 14, 2007, he was sentenced to 20 hours of community service and ordered to pay a $377 fine for the arrest.

In September 2015, Metzen was diagnosed with a recurrence of lung cancer. He began oral chemotherapy at his home shortly thereafter. On July 11, 2016, Metzen died of cancer.