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Thrivent Financial honored for ‘Best Green Strategy’

Organization receives silver Alexander Hamilton Award for conservation efforts


MINNEAPOLIS (Nov. 5, 2009) – Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, a Fortune 500 financial services organization, recently received a silver Alexander Hamilton Award for “Best Green Strategy” by Treasury & Risk magazine. Thrivent Financial was one of just three organizations nationwide to be honored by Treasury & Risk for excellence in finance and treasury management related to environmental awareness, conservation and social responsibility.

“We’ve learned that sound financial management and environmental stewardship can go hand-in-hand,” said Paul Zastrow, Thrivent Financial treasurer and vice president of corporate accounting. “We are proud to be recognized by Treasury & Risk for our commitment to excellence in both areas.”

In 2003, Thrivent Financial began a four-year concerted effort to improve its energy efficiency in its 17-story corporate center in downtown Minneapolis. The organization recommissioned, replaced or renovated a number of major systems. Recommissioning involves taking existing systems and making low cost alterations to achieve optimal performance. Recommissioning work included redesigning sills to better control air flow and reconfiguring the building automation system to an optimal start. Replacement and renovation work included elevators, roof and chiller plant system and elevators, relamping, digital controls and variable frequency speed drives on fans and pumps all to gain greater efficiencies.

Through those efforts, the organization nearly doubled its energy efficiency, and earned the prestigious ENERGY STAR designation from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The designation is given only to those buildings that rank in the top 25 percent in the nation for energy efficiency.

Thrivent Financial’s conservation efforts generated annual energy savings of $600,000 and increased occupant comfort. In the process, it also reduced Thrivent Financial’s carbon dioxide emissions by more than 6,000 tons—roughly the equivalent of removing 1,100 cars from the road. The organization is now in the process of retro-commissioning its Appleton, Wis., Operations Center.

Thrivent Financial’s green strategy is about more than buildings. It also includes employee education, employee commuting, recycling and procurement, among others. Examples include:
  • Thrivent Financial holds monthly “Lunch and Learn” sessions for interested employees to explore opportunities to be better environmental stewards at work and at home.
  • Thrivent Financial employees have reduced the amount of paper they print by 75 percent.
  • Nearly 50 percent of Thrivent Financial’s employees in Minneapolis use alternative forms of commuting to work other than driving alone.
  • When possible, Thrivent Financial resells, repurposes or donates furniture and equipment to reduce its solid waste.
  • Food waste at the organization’s Minneapolis dining center makes its way to a local farmer for livestock feed.
  • The organization reduced the need for mowing acreage on its large Appleton campus by planting naturalized prairie flowers and prairie grass in place of lawn grass.


“We are delighted with the progress we’ve made thus far, but we’re just getting started in our efforts to be green,” says Kirsten Spreck, Thrivent Financial director of corporate real estate. “Our goal is to keep the momentum going so we can be increasingly financially and environmentally effective for the benefit of our members.”

About Thrivent Financial for Lutherans
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans is a not-for-profit, 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.

Thrivent Financial representatives are registered representatives for securities offered through Thrivent Investment Management Inc., 625 Fourth Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55415-1665, 800-THRIVENT (800-847-4836), a registered broker-dealer and investment adviser, and a wholly owned subsidiary of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. Member FINRA and SIPC. They are also licensed insurance agents of Thrivent Financial.

Insurance, investment products, securities, and trust and investment management services and accounts are not deposits, are not FDIC insured, are not insured by any federal government agency and are not guaranteed by Thrivent Financial Bank. Variable insurance contracts, investment products, securities, and trust and investment management accounts may go down in value. For additional important disclosure information, please visit www.thrivent.com/disclosures.

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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
   Stacy Eckes-Borys
Senior Media Relations Specialist
stacy.eckes-borys@thrivent.com
Phone: (920) 628-2445

 

 

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Appleton Office:
4321 N. Ballard Road
Appleton, WI 54919-0001 USA

Minneapolis Office:
625 Fourth Avenue S.
Minneapolis, MN 55415-1624 USA

Contact Us
800-THRIVENT
(800-847-4836)

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Insurance products issued by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, Appleton, WI. Not all products are available in all states. Products issued by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans are available to applicants who meet membership, insurability, U.S. citizenship and residency requirements. Securities and investment advisory services are offered through Thrivent Investment Management Inc., 625 Fourth Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55415, a FINRA and SIPC member and a wholly owned subsidiary of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. Thrivent Financial representatives are registered representatives of Thrivent Investment Management Inc. They are also licensed insurance agents of Thrivent Financial.

Bank products and trust services are offered through Thrivent Financial Bank, (Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender), a wholly owned subsidiary of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. Insurance, securities, investment advisory services, and trust and investment management accounts are not deposits, are not guaranteed by Thrivent Financial Bank, are not insured by the FDIC or any other federal government agency, and may go down in value.