ADVISOR

Lauris is the former Chief Executive Officer of TMI Hospitality, Inc., which owned and managed approximately 200 hotels in 26 states and had over 4,500 team members. In addition to owning and managing hotels, TMI was a prolific developer of hotels across the United States. He retired after completing the sale of TMI in 2017.

Prior to TMI Hospitality, Lauris served as the Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President of Otter Tail Corporation (Nasdaq:OTTR). While at OTTR, Lauris led the diversification of the company and evolving the company from solely a vertically integrated electric utility into ownership of construction, health care services/products, plastics, manufacturing, and food products companies through the acquisition of over 40 companies and organic growth.

Lauris serves on several Boards of Directors, including serving as the Executive Chair of Kilbourne Group, a real estate developer and services firm located in Fargo; the Chair of the Board of Directors of Choice Financial Holdings, Inc., a bank and financial services firm with operations in North Dakota and Minnesota and assets over $3 Billion; and a Board Trustee of Sanford Health, one of the largest health systems in the United States with operations in 26 states and 10 countries. 

A native of North Dakota, Lauris graduated from the School of Law at the University of North Dakota (UND) and earned undergraduate degrees in accounting, finance, and banking from UND. He was named a Sioux Award recipient, UND’s distinguished alumni award, in 2018. He is a licensed attorney and certified public accountant. Lauris is married to Laurie Kusch Molbert, and he has a son, two daughters, a son- and daughter-in-law, two stepsons, and four grandchildren.