NCS Bergen County: Recent Episodes
NCS Bergen County
Ryan Huber serves as special advisor to the New Canaan Society on Thought Leadership and leads the NCS Speakers Bureau. Ryan has been teaching, speaking, writing, and helping people grow for over 20 years in church, school, college, seminary, and corporate settings.He is an affiliate assistant professor of Christian Ethics at Fuller Theological Seminary. Ryan’s first book, Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Ethics of Formation, was released in 2020. His FORMATION series has been used by small groups, Bible studies, and church classes across the country. He’s also written on the Significance of Friendship for Spiritual Formation in Bonhoeffer’s life and for Christians today. He holds a PhD in Theology, concentrating on Christian Ethics and Church History, from Fuller Theological Seminary, and a ThM from Boston College.He lives with his wife, Jessica, and three sons in Nashville!
Dr. William Henry, a devoted husband to Keisha and a proud father to Daniel. A distinguished graduate of New York Theological Seminary where he earned his Doctor of Ministry as a member of the Dr. Adam Clayton Powell Jr. cohort, 2022 and Ramapo College of New Jersey, where he obtained a Master of Social Work Degree in 2017.For over sixteen years, Dr. Henry has faithfully served returning citizens in the Paterson community, demonstrating a steadfast commitment to restoration, reintegration, and dignity for those transitioning from incarceration. Over the past three years, he has further extended his impact through his work at New Destiny Family Success Center and the Restorative and Transformative Justice Hub, where he mentors and guides justice-involved youth between the ages of 14 and 20. His work reflects both professional excellence and a deeply rooted calling to uplift those navigating complex life circumstances.A seasoned professional mentor, Dr. Henry brings a unique integration of theological insight and social work practice, bridging spiritual truth with practical transformation.When sharing, Dr. Henry will integrate content about the Parodical Son (Luke 15: 11-32), from his dissertation, with a focused exploration of His justice and righteousness, as revealed in John 3:16–17, a passage that not only proclaims divine love, but also underscores the balance of mercy and moral order in God’s redemptive plan.
Author, speaker, father, entrepreneur, and community leader — Issa Musharbash is a recognized leader and founder of Provident Legacy and it’s family of companies that operate a real estate brokerage, licensing school, and development company. He is also the visionary leader behind prolific media company Unshakable Productions — an award recipient of the Spirit of New Jersey Award from the Golden Door International Film Festival.Issa has shared the stage with legendary speakers such as Les Brown and spoke at the headquarters of iconic brands such as Zillow Group, Facebook and LinkedIn, among other prominent organizations. As a teacher at heart, he finds meaningful purpose in empowering the next generation of professionals.Issa is an active leader at the Cityline Church in Jersey City, NJ and a resident of Hudson County. He spends his time building life alongside his beautiful Ecuadorian-American wife and their three ethnically diverse children.
Sal Poliandro is a serial entrepreneur, speaker, mentor, and creative professional whose life and career have been defined by reinvention, resilience, and faith. Sal’s entrepreneurial journey began in high school as a ticket speculator, where he discovered an early passion for business, relationships, and opportunity.Over the last three decades, Sal has built a diverse career spanning more than 20 years in real estate as a broker and over 30 years in television production, where his work contributed to an Emmy-winning production. Throughout every chapter, he has remained driven by a desire to create, lead, and connect with people in meaningful ways.More than 10 years ago, Sal faced a major personal turning point when his weight climbed north of 315 pounds. Determined to take control of his health, he committed himself to understanding metabolism, sustainable wellness, and long-term lifestyle change. That journey transformed not only his health, but also his purpose. Since then, Sal has dedicated himself to helping others improve their health, energy, and quality of life through practical, sustainable changes.This summer, Sal and his high school sweetheart, Dawn, will celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary. Together they have raised three adult children and have proudly called Wyckoff home for more than 20 years.Known for his honesty, humor, and relatable storytelling, Sal speaks openly about faith, perseverance, identity, and the challenges men face in today’s world. His message encourages others to pursue growth spiritually, physically, and professionally while leading with integrity and conviction.
