Habitat for Humanity International the Atlanta-based affordable housing nonprofit organization has named Brad Hewitt, Thrivent Financials' retired president CEO, as their new chairman of the board.
"It has always been an honor to serve Habitat for Humanity, whether as a donor, working on a house, at a board meeting or now as board chair," Hewitt said in a statement. "It is a privilege and a responsibility I take very seriously. Decent, affordable housing is a pressing need for society that thankfully Habitat is making a difference in around the world."
Former Thrivent president and CEO, Brad Hewitt, was named chairman of Habitat's board of directors at their meeting last week in Merida, Mexico.
Habitat for Humanity is a global nonprofit that provides affordable housing is all 50 states and in 70 countries. Habitat homeowners help build or rehabilitate their homes alongside volunteers. The organization provides homeowners education, support and helps set an affordable mortgage.
In addition, the organization also announced the retirement Mary Lynn Staley, a career educator and philanthropist from Edina, who has served on the board since February 2012 and as a co-vice chair of the Habitat board since Nov. 2016. Staley and her husband Warren, the former chairman and CEO of Cargill, established the Mary Lynn and Warren Staley School of Leadership at Kansas State University among their other charitable works.
Mary Lynn Staley of Edina served on the Habitat board for seven years and has participated in Carter Works Projects in Mexico, South Africa, Thailand and Minneapolis.
Hewitt was CEO of Thrivent, a nonprofit fraternal benefit organization and a Fortune 500 financial services organization with more than 2 million members, from 2010 to his retirement in 2018. Hewitt joined Thrivent in 2003 as its chief fraternal officer and promoted to COO in 2008. Thrivent has been supporting Habitat for Humanity since 2005.
Hewitt, a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, started his career in the actuarial department at what is now called Securian Financial and then worked at UnitedHealth before joining Thrivent.
Hewitt has served on the Habitat board since Nov. 2012, including service as board secretary, board treasurer and most recently as co-vice chair of the board. He will serve a two-year term as board chair.
Hewitt is succeeding Joe Price, a partner at Falfurrias Capital Partners, a private equity firm based in Charlotte, N.C.., who served two terms as chair of Habitat's board.
The 25-member Habitat board helps to set the organization's policy and its work to build or improve affordable housing in more than 70 countries.
Other board changes including naming, Christiana Smith Shi, a former Nike executive, to the board and the additional retirement of long-time board member. Cary Evert of Arlington, Va.
