Karen Wilson Thissen Named General Counsel of General Mills

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--General Mills (NYSE: GIS) today announced that Karen Wilson Thissen will join as general counsel and corporate secretary of General Mills, effective June 6, 2022.

Thissen, a 29-year legal veteran, joins from Ameriprise Financial, Inc. where she most recently served as general counsel and executive vice president. She succeeds Richard Allendorf, who previously announced that he will be retiring in August.

“Karen brings a proven track record of strategic thinking and global experience which is critical for General Mills’ continued success,” said Jeff Harmening, Chairman and CEO of General Mills. “As we continue to advance our growth, Karen’s sophisticated global legal experience will help move us forward across the many geographies we are honored to serve. And above all, her passion for developing people and culture makes her a natural addition to our team.”

Thissen began her legal career at Faegre & Benson in the business litigation group. She was named partner and remained at the firm for 11 years. In 2004, Thissen transitioned in-house to handle complex litigation at Ameriprise Financial, which at the time was part of American Express. Ameriprise Financial later spun off and Thissen began her 17-year journey with the company serving in a variety of roles including leading global teams across vast areas of expertise. She was named general counsel in 2017. Thissen holds a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University and a law degree from the University of Chicago.

About General Mills

General Mills makes food the world loves. The company is guided by its Accelerate strategy to drive shareholder value by boldly building its brands, relentlessly innovating, unleashing its scale and being a force for good. Its portfolio of beloved brands includes household names such as Cheerios, Nature Valley, Blue Buffalo, Häagen-Dazs, Old El Paso, Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, Yoplait, Annie’s, Wanchai Ferry, Yoki and more. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, General Mills generated fiscal 2021 net sales of U.S. $18.1 billion. In addition, the company’s share of non-consolidated joint venture net sales totaled U.S. $1.1 billion.