News Releases
| << Back |
Witham becomes first female president of international insurance association
Gender gap closes after 59 years of GAMA International history
| MINNEAPOLIS (June 16, 2009) – In the traditionally male-dominated insurance field, one woman is making her mark. Linda Witham of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans was recently elected as the first female president of GAMA International, a worldwide professional association for field leaders in the insurance and financial services industry.
“We achieve another important milestone for GAMA as Linda Witham is named GAMA’s first female president in the association’s 59-year history,” said Jeff Hughes, GAMA International CEO. “Linda brings an appreciation for diversity and a passion for the power of teams to her new role – both important priorities for GAMA as we continue to broaden the benefits of GAMA membership to all leadership roles and levels of experience.” Witham is a managing partner for Thrivent Financial for Lutherans’ Pacific Southwest Regional Financial Office in Woodland Hills, Calif. With co-managing partners Karsten Lundring, Gregg Knudten and Terry Wold, the region regularly leads Thrivent Financial in production and has achieved the GAMA Master Agency Award every year since 1998. “Serving as GAMA’s president at this time in history is both a privilege and a responsibility that I take very seriously,” Witham said. “It is clear to me that in challenging times, our leadership skills are more important than ever. GAMA members will find that our association is the best place for us to come together to share best practices and recharge. Our diverse growth in recent years means that GAMA is perfectly positioned to help the individuals who will lead the financial services industry through this critical period.” Witham joined GAMA in 1990, becoming an active GAMA volunteer shortly after. She served as a GAMA Foundation trustee for four years, spoke four times at GAMA’s annual Leadership and Management Program and served on GAMA International’s professional development and membership committees. “We are very proud of Linda for all she has accomplished,” said Thrivent Financial Chairman, President and CEO Bruce Nicholson. “Her work is a testament to what men and women alike are capable of in today’s business world. The diversity of our work force is vital to this organization, and we are thrilled to see Witham flourish as a leader in this important insurance association.” GAMA International is a worldwide professional association serving 5,500 field leaders in the insurance and financial services industry. Its members recognize their critical role in finding, building and inspiring the next generation of top performers who will, in their turn, lead the industry into the future. To help build these leaders, the association provides its members with professional development resources and opportunities, including educational, networking and leadership. GAMA International’s website is located at www.gamaweb.com. About Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Thrivent Financial for Lutherans is a Fortune 500 financial services membership organization helping approximately 2.6 million members achieve financial security and give back to their communities. Thrivent Financial and its affiliates offer a broad range of financial products and services including life insurance, annuities, mutual funds, disability income insurance, bank products and more. As a not-for-profit organization, Thrivent Financial creates and supports national outreach programs and activities that help congregations, schools, charitable organizations and individuals in need. For more information, visit www.thrivent.com. -END- 200902313 |
| Contact Information: | |||
| Brett Weinberg Director, Public Relations brett.weinberg@thrivent.com Phone: (612) 844-4272 | Dave Rustad, APR Senior Media Relations Specialist dave.rustad@thrivent.com Phone: (612) 844-7037 | ||
Add to Favorites
Email a Friend
Add to Yahoo
Add to Google
Add to Digg
Add to Facebook
Add to Twitter
Add to Del.icio.us
Add to Reddit
Add to Newsvine
Add to StumbleUpon
