Hard work paying off for Leraas

“I think it goes back to my athletic career at Minot State. I’ve always been driven. I see a goal and try to reach that goal. That’s always been my demeanor. Coming into an industry where the harder you work, the more you understand the products, the more you can help people and their needs, the more you will be rewarded.”
Andy Leraas '09, Thrivent Financial Associate

MINOT, N.D. – Andy Leraas ’09 knew the industry he was preparing to enter was difficult, simply because of all of the competition.

Leraas, however, has never backed down from a little competition.

“I think it goes back to my athletic career at Minot State,” Leraas said. “I’ve always been driven. I see a goal and try to reach that goal. That’s always been my demeanor. Coming into an industry where the harder you work, the more you understand the products, the more you can help people and their needs, the more you will be rewarded.”

That hard work has paid off in just a short time for Leraas. The former basketball and baseball player at MSU, who graduated with a broadcasting degree, has quickly built his practice to the Pinnacle producer level at Thrivent Financial since joining the in late 2014 as a Financial Associate.

In 2015, his first full year, he qualified to attend the organization’s Peak Performers Conference and was named the region’s Rookie of the Year. He followed that by qualifying to attend the Thrivent Financial Summit Conference. This past year, he qualified to attend the Pinnacle Conference finishing 25th out of approximately 2,000 financial representatives in the not-for-profit, Fortune 500 organization. He was ranked No. 1 in the Northland region in 2017.

“It has been really rewarding to be able to help people and see the change you can make in their lives. That’s rewarding on a professional level,” he said.

Leraas also partially credits his ability to thrive in a tough industry to his experience facilitating the KMSU Auction, a major annual fundraising event for the broadcasting department of Minot State.

“The KMSU Auction gets you out in the community and the real world,” he said. “It’s very uncomfortable to ask people for a donation. But that comes really naturally to me. The Auction and my collegiate career in general forced me to learn to multitask. When you have to manage basketball practice, baseball practice, and classes all at the same time, you learn that multitasking is really important.”

While Leraas has been very successful during a short time with Thrivent, the organization has helped him stay grounded and inspired his sense of community service. He has sponsored multiple events in and around Minot, lending time and money to causes he feels passionate about.

“We really value the idea of living generously — we have T-shirts that say ‘Live Generously,’ that’s the mindset. I take a lot of pride in that,” Leraas said. “If I’m associated with an organization that believes in that, I should believe it as well. The giving back that my wife, Teal (Eggert) ’08 and I have done has been important to us.”

About Minot State University
Minot State University is a public university dedicated to excellence in education, scholarship, and community engagement achieved through rigorous academic experiences, active learning environments, commitment to public service, and a vibrant campus life.

Published: 03/26/18   


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