The Past and Future John Gilbert — An interview with The Thrivent Financial Chairman of the Board

John Gilbert, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans chairman of the board, is retiring this month after serving more than 40 years—his entire career—with the organization. Following is a continuation of his thoughts on the career he’s loved and what’s around the next corner in his life.

What are you most proud of during your tenure at Thrivent Financial?
There are many things that I am proud of, but clearly the merger of two organizations to create Thrivent Financial and seeing how it’s come this far after three-plus years is something I’m very proud of. It’s also what I probably will be remembered for.

Tell a story of what’s touched you most in your career here.
They say that our financial representatives never forget the first death claim they settle. While I didn’t settle a claim, I rode alongside a financial representative as he brought the proceeds from a life insurance policy to a widow. That gave me a very real sense of what this organization is all about.

Another experience in a similar vein occurred after a financial representative died from a sudden heart attack. His spouse came to our field conferences and told us of the difference that good planning had made for their family. Her late husband’s general agent had always told his representatives that before they go out and help others, they need to make sure their own houses are in order. That made the difference in her life, and watching her late husband’s colleagues and spouses listen intently was confirmation that we make a difference in people’s lives.

My wife Marilyn and I had the opportunity to attend a Jimmy Carter weekend for Habitat for Humanity. We saw a family in their new Habitat home and also saw an elderly widow before she moved out of literally a shack and into her Habitat home. We got to see what substandard housing really is. Over the years, Thrivent Financial has helped build more than 500 homes, and I’ve personally been able to swing a hammer and help others in need. It’s another way this organization deals with human needs and helps others.

How has the value of membership with this organization changed over the years?
I think it’s only increased as we’ve brought the opportunity to meet a broader set of needs with an expanded portfolio of products—including investments, banking and annuities—on top of our core insurance line. These are all part of the changing look of financial services. We offer a wide array of products and do it in a way that really looks at member needs and goals.

The ways in which we meet the financial needs of our members must always be relevant to the times. Similarly, the manner in which we create opportunities for members to volunteer also must be relevant to the times. It's exciting as we continue to see more volunteers stepping forward to help Lutherans and their neighbors give back to their churches and communities.

What are your plans for retirement?
I plan to enjoy not having such a full schedule and having more flexibility. Marilyn will be able to do a little bit more planning of what we’re going to do. We enjoy traveling, and now we hope to have the opportunity to travel on a more leisurely schedule. I will continue to be involved as a volunteer with organizations such as Luther College, where I serve as chairman of the board; Habitat for Humanity with a hammer and as one of its board members. I want to bring the benefit of my experience to the volunteer sector. We will continue to live in the Twin Cities area as well as keep our home in northern Wisconsin. In addition, we’ll have more time to spend with our son and his family, which includes our two grandsons, as well as with our daughter.

What was your first job in the organization? What attracted you here?
I started in the product development area as an actuarial student. I was attracted to the organization because of the people here and the community. I came from a small town in western Minnesota and my wife, Marilyn, grew up on a farm. We were looking for a community that was not huge, but still had so much to offer. Appleton, Wisconsin, was that place.

Early in your career, did you ever envision yourself leading the organization and that it would become a Fortune 500 organization?
There’s always a sense of that on Day 1 new employees aspire to someday be CEO. In reality, that was not where it started for me. As I’ve gone through life, one of my philosophies has been to do each job to the best of my ability. That took me through a variety of positions in the organization through the years, and ultimately, is what led me to consider being a candidate for CEO.

Certainly when I started in 1965, being a Fortune 500 company was a foreign concept for an organization like ours. With our size alone, I doubt if anyone ever thought of that. What it does recognize is that both predecessor organizations had the leadership that fostered the growth that let to both organizations becoming Fortune 500 companies.

You’ve held a lot of positions here. Which gave you the most satisfaction?
People like to think that careers are well planned, and that each step leads to another higher step. In reality, I never could have planned for the opportunities that I had as part of my career, and each was satisfying. Those opportunities gave me the chance to see nearly every corner of the organization from a different vantage point. By the time I moved into the role of CEO, I had seen most parts of the organization personally. To this day, I encourage others to seek out as many different opportunities as they can within an organization.