Walter Bond’s story begins on the basketball court, where he achieved his dream of playing in the NBA. But when his career was cut short, Walter faced a crossroads that would define the rest of his life. Instead of giving up, he chose to reinvent himself, using what he learned on the court to build a new path as a speaker, author, and accountability expert.This Thursday, Walter’s story of resilience and reinvention will inspire you. His message: “Your past doesn’t define you—your actions do.”Beyond the stage and boardroom, Walter most important roles are those of a family man and community leader. Walter’s commitment to building a legacy begins with his family and extends to his community. It is his passion for strengthening communities drives him to give back. Through his vocation, he drives individuals and teams to think beyond the immediate – to build something bigger, stronger, and eternal.As an author, Walter published three books, most recently Swim!. Walter travels the country speaking, coaching, teaching, and inspiring companies across a wide range of industries. Walter graduated from the University of Minnesota and has been married to his wife and business partner Antoinette for 30 years. They have three adult children.
Sons, where he developed a strong foundation in advertising and client strategy.A graduate of School of Visual Arts, Rollie also pursued his passion for creativity as a gallery artist. His media career began in the 1980s as a weekend announcer and contemporary NYC Christian radio DJ at WWDJ Radio, followed by work as a network booth announcer for NBC Radio. He further expanded his broadcast experience as an NBC Page on Late Night with David Letterman.Beyond his professional work, Rollie has been a dedicated volunteer since 2014, serving as a short-order cook at Hackensack River Mission, reflecting his deep commitment to helping others. He also hosts Metro Church North Haledon’s Saturday online “Men’s Coffee Time,” an open forum where men come together to discuss and overcome challenges such as addiction, depression, and divorce through a Bible-based perspective.Rollie was married to his beloved wife, Francesca, for 42 years. Following her diagnosis with a terminal brain disorder, he stepped away from corporate life to care for her full-time until she went home to be with the Lord. This season of life reflects his character—marked by faith, devotion, and resilience.Today, Rollie’s journey is defined by professional excellence, creative expression, and a steadfast commitment to serving others. His life stands as a testament to faith, perseverance, and purpose in every season.
Jordan Whitmer is the founder and CEO of the How to Life Movement, a global Gen Z-led Christian evangelism and missions organization. At just 16 years old, Jordan launched the first youth-led outreach event in his Arkansas hometown—an initiative that has since grown into a movement spanning 29 U.S. states and 11 countries across four continents.Now 27, Jordan continues to mobilize and equip young people to boldly share their faith, empowering them to lead outreach events and foster meaningful conversations about Christ with their peers. Under his leadership, How to Life has become a vibrant network of student-led chapters and events that are transforming communities through the power of peer-to-peer influence and the Gospel.Jordan speaks regularly around the world and collaborates with a global team of emerging leaders. He recently relocated to the New York City area to expand the organization’s impact and continues to be driven by a deep belief in the potential of Gen Z to lead their generation to Jesus.
Ryan Baitzel is a husband, father of 5, follower of Christ, and lead pastor at Emergence Church. Emergence Church was planted as an independent church in December 2011 and in that time has grown to 3 campuses, with 2000 plus weekly attenders across Northern NJ.
Erik is currently in his first year as the 7/8th grade History teacher and Head girl’s basketball coach at Eastern Christian. He previously taught and coached for 27 years in the Bergenfield School district. He has been involved in numerous sports ministries such as Inspire Sports Camp, FCA and Pass the Rock, a non-profit he started 12 years ago. Erik and his wife Susan attend and serve at Bethany Church and have 4 sons.
his wife, Alyssa, met as teenagers and came to faith in Christ in their early 20s. They have been married for 9 years and have two children, Gemma Grace and Jude Patrick.They began attending Bethany Church in 2012 and in 2014 Patrick sensed a calling was on his life from the Lord for pastoral ministry. He came on staff part-time in 2014 at Bethany Church while pursuing his pastoral credentialing through the Assemblies of God.Upon receiving his pastoral licensing, Patrick began pastoring full time in 2017 serving as an associate pastor for 3 years and in 2020 was appointed the Campus Pastor for the Washington Township Campus of Bethany Church.
