Teresa Rasmussen, Class of '84, Recognized as Women In Business Industry Leader
Teresa Rasmussen, senior vice president and general counsel for Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, has been named by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal as a 2011 “Women in Business: Industry Leader.” The award recognizes a select group of 25 Twin Cities-area female business leaders who are at the forefront of their industries and are also breaking new ground in their respective fields.
Rasmussen was recognized as a leader in the legal field as well as for her prominent role in working with fraternal benefit societies. At Thrivent Financial, she serves as a member of the Executive Management Team and oversees a variety of functions including: legal, compliance, business risk management, government affairs, communications, and church and community engagement. She is the immediate past chair of the board of directors of the American Fraternal Alliance where she provided oversight and counsel to AFA staff, led policymaking decisions and represented the 70 member societies and their nearly nine million members. In addition to the AFA, she also currently serves on the board for the Association of Life Insurance Counsel (ALIC).
She is also very active in the community. An avid volunteer, Rasmussen serves on the board for the MacPhail Center for Music in Minneapolis and is a member of their governance committee. She also serves on the board and is a member of the advancement committee for Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota, where she led the selection committee in their recent search for a new CEO. In addition, Rasmussen was appointed to the President’s Advisory Council for Lutheran World Relief. Closer to home, she is active in her church and chairs the audit committee and serves on the finance committee for Trinity Lutheran Church in Orono, Minn.
Rasmussen has gained a loyal following of current and past employees who have experienced her easygoing, yet effective and efficient management style. She is an advocate for work-life balance as well as for continuous professional and personal learning and improvement. “Enabling people so that they can reach their full potential is something that is very important to me,” says Rasmussen. “Open communication and being able to take risks and try new things are the cornerstones of growth, both from a professional and, for many, personal standpoint as well.”
“Terry has a unique leadership style that inspires people to do their career-best work,” says Brad Hewitt, president and CEO of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. “She has a genuine interest in seeing others succeed and the innate ability to help them reach their goals through her counsel and encouragement.”
Rasmussen is a 1984 graduate of the UND School of Law and has been with Thrivent Financial since 2005.