Meet Chris LaTondresse — The next Beacon CEO!
Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative is thrilled to announce Chris LaTondresse (he/him) as our new President and CEO. LaTondresse currently serves as Hennepin County Commissioner representing District 6, which includes the west metro communities of Edina, Minnetonka, Hopkins, Eden Prairie, and twelve cities around Lake Minnetonka.
LaTondresse is an accomplished public servant and change-maker with an extraordinary leadership background spanning local, state, and national government, along with impactful advocacy roles. In his role as Hennepin County Commissioner, LaTondresse has passionately championed affordable housing, notably during his two-year tenure as Chair of the Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA). He has been instrumental in securing unprecedented funding for housing stability, forging effective partnerships with mission-driven housing developers, and rallying advocates to cultivate political will.
In addition to his work at the county, LaTondresse served in President Obama’s Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives at USAID, as a senior leader at The Expectations Project, a national civil rights advocacy organization, and as Vice-Chair of the Hopkins School Board. Named a ’40 Under 40′ honoree by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, LaTondresse’s leadership is marked by an ability to build winning advocacy coalitions, foster robust cross-sector partnerships, and inspire faith-based action for the common good. He lives in Hopkins with his wife, Ashley, and their two sons, Walter and Hugo.
LaTondresse will succeed current CEO, Lee Blons, who will retire on August 31. Heidi Mastrud, Beacon’s Vice President of Advancement & Communications, has been named acting CEO in the interim.
Blons’ tenure saw Beacon grow from a single church to a collaborative of nearly 100 congregations of many faith traditions committed to the vision that ALL people have a home. LaTondresse’s leadership will build on Beacon’s mission, shaped by his personal experiences with housing instability during his teenage years. “Beacon’s mission is personal for me. Beacon is in the mountain-moving business, whether that mountain is Minnesota’s growing housing crisis, a tough city council vote, or the next big win in the state legislature. I’m inspired by Beacon’s unique position at the intersection of mission-driven housing development, faith-rooted organizing, and the political will required to ensure every Minnesotan has a home.”
LaTondresse’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion aligns with Beacon’s values and positions him to help fulfill the goals of our 2022-2027 strategic plan. Leveraging his experience with faith-based networks and public partnerships, LaTondresse will guide Beacon into its next chapter. Blons shared, “Commissioner LaTondresse brings the skills we need to secure resources for supportive housing and transform public investment in deeply affordable housing. I’m excited to see what Beacon can achieve under his leadership.”
Beacon board member and search committee chair Nancy Burns echoed this enthusiasm: “Commissioner LaTondresse is a principled leader. He’s ready to leverage his skills and relationships to unite the affordable housing landscape, bringing more homes and growing public investment to scale solutions to the needs in front of us.”
As an elected official, LaTondresse is taking great care in preparing for his departure as commissioner. “The idea of stepping away from elected office mid-term is not something I take lightly… But I also can’t ignore the extraordinary convergence between Beacon’s mission, my background as a leader, and the fierce urgency this moment demands.” Hennepin County will hold a special election to fill the vacancy on the county board.
Beacon remains committed to advancing our mission in advance of LaTondresse’s arrival. We continue to develop new homes in Shakopee, Hopkins, Minneapolis, Richfield, and Maplewood. Our policy and organizing team continues to build on the extraordinary progress made during the last legislative session, Beacon’s new Supportive Housing division is working to ensure stability and health in our current Beacon homes, and our advancement team will work diligently to ensure sound financial health for the organization through raising funds for the CEO transition campaign.
Learn more about how your gift will help Beacon during this transition.
We’re excited to welcome Commissioner LaTondresse to this new leadership role. Stay tuned for opportunities to get to know Chris when he joins Beacon in Fall 2023!
