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Thrivent Financial for Lutherans > History
History
The early 1900s saw two grassroots groups — one made up of German
Lutherans in Appleton, WI, and the other of Norwegian Lutherans in Minneapolis
— concerned about the security and well-being of their fellow
Lutherans. Each group was determined to start a fraternal benefit society
that would help Lutherans protect their families with life insurance.
Aid Association for Lutherans was chartered for business in 1902, but
only after years of effort by dedicated founders Albert Voecks, Gottlieb
Ziegler, William Zuehlke and John Grupe. Lutherans throughout much of
eastern Wisconsin were canvassed to sign up the 500 members required
for the new organization to obtain its state charter.
The founding of Lutheran Brotherhood came as a result of the 1917 merger
convention of the Norwegian Lutheran Church of America. Lifelong Lutherans
Jacob Preus, a Minnesota insurance commissioner, and Herman Ekern, a
former Wisconsin insurance commissioner, proposed launching a not-for-profit
mutual aid society. After much debate, the proposal passed and the society
began life as "Luther Union." Three years later, the organization
was renamed "Lutheran Brotherhood."
From the beginning, Aid Association for Lutherans (AAL) and Lutheran
Brotherhood (LB) offered similar products and services. In June 2001,
after close consideration of how combining the two organizations would
benefit members, AAL and LB agreed to merge. Following the merger came
a new operating name approved by members: Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.
Today, Thrivent Financial continues to embrace the traditions and practices
that made both AAL and LB positive, vital resources in the lives of
Lutherans, their congregations and their communities across the country.
AAL History
| 1899 —
Albert Voecks, a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Appleton,
WI, launches the idea of starting a Lutheraninsurance organization
for men belonging to the Synodical Conference. He called on fellow
church members Gottlieb Ziegler and William Zuehlke to help. |
| 1902 — John
Grupe, assisted by Voecks and Ziegler, canvass communities in eastern
Wisconsin to gather the needed 500 applicants to charter Aid Association
for Lutherans (AAL). AAL is chartered as a fraternal benefit society.
|
| 1904 —
First issue of Der Correspondent, the member magazine of
Aid Association for Lutherans, is published. |
| 1904 — Women
are first offered the opportunity to purchase insurance from Aid
Association for Lutherans. |
| 1929 — First
certificate loan is granted by Aid Association for Lutherans. |
| 1939 —
Scholarship program for members is started by Aid Association
for Lutherans. |
| 1956 — Aid
Association for Lutherans individual life insurance in force tops
$1 billion. |
| 1958 —
Annuity plans are introduced by Aid Association for Lutherans.
|
| 1959 — Fraternal
Affairs department is formed to support branch activities. |
| 1966 — Aid Association for
Lutherans expands service to members of all Lutheran congregations.
|
| 1971 — On Your Doorstep anti-drug
education program is launched to communities as the first nationwide
branch program of Aid Association for Lutherans. |
| 1982 — Aid Association for
Lutherans introduces Horizon, its universal life insurance product.
|
| 1987 — Mutual funds are first
offered to members through AAL Capital Management Corporation, a
wholly owned subsidiary of Aid Association for Lutherans. |
| 2001 — AAL Bank and Trust,
FSB, a wholly owned subsidiary of Aid Association for Lutherans,
opens its doors to the general public. |
| 2001 — Aid Association for
Lutherans and Lutheran Brotherhood agree to merge, forming the largest
fraternal benefit society in the world. |
LB History
| 1917 — At the merger
convention of the Norwegian Lutheran Church of America, Jacob Preus,
a lifelong Lutheran and insurance commissioner, proposed launching
a not-for-profit mutual aid society. Despite some dissension, delegates
agree to launch a mutual aid society called "Luther Union." |
| 1920 — Luther Union
and the Lutheran Brotherhood of America merge to become Lutheran Brotherhood. |
| 1924 — The BOND,
Lutheran Brotherhood’s magazine for members, is introduced.
|
| 1929 — The Society
signs a multi-year lease for the entire 12th floor of the Metropolitan
Bank building in downtown Minneapolis. |
| 1956 — Lutheran
Brotherhood dedicated a new home office building on the corner of
Seventh Street and Second Avenue in downtown Minneapolis. Thousands
of people attended the open house for the six-story structure, which
was completed for a price tag of $2.5 million. |
| 1958 — Lutheran
Brotherhood reaches the $1 billion mark of life insurance in force.
|
| 1962 — Seeking
to branch out, Lutheran Brotherhood added health insurance to its
portfolio of life products. |
| 1967 — In its 50th
year, Lutheran Brotherhood’s allocation for fraternal activities
passed the $1 million mark for the first time. That dwarfed the $7.5
million that had been set aside in the preceding 49 years. |
| 1970 —
Lutheran Brotherhood became the first fraternal benefit
society to offer mutual funds through its field sales force. |
| 1976 — Lutheran
Brotherhood researched and selected the heart-shaped logo that would
become synonymous with its identity with members nationwide. |
| 1981 — To accommodate
its growth, Lutheran Brotherhood moved into its new home office at
the corner of Fourth Avenue and Sixth Street in downtown Minneapolis. |
| 1987 — Lutheran
Brotherhood launched its first variable universal life products. |
| 1989 — Lutheran
Brotherhood kicked off the first RespecTeen National Youth Forum,
in which students from across the country were encouraged to research
and write about issues important to them. |
| 1996 — For the
first time, Lutheran Brotherhood moved onto the Fortune 500 list of
largest corporations in America. |
| 2001 — Aid Association
for Lutherans and Lutheran Brotherhood agree to merge, forming the
largest fraternal benefit society in the world. |
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