Thomas W. LaSalle

Alumni Service Award Recipient

Alumni Association, October 8, 2009

Thomas W. LaSalle is a 1972 graduate of the University of Minnesota College of Liberal Arts. He is the founder of LaSalle Group, a Bloomington, Minnesota company that has developed several campus-building projects, including the McNamara Alumni Center. He was first elected to the University of Minnesota Alumni Association national board of directors in 2000, a position he held until 2003. He then went on to serve as treasurer and chair of the Finance Committee (2004-05), vice president (2005-06), president-elect (2006-07) and national president (2007-08). He currently serves as the immediate past president. Under his leadership, membership in the Alumni Association grew to an all-time high of 64,000 members and life membership grew by six percent. He was instrumental in creating a new brand identity for the Alumni Association: "Where members are ambassadors." He also worked with President Bruininks in bringing about a gift of $10 million dollars towards the construction of the TCF Bank Stadium and $2.5 million to a matching fund that will create a $5 million endowment to provide scholarships. In addition, he is active in the University YMCA and received the Honoring Our Leaders Award from the University YMCA in 2007. He has provided outstanding volunteer leadership for nearly a decade.

Biographies are as-of time of award presentation.