BIOGRAPHY

Lars is vice president of Leadership and Engagement at the Saint Paul, MN-based Bush Foundation where he leads the Foundation's "Advancing Solutions" team. This team focuses on building leadership capacity, engaging communities in understanding and solving their tough problems, and providing access to tools for innovation in MN, ND, and SD.

He was formerly a Principal with KeyStone Search, a Minneapolis-based retained executive search firm where his practice consisted of nonprofit, foundation, higher education & other mission-driven clients. He is also the founder of BePollen.com, a community composed of 6,000+ civic-minded connectors who share ideas, career and civic engagement opportunities and peer-to-peer recognition to create positive impact and personal and professional growth for its members.

Lars was selected by Twin Cities Business magazine as one of the "200 Minnesotans You Should Know" in Dec 2011 and one of "100 People to Help You Thrive in 2013" in Nov 2012. He was also selected as a "40 Under 40" by Mpls-St. Paul Business Journal in 2007.

He earned a BA in Economics from St. Olaf and his MBA from the U of MN's Carlson School of Mgmt. He also spent two summers in college working as a member of the Natl Touring BBQ Team for Famous Dave's of America competing in BBQ competitions across the upper Midwest.

Lars serves on the advisory boards for MinnPost.com & the Public and Nonprofit Leadership Center at the U of MN. He is a former advisory board member of Salvation Army - Twin Cities and former board member of CaringBridge.org.

He has appeared on Minnesota Public Radio's "Daily Circuit" and "Midmorning" programs and Twin Cities Public Television's "Almanac".

Lars lives in the Twin Cities with his wife Maren and their four children. In his free time, he enjoys time w/ family, reading, creative writing, poker, and is a novice "rock-hound" who loves hunting for agates.