Raymond H. Harris established one of the country’s largest corporate architectural firms. The firm was ranked as the number two American retail design firm for three years by McGraw Hill Architectural Record Magazine. While leading his firm, he helped establish numerous other businesses, ministry efforts and projects. Using his business acumen, he capitalized educational, medical, manufacturing, and entertainment businesses in the USA and abroad.Being an entrepreneur, he recognized talent in young men and women and became an igniting force for their businesses. Through using capital earned through his architectural practice, he has deployed millions into God’s kingdom in for-profit businesses and ministry efforts throughout the world. Raymond is a Senior Fellow of Entrepreneurship in the Institute of Global Engagement at Dallas Baptist University. He is a writer and speaker, having previously published three books Business by Design, The Heart of Business, and The Anatomy of a Successful Firm. Raymond has delivered chapel messages at LeTourneau University, Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS), and many lectures and talks at Wheaton College, The Kings College (NYC), Oklahoma University, Dallas Baptist University, DTS Leader Board, ISI, The Navigators, OMF, Elevate USA, Movement Day, Crown Financial Ministries, Kingdom Advisors, New Canaan Society (Manhattan), Redeemer City to City with Tim Keller, among others. As Bill Hendricks of DTS once said, “Raymond is not a professional speaker, but he is a very effective one.”Raymond has been an executive producer, founding partner and chairman of the board for Erwin Brothers Entertainment which has now become the largest faith-based movie producer. Movies include, I Can Only Imagine, American Underdog, Jesus Revolution, Moms Night Out, Woodlawn, I Still Believe, and October Baby. He is an executive producer for Getty Music on the Evensong album. Raymond sits on the board of the Come and See Foundation which owns the rights to the sensational series The Chosen.Although Raymond has never been in vocational ministry, he has endeavored to build God’s kingdom through business and unique ministry projects. The insights through his forty years of experience in business has helped many so far, including the men that he mentors and the thousands that have heard him speak and have read his books.Most of the ministries and businesses that Raymond helped start have said “we could not have done this or we would not be here without Raymond’s help.”
Jeff Harmon is a leadership coach, speaker, and the founder of My Impossible, a nonprofit born out of his decision to climb Mount Kilimanjaro after being diagnosed with a progressive neurological disease that eventually put him in a wheelchair. In 2025, with the help of an extraordinary team, Jeff reached the summit of Africa’s highest peak.But the mountain wasn’t the real story. Along the way, Jeff discovered how much of his life—and leadership—had been driven by control, performance, and proving his strength. The climb exposed something deeper: that real resilience isn’t about trying harder, but about learning to trust God in the places where our strength runs out.Jeff now speaks to leaders, teams, and communities about resilience, faith, and the courage to face the hard things in life honestly. He lives in New Jersey with his wife Sandy and their two daughters.
Care and Executive Director of the t-factor initiative at Coca-Cola Consolidated, Inc. and Mark has worked with Coca-Cola Consolidated since 2019. Coca-Cola Consolidated is a faith-based, publicly traded (NASDAQ) company with an official purpose statement “To honor God in all we do, by serving others, pursuing excellence, and growing profitably”. Mark had served as National Director and then COO of Christian Business Men’s Connection (CBMC) from 2013 to 2019. Mark was the COO and Chief Science Officer from 2006 to 2013 at Cypress Systems, Inc., a California faith-based biotechnology company where Mark still serves on Cypress’ advisory council.After completing his B.S. and M.S. degrees at Ohio State University, Mark earned his Ph.D. degree at Cornell University in biochemistry. He worked as an executive for some Fortune 500 companies, including Ralston Purina (now Nestle), Degussa (now Evonik), and Archer Daniels Midland (ADM). He was recruited at ADM when he was 32 as the President of the Biotech Division and Corporate Vice President of ADM. Mark has extensive international business experience, having lived in Germany for four years working for Evonik at their world headquarters in Frankfurt.Mark and his wife Ginger have been married for 46 years and have three adult children.
Kaz is a Senior Project Manager at Lord Abbett, an independent, privately held global asset manager. He came to faith in Jesus Christ in 1984 and has been actively involved in ministry ever since, beginning with youth outreach and discipleship during his high school years.His spiritual foundation was shaped through Bible conferences at Greenwood Hills in Fayetteville, Pennsylvania. Kaz currently serves as one of three Elders at Grace Gospel Chapel in Jersey City, New Jersey, where he is privileged to shepherd God’s people. He is married to his wife, Rosie, and together they have two grown children, Cassie and Philip.
Chris McPadden is a retired Major General in the United States Army, having served for 35 years. He currently serves as CEO and President of Drive Forward, a consultancy focused on strategic planning, organizational development and leadership training.He previously served as a Co-President of the Grace and Mercy Foundation. As a retired Major General in the United States Army, McPadden's' past roles have included: Director of Strategy, Plans, and Policy; Deputy Director of Joint Strategic Planning; Director of Concept Development and Learning; and Director of Future Plans in Afghanistan. Throughout his 35 years of active military service, Chris has mentored cadets and officers, developing the next generation of leaders in service to our country.He previously served as Chief of Operational War Plans at U.S. Central Command. He began his military career in the 3-505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division. McPadden’s other command and staff positions include Assistant S3 and Long Range Surveillance Detachment Commander, 1st Infantry Division; Assistant Chief of Division Plans, Battalion S3 and Commander for 1-27 Infantry, 25th Infantry Division; G3 Strategic Plans, U.S. Army Pacific; Strategy, Plans and Policy Officer (FA 59); and Deputy Chief of Operational War Plans, U.S. Central Command.Chris received B.S. in American Studies from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, a M.A. in History from Brown University, a Master of Military Art and Science (M.M.A.S) from the School of Advanced Military Studies, and a M.S. in National Security Strategy from the Army War College. His military education includes Airborne School, Ranger School, Infantry Officer Basic School and the School of Advanced Military Studies.Chris is married to Linda, and they have two children: Jeremiah, who recently graduated from Wheaton College, and Mayla, who is a junior at Liberty University. He enjoys playing saxophone, chess, fishing, water sports, skiing, kit cars, weight lifting, and strategic investing.
Ray left his career as a program manager within the pharmaceutical industry to pursue God’s calling to bring healing and freedom to people experiencing inner turmoil. He and his wife Maureen are Certified Professional Coaches (CPC) and Assembly of God ministers. As the founders of Radiant Leadership Group, they design courses and workshops to lead the anxious and weary into peace and purpose. Ray and Maureen co-authored their powerful book Uproot Anxiety – How to Remove the Root Causes of Your Anxiety and Cultivate a Life of Peace.
For twenty years, Bill Paige was a policeman and detective in and around New York City. He served fourteen years as the associate chaplain at Children’s Village, where he worked with emotionally disturbed boys in the city. He has also served 10 years in senior leadership of Young Life. He is a certified trainer for “Therapeutic Crisis Intervention” involved in areas of emotional and behavioral issues among young people. Paige now serves as Special Assistant to the President of Young Life.An ordained minister, Paige speaks frequently at chapel services for National Football League (NFL) teams, including two opportunities to speak at the NFL Pro Bowl.
Chaplain (Colonel) Dave Bowlus, born in Toledo, Ohio, was commissioned in the U.S. Army in May 1993 as an Armor Officer from the United States Military Academy. He went on to serve as a Platoon Leader, Company Executive Officer, Battalion S-4 and Battalion S-1 in assignments at Fort Carson, CO, Camp Casey, Republic of Korea, and Fort Knox, NY. In 1998, Chaplain Bowlus resigned from active-duty service to attend seminary at Alliance Theological Seminary in Nyack, NY.Returning to active duty in 2002, Chaplain Bowlus served as the chaplain for 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, HAAF, GA; Chaplain Recruiter, Fort Meade, MD; Regimental Chaplain 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Moore, GA; Instructor at the US Army Religious Leader Academy, Fort Jackson, SC; United States Office of Military Support, Fort Belvoir, VA; Division Chaplain for the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, KY; Senior Mission Command Chaplain of the Maneuver Support Center of Excellence Chaplain (MSCoE), Fort Leonard Wood, MO; Command Chaplain Eighth US Army and United States Forces Korea (USFK), Camp Humphreys, South Korea; Command Chaplain of United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC), Fort Liberty, NC; and Command Chaplain for US Army Forces Command (FORSCOM), Fort Liberty, NC. He currently serves as the USMA Chaplain at West Point, NY.CH Bowlus’ military schools include the Armor Officers Basic Course, Chaplain Officer Basic Course, Chaplain Captain Career Course, the Command and General Staff College, Jumpmaster School and the Dismounted Armor Scout Course. His awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal (2), Defense Meritorious Service Medal (2), Meritorious Service Medal (7), Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal (7), and Army Achievement Medal (5). He has earned the Ranger Tab, Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, Combat Action Badge, Instructor Badge, and Gold Badge recruiting award. He has a Bachelor of Science from the United States Military Academy, a Master of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary, a Master of International Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College, and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Alliance Theological Seminary.Dave and his wife, Meridee, have been married for thirty-one years and have two children, Andrew (26) and Savannah (20).
Ray Milazzo is a long time member of the NCS family going back to the Indian Trails days.In his 45th year as a practicing Chiropractor, Dr.Ray has been able to share his faith in a quiet way with many thousands of patients. He also has been to give many presentations to groups on many matters regarding physical, mental and spiritual health. Dr. Ray will share his life story of how he's been a follower of Jesus since the age of 7, and how faithful the Lord has been during ups and downs of his 68 years!Ray was an Elder at West Side Presbyterian Church which he attended for 30 years and now attends Cornerstone Christian Church, where he teaches Sunday School. Ray is a father to four girls, and grandfather to two granddaughters. Ray has a couple of relatives very close to the NCS family, including his brother Barry, and his nephew Kurt Schwarz. He looks forward to sharing with this group, which has meant so much to him.
Dave Szott spent 35 years in the National Football League, beginning in 1990 with the Kansas City Chiefs and ending with the NY Jets in 2025.A graduate of Penn State, Szott started 171-of-177 games over 14 seasons with Kansas City (1990-2000), Washington (2001) and the Jets (2002-03), earning consensus All-Pro and All-Madden recognition in1997 and received the Ed Block Coverage Award twice, once with Kansas City and again with the Jets.Following his retirement as a player, Dave spent the following 17 years as the assistant offensive line coach (2004-05), team chaplain (2006-07) and his most current as director, player development.As director, player development, Szott oversaw a number of NFL programs, including Players Assistance, Continuing Education, Financial Education and Career Development. Working with Bryce Bevill, the player development department also looks to set up every Jets player up for success before, during and after the player’s football career, providing resources to grow, both personally and professionally throughout their player experience, along with transition training for NFL rookies.Dave’s accolades continued after his playing career was over. Szott was a key figure in the smooth transition and relocation of the entire Jets organization to the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center in Summer 2008. He was awarded the Player Development Award in the area of Player Assistance that year - the first rookie player development director to be so honored. Szott was also awarded the 2009 Player Assistance Award.In addition, Dave was given the 2014 Most Valuable Player Award by the Executive Board of the Phil Simms New Jersey All-Star Football Classic, which is given to NFL players that had great careers and continue to promote football at the youth, high school, college and professional levels.Outside of his career Dave is active in helping those with special needs. While in Kansas City, Szott and his wife, Andrea, started Szott for Tots, a foundation who’s mission is to bring awareness to the special needs community.Szott is on the Board of Directors for the Matheny Medical and Educational Center, a school and medical center for special needs children and adults located in Peapack, NJ. Andrea Szott, Dave’s wife, now serves on the Matheny Development Committee, as well as the Matheny Parent Advisory Committee.Szott also serves as special advisor and coach of the Morristown Wildcats Football Club, where he is consulted on coach and player code of conduct guidelines. He also helped establish a playbook, practice plans and coaching clinics for the football club coaches.Within the past year, Dave and his partner founded an organization entitled Alpha International Outfitters. He and his partner host hunters and non-hunters in Spain, providing “once in a life-time” experiences, either hunting big game and/or touring traditional sites and cities.Originally a native of Clifton, NJ, Szott and Andrea, along with their sons, Shane and Joshua, reside in Morristown, NJ.
Associates, LLC, and a Certified Maxwell Leadership Team Speaker, Trainer, and Executive Coach, he seamlessly blends leadership excellence with Christian principles to empower leaders and organizations. His tailored coaching, speaking engagements, and leadership training are designed to inspire ethical leadership and elevate influence in the workplace and community.As a Colson Fellow, Preston is equipped with an understanding of a biblical worldview to be a redemptive influence in the marketplace and beyond. As a board member of Christ Led Communities, he champions the development of men into passionate Christ-followers within small, collaborative groups.He is also the author of the acclaimed “Discipled Leader” and “21 Days to Sound Decision Making,” using his platform to mentor individuals in effective leadership and decision-making.In the defense sector, he shapes the future as a minority shareholder and board member of Numerica Corporation. Preston’s academic foundations include an MBA from Samford University and a BS in Management from Colorado State University.Preston and his wife live in the Metro Atlanta Area, where they live out a commitment to service and leadership in every aspect of their lives.Learn more at prestonpoore.com.
Major Kornelis “Korky” Vander Ploeg (Retired), enlisted in the New Jersey State Police in December of 1977. During his tenure with the NJSP he was assigned first as a road duty uniformed trooper serving in the rural communities of Sussex County, and then later served in a highway patrol capacity on both the busy interstate highways that connected into and out of New York City as well as toll road duty on the Garden State Parkway. Later in his career he served in the Executive Protection Bureau, providing security for three different Governors: Thomas H. Kean, James Florio and Christine Todd Whitman. After the 9-11 terrorist attacks, he was assigned to supervise the NJSP support team that assisted the Port Authority police with security at Newark/Liberty International Airport, the George Washington Bridge, and the Lincoln and Holland Tunnels. He finished his 27+ year career with the NJSP in the Administration Section rising to the rank of Major and was part of the NJSP Command Staff from where he retired in July of 2005.After his retirement, Vander Ploeg entered the corporate world, going to work for Prudential Financial where he provided security to the Chairman and CEO. He retired from Prudential as Executive Security Director in April of 2020 and continues living in northern New Jersey with his wife of 46 years. He and his wife attend Cedar Hill Christian Reformed Church in Wyckoff, N.J. where he has served as a deacon and elder and is currently part of the worship team.A graduate of Eastern Christian High School, Korky holds an Associates Degree in Criminal Justice from Rockland Community College and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Administration from William Paterson University.
Co.) In his former careers, he was an advertising executive for over 15 years working in New York ad agencies, as well as a professional magician performing close-up and stage magic. Geoff was not raised on religion growing up, but after having an existential crisis in his mid-twenties, he found Christ and began his spiritual journey which has led him to where he is today. Geoff lives in Allendale with his wife Kim and they have four children.
Chip Skowron’s life has spanned the heights of professional success, the depths of personal failure, and the redemptive power of a transformed heart. A physician-scientist by training, with both an M.D. and Ph.D. from Yale and surgical training at Harvard, Chip went on to a prominent career in finance as a hedge fund manager.It was at the height of his success when, in a moment, the trajectory of his life permanently changed. An investigation into a suspicious trade led to a criminal indictment and a public fall from grace. In that season of complete isolation and humiliation, Chip found the New Canaan Society. Their embrace of his broken life and extraordinary, intentional friendship began to radically reshape his heart.Sentenced to five years in federal prison, Chip discovered the power of belonging to an authentic community, a power that penetrated those walls and transformed him. Since his release, he founded NCS-Inside and led organizations devoted to second chances and restorative community. Notably as a CEO of the Prison Entrepreneurship Program and serving on the Board of Directors of Prison Fellowship.Today, Skowron carries the authority of one who has lived both sides of loss and restoration, faith and failure, and who holds an unwavering belief in the power of a loving community to set people free.Chip lives with his wife in Greenwich, Connecticut with their two dogs and has four adult children. He attends Trinity Church in Greenwich, Connecticut and is an active member of the men’s Bible Study and local prison ministry.
Dan is married to his best friend Michelle Lazor. Together they have nine children: Isabelle, Danny, Manny, Nora, Karina, Lucy, Judah, and twins Addie and Andy. The Lazor family’s most meaningful experience was spending nine years serving with an International Christian School in Seoul, South Korea – an experience that has shaped Dan’s and his family’s outlook on many aspects of life and faith. Dan is originally from Scranton, PA, but to answer your question, no, he never worked at Dunder Mifflin. He is a huge sports fan, having played on athletic teams from the age of 5 through 19, and enjoys running now. His favorite teams are the ones his kids are playing on (and of course, EC!). The Lazors attend Emergence Church. Currently Dr. Lazor serves as the principal of Eastern Christian middle school in Wyckoff New Jersey.
Mike Latona is a Vice President and Account Manager in the Global Wealth Management team at PIMCO, a global asset management firm. He advises financial professionals across New Jersey, educating them on PIMCO’s economic outlook and portfolio construction ideas. Prior to joining PIMCO in 2010, he worked as a Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch and UBS Financial Services. He has 27 years of investment experience and holds an undergraduate degree in Business Management from Ramapo College of New Jersey and is a Certified Financial Planning professional. Mike is a loving husband to his wife Rose, father to Sarena, James and Sofia and grandfather to Roman. He is also a lay pastor at Bridgepoint church in Midland Park.
Pastor Anthony Fleming was born and raised Aussie, has a passion for God, people, and life.From the young age of 19, Anthony believed he was called to preach the word of God. He earned a tennis scholarship to Liberty University and represented the school during college while earning a Bachelor of Business of Science in Business Marketing. It was here that he also met his beautiful wife Miriam. They have 3 beautiful children and together they founded and currently serve as the Senior Pastors of Church Alive in northern New Jersey.From a basement with 8 people at the start of the church, Church Alive has grown to over 1300 people in attendance, and is known for its passion for God, love for people, and generosity in the community.Wanting to practically equip people to have a fresh, real, and powerful walk with God, in 2018, Anthony launched Transform. Through a dedicated focus to develop men, he continually sees to it that men find genuine faith and continue to get unstuck and flourish in all areas of life. What started as a men’s group at Church Alive grew in 2021, when Anthony Fleming released his first book, Transform. He is now the President of Transform the Movement and continues to coach leaders throughout the nation and empower men to rise up and transform their lives.
Lyman Good – UFC Fighter, Champion, and Founder of Good TheoryLyman Good, known in the fighting world as the “American Cyborg,” is a professional mixed martial artist who has competed in Bellator and the UFC, holding titles such as Bellator Welterweight Champion and CFFC Welterweight Champion.Raised in East Harlem by his mother alongside two sisters, Lyman’s early years were marked by hardship and the absence of a father figure. His mother encouraged him into martial arts as a way to channel his energy, and under the guidance of his mentor, Shihan Schulmann, Lyman not only found discipline but also a purpose greater than himself—serving and mentoring others.With over a decade of teaching experience, he is committed to helping people grow stronger in body, mind, and spirit. In the gym, he brings intensity and high expectations, but always with a sense of trust and camaraderie. Outside the octagon, he founded the Good Theory movement, where he speaks vulnerably about his own battles with depression, loss, and the darkness he faced. Out of those struggles came a calling: to encourage others toward resilience, self-awareness, and hope.Today, Lyman continues to fight professionally while also investing in people as a teacher, coach, and mentor. His story points to the reality that even out of hardship and brokenness, God can bring redemption and use our lives to strengthen others.
William “Bill” Parker is an experienced CEO and board member whose leadership is shaped by both his military service and deep faith. After graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy and serving six years in the Navy, Bill joined CACI International (NYSE: CACI), where he rose to Executive Vice President, overseeing business development and strategy.Driven by a desire to integrate faith and business, he left CACI to become CEO of Crosswalk.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMEN). Under his leadership, Crosswalk created the first Christian lifestyle web platform and was ranked by Nielsen NetRatings as one of the world’s most highly trafficked websites.Bill went on to guide transformative strategies for multiple organizations, serving as President of Parker Strategic, LLC; President of Kforce Government Solutions; President of Karta Technologies; COO of NCI, Inc.; COO of Salient Federal Solutions; and CEO of MCR. He continues to advise companies as a board member, while also serving in his church as a Bible teacher, elder, and mentor.His new book, Business After God’s Heart, draws on more than 20 years of reflection on the Psalms of David. In it, Bill shares how these scriptures shaped his leadership through seasons of success, failure, and trial, challenging business leaders to pursue God’s heart as David did.Bill’s talk will explore Psalm 27, where David, under the stress of leading a nation, identifies the “One Thing” his heart longed for. This foundational principle from David’s life offers timeless guidance for today’s business leaders.
For the last 50 years, David Bryant has helped millions of Christians worldwide explore and experience the wonders of the supremacy of God’s Son. Formerly a pastor, minister-at-large with the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, president of Concerts of Prayer International (COPI), and chairman of America’s National Prayer Committee, today David provides leadership to Proclaim Hope! and ChristNow.com, which have the mission of fostering and serving a nationwide Christ awakening movement.For decades, David played a widely visible role in the emergence of an unprecedented, worldwide prayer movement by building on citywide mass prayer rallies; organizing national and international conferences; creating training videos, seminars, and manuals; developing leadership coalitions; mentoring younger leaders; and sharing his message through books, radio, television, and podcasts. David and his wife Robyne live in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey, and are the parents of three grown children, all adopted as infants from India.
Daniel Trolaro, MS in Psychology, is the Managing Director of Education and Fair Play for C360, a global sports betting and integrity monitoring company. Dan has worked with stakeholders in over 35 states and has delivered hundreds of workshops, trainings, and keynote presentations around the county centered on prevention, education, and emerging trends in the world of sports betting, gaming and internet gambling. Having started his journey of recovery from gambling addiction on Feb. 11, 2010, Dan has shared his story on the YouTube Channel, Soft White Underbelly by Mark Laila and co-hosts a 30 minute podcast and weekly radio show across the country called, "Hello My Name Is Craig" with fellow gambler in recovery and morning National TV host on Fox Sports, Craig Carton. Dan lives in Parsