ST. PAUL, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ben Fowke, Xcel Energy’s chairman of the board, president and chief executive officer, and Kevin Warren, the Minnesota Vikings’ chief operating officer, were elected to Securian Financial’s board of directors at the company’s June board meeting.
“Our strength at Securian Financial begins with the strong governance provided by our outstanding board members,” said Chris Hilger, Securian Financial’s board chairman, president and CEO. “Ben and Kevin are very impressive individuals with extensive business expertise. We are pleased and honored to welcome them to our board.”
Ben Fowke became Xcel Energy’s CEO in 2011. Under Fowke’s leadership, Xcel Energy has been a consistent financial performer while increasing its investments in wind and solar energy and earning recognition for its substantial commitment to hiring military veterans.
Fowke previously served as president and chief operating officer with responsibility for overall corporate operations as well as Xcel Energy’s four operating companies, which do business in eight states. Prior to being named president and COO in 2009, Fowke held a variety of executive positions with the company, including vice president and chief financial officer and vice president and CFO of energy markets, where he was responsible for the financial operations of the company’s commodities trading and marketing business unit.
Prior to the 2000 merger of Northern States Power Co. and New Century Energies (NCE) to form Xcel Energy, he was a vice president in the NCE retail business unit.
Fowke earned a bachelor’s degree in finance and accounting from Towson University and obtained his CPA in 1982. The Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal honored Fowke earlier this year as its “2018 Executive of the Year.”
Kevin Warren was named COO of the Minnesota Vikings in February 2015 and established the strategic vision for the organization while also leading its business operations. Warren has played critical roles in all business, financial, legal, marketing, branding and operational facets related to U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, the Vikings’ new home stadium that opened in 2016, and Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center, the organization’s new headquarters that opened in Eagan, Minnesota, in March 2018.
Warren enters his 20th National Football League season, and 14th with the Vikings, in 2018. Prior to joining the Vikings, he worked for the international law firm of Greenberg Traurig from 2003 to 2005, playing a critical strategic and leadership role with the Wilf Ownership Group deal team during their acquisition of the Vikings. Additionally, he spent two seasons (2001-2003) with the Detroit Lions as senior vice president of business operations & general counsel, and four seasons (1997-2001) with the St. Louis Rams as vice president of football administration, and vice president of player programs and legal counsel. Warren was an integral part of the Rams organization when they won Super Bowl XXXIV in January 2000.
Warren is the first African American COO in NFL history and is currently the highest-ranking African American executive working on the business side of an NFL franchise. Warren has been a member of the NFL Committee on Workplace Diversity since 2013, and in February 2017, during Super Bowl LI festivities in Houston, he was honored with the Texas Southern University Pioneer Award, recognizing his groundbreaking role as an NFL executive and his commitment to championing diversity.
Warren earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Grand Canyon University in 1986, he was named to the university’s athletics hall of fame in 2012 and he currently serves on the Grand Canyon Education Inc. board of directors. Warren earned an MBA from Arizona State University in 1988 and a juris doctorate degree from the University of Notre Dame School of Law in 1990.
ABOUT SECURIAN FINANCIAL
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Financial, we’re here for family. And we’re here because of it.
We’re guided by our purpose: helping customers build secure tomorrows.
Since 1880, we’ve been building a uniquely diversified company that has
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Securian Financial is the marketing name for Securian Financial Group, Inc. and affiliates. Insurance products issued by affiliated insurance companies, Minnesota Life Insurance Company and Securian Life Insurance Company. Securities and investment advisory services offered through Securian Financial Services, Inc., registered investment advisor, member FINRA/SIPC.
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