Ken Charles is responsible for leading Thrivent’s DEI and corporate responsibility teams and enterprise-level culture initiatives. Through his leadership, the Minneapolis-based financial services company is enhancing its efforts to be a diverse and inclusive workforce that represents the clients and communities it serves nationwide. Since assuming his role last fall, Charles spearheaded the development and launch of Thrivent’s new DEI strategy, including a DEI Foundations eLearning course for more than 6,000 financial advisors and corporate employees. He also strengthened the company’s partnerships with HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) to grow brand awareness and enhance diverse talent pipelines. Charles led the development of Thrivent’s first DEI Report; released in June, the report provides an overview of Thrivent’s new DEI strategy and workforce data.