ici ary ▁comm itte es , ▁the ▁ ▁R ules ▁and ▁Legisl ative ▁Administration ▁Committee , ▁and ▁the ▁W ays ▁and ▁Me ans ▁Committee . ▁He ▁was ▁an ▁assistant ▁majority ▁leader ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 9 – 1 9 8 5 , ▁and , ▁briefly , ▁majority ▁leader ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 7 . ▁ ▁Van ase k ▁became ▁Spe aker ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 7 , ▁after ▁the ▁res ignation ▁of ▁Fred ▁N orton , ▁who ▁was ▁appointed ▁to ▁the ▁ ▁Minnesota ▁Court ▁of ▁App e als ▁by ▁Governor ▁Rud y ▁Per p ich . ▁He ▁served ▁as ▁Spe aker ▁until ▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁when ▁he ▁left ▁the ▁legisl ature ▁to ▁become ▁executive ▁director ▁of ▁the ▁Minnesota ▁High ▁Technology ▁Council , ▁a ▁private ▁organization , ▁until ▁ 1 9 9 5 . ▁He ▁was ▁vice ▁president ▁of ▁public ▁affairs ▁at ▁Metropolitan ▁State ▁University ▁from ▁ 1 9 9 5 – 1 9 9 9 . ▁ ▁Van ase k ▁has ▁run ▁Robert ▁Van ase k ▁& ▁Associ ates ▁since ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁and ▁is ▁currently ▁a ▁lo bb y ist ▁for ▁a ▁variety ▁of ▁organizations . ▁He ▁is ▁also ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁board ▁of ▁direct ors ▁of ▁Minnesota ' s ▁Private ▁Colleg es . ▁ ▁Honor ary ▁cons ul ▁of ▁the ▁Czech ▁Republic ▁Van ase k ▁was ▁installed ▁as ▁the ▁new ▁honor ary ▁cons ul ▁of ▁the ▁Czech ▁Republic ▁for ▁the ▁four - state ▁area ▁of ▁Minnesota , ▁Iowa , ▁North ▁Dak