Luther College President Jenifer K. Ward announces election of Ann Leon and Corey Schmidt to Board of Regents

Luther College President Jenifer K. Ward announced alumni Ann Leon and Corey Schmidt will join Luther College's Board of Regents.

"I am humbled by the depth of commitment that Luther's Board of Regents demonstrates on a daily basis, and I am grateful that Ann Leon and Corey Schmidt have agreed to answer this particular call to join the Board at their alma mater," said President Ward. "I know that their wisdom, expertise, good counsel and stewardship will be of great benefit to all of us at Luther in our joint project of advancing this fine college and I look forward to our work together."

The regents serve as trustees and stewards, ensuring that Luther fulfills its mission and that the needs of students, faculty, staff and other college constituents are being met.

Ann Leon '75

"This is a tremendous honor," said Leon. "I believe we're always becoming. Put differently, we're always learning as individuals and as institutions.  It's a process filled with energy and excitement. Who wouldn't want to be part of it?"

Ann Leon describes this chapter of her life as a time of "coming home." Leon graduated from Luther in 1975 with degrees in English and French and went on to work at IBM for 37 years. In 2003 she realized she could work from anywhere and decided to move home, to Madison, Wisconsin. Last year she remodeled the home she grew up in and resides there.

Now, as she takes a seat on the Board of Regents, Leon is coming home again, this time to Luther College.

"Luther too has been remodeled and updated since I was a student and will continue to be. I don't mean just buildings and facilities - but also what we do here. I expect this is what regents think about.  What do you keep and what needs to be tweaked or changed? These are consequential decisions. I'm honored to have a voice at the table where these decisions are discussed and made."  

Leon has also served her community through the years. She is active at her church as a former president of the church council and serves on the board of the Norwegian American Genealogical Center and Naeseth Library in Madison. Leon retired from IBM in July 2018.

Corey Schmidt '98

"I am honored to be asked to serve Luther College, a place that has helped shape my life," said Schmidt.  

Corey Schmidt graduated from Luther in 1998 and has been putting his accounting and management degrees to good use. For the first 20 years of his career, Schmidt ran a successful financial services practice within Thrivent Financial's Career Network. Then in 2018, he co-founded IntentGen Financial Partners, an independent financial planning firm for Thrivent Financial. He and his partners help their clients intentionally plan their financial lives, which enables them to live generously. So far, they have helped clients direct gifts to charitable organizations in excess of $6 million.  

Now he wants to give back himself, using his expertise to move Luther forward, "It is an exciting time for the college as Dr. Ward develops her vision for the future of Luther College," said Schmidt. "I look forward to using my skills that started with Phonathon and Alumni Challenge to help fund that vision for an even brighter future at Luther."

Schmidt, along with his wife Tonya '97 and sons Tyler, 12 and Trevor, 10 live in Naperville, Illinois.

Schmidt is currently the vice-chair of advancement and board member of Loaves and Fishes Community Services, a non-profit in Naperville, committed to providing resources to struggling families to improve their lives and become self-sufficient.

About Luther College

Luther College is home to more than 1,900 undergraduates who explore big questions and take action to benefit people, communities and society. Our 60+ academic programs, experiential approach to learning and welcoming community inspire students to learn actively, live purposefully and lead courageously for a lifetime of impact. Learn more at luther.edu