Over the years, I had the chance to hold positions in areas including corporate planning, financial operations, information technology, field services and insurance services. But perhaps the most significant opportunity I had was as general manager of the Northcentral Region, where I served as the regional supervisor to general agents in Wisconsin and Minnesota. That really moved me out of my comfort zone and allowed me to see the organization at the level members see it.

Most people move around during their careers. Why did you stay here for 40 years?
First of all, I have always had a deep belief for this organization and what it’s all about. I have always appreciated the uniqueness of our organization, the multiple ways we have to help others whether it’s through offering financial solutions or lending a helping hand. But I also stayed because of the people and the opportunities that I had to continue to grow and develop. There was never any sign that told me I should be any place else.

When you were elected president and chief executive officer in 1995, what words of wisdom did previous leaders share with you?
One was something that I had already learned, but found amplified at that level—that this is a special organization. It has a special nature as a fraternal benefit society. In addition, through personal counsel, my predecessors shared with me that to be CEO is all-consuming, and that they had found it was important to have a place to go to be alone and reflect. That’s when Marilyn and I got our place in northern Wisconsin.

Who were your mentors?
There were many people who played an important role in my career, including one of my early bosses, Gene Porter. I visited with a lot of people when I first interviewed; Gene was someone who was so genuine, he cared about people. And he knew how to both impart his knowledge and call on the knowledge and skills that I didn’t know I had. He was a down-to-earth, easygoing individual, and I learned so much from him.

Another mentor was Roger Johnson, from whom I learned about management and about myself as a manager of people. Roger challenged me in ways I hadn’t been challenged before. In so many ways, he was both a mentor and a friend.

Jim Richardson was in charge of field distribution when I worked for him in member field services. It was with Jim’s support that I actually took the job as general manager. Jim helped me learn more about myself and my capabilities. He saw things in me that I didn’t see in myself. I owe a lot to Jim for the opportunities he gave me.

An Appleton business leader, Paul Groth, gave me real insights into being a manager and leader through our work together on a church committee and in general conversation. As I moved into positions with increasing responsibility, it was good to get feedback and wise counsel from someone outside the organization.

Since hindsight is 20-20, what would you have done differently in your career, with decisions you made for the organization?
In terms of career, I don’t know if I would have done anything different. I would again take as many opportunities as presented to me and sample what the rest of the organization has to offer. In terms of things I would do differently, I would try to communicate even more. They say that if something is communicated so many times that you’re sick of it, others are just starting to get the message. I would have tried to be more effective with communication, especially with employees.

What do you envision Thrivent Financial will look like 10 years from now?
I think it will certainly be a larger organization, not to say that bigger is better. But the fact that it’s grown—that it will grow—is evidence of success in the marketplace. Thrivent Financial still will be a unique organization. It will continue to be an organization that cares for others, that does well so that it can do good. People will recognize the organization for what it is. And by being larger, we’ll be doing even more good in this country and around the world.

What one thing do you want members to know about Thrivent Financial?
I want members to know this organization is financially secure and strong. It’s an organization that has very capable management in position; people committed to the success of the organization. It’s the most talented group of senior managers I’ve ever been privileged to work with.

What is the funniest thing that ever happened to you at work?
It was day two in my corner office on the 10th floor of the 222 Building in downtown Appleton, and there was a big rainstorm. The water was leaking out of a dozen different parts of the ceiling. We had pails, canisters, anything we could find collecting drips of water. I’m not sure if at that moment I thought it was funny, but it certainly was an unusual experience.

What is your fondest memory?
It was June 27, 2001, I stood before a group of managers and announced that AAL and Lutheran Brotherhood had agreed to merge. There had been an electricity in the air for weeks that something was up. The spontaneous applause that came from that group of managers was a special moment and something I never will forget.

What will you miss the most?
I’ll miss the people, no question. It goes back to the very thing that played an important part in why I came. The other part is the work. When you’ve had the opportunity to be in roles like I have and have the privilege of serving as CEO and chairman of the board, you get to be the architect of a lot of things to ensure the organization stays successful in a difficult environment. These are challenges, but also opportunities. Being a part of those challenges and opportunities is something I’ll miss.

As you walk out the door, what advice do you have for leaders at Thrivent Financial?
Much of the same that was given to me: This is a special organization. The challenges will be different from the ones I faced, but surround yourselves with good people as I’ve tried to do. And they need to take the time to make sure they have balance in their lives and have a place to get away and restore their energy. Work is invigorating, but it can’t be all work.

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