Fired black exec sues Thrivent for discrimination

A former insurance executive at Thrivent Financial has filed suit in Hennepin County alleging the company discriminated against him because he is black and retaliated against him after he accused a co-worker of racial discrimination.

Thrivent, a Fortune 500 company headquartered in Minneapolis, says its mission is “helping Christians be wise with money and live generously.”

The executive joined Thrivent Independent, the company’s independent insurance arm, in 2016. According to his complaint, he was tasked with growing the business even if it meant changing some personnel. Although his background was in independent insurance, he managed a staff of longtime Thrivent employees. The man admits he may have ruffled a few feathers during his tenure.

In a statement responding to the lawsuit, Thrivent said the man “failed to conduct himself according to the standards of leadership and integrity that Thrivent demands of all of its employees.”

Absent a settlement, the case will go to trial to determine if Thrivent violated the Minnesota Human Rights Act when it terminated him.