Russell Swansen
Advisory Director

Russ Swansen is the Chief Investment Officer of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, overseeing more than $70 billion of assets under management. Previously, Russ was a Managing Director of Colonnade Advisors.

From 1990-2000, Russ served as President of PPM America, a U.S. registered investment advisory company established in 1990 as a subsidiary of Prudential Portfolio Managers Ltd. (“PPM”), the investment management subsidiary of Prudential plc (London). As chief executive, Russ managed the growth of PPM America from $10 billion to over $46 billion in assets under management and staff growth to 160 people. Under his leadership, PPM America developed capabilities in twelve asset classes, including private equity, mezzanine financing, private debt placements, special situations/distressed securities, public equity, asset based lending, commercial real estate and syndicated bank loans. Russ served as a member of the Management Committee and Board of Directors of Prudential Portfolio Managers Ltd. (London), the global asset management parent company. He also served as Chairman of Prudential Portfolio Managers (Canada) Ltd. from 1993 to 1998.

Prior to PPM America, Russ served as a portfolio manager and then an executive at Washington Square Capital, a Minneapolis-based investment management company, and the investment management arm of Reliastar. Russ earned an MBA from The University of Minnesota and a BA from Gustavus Adolphus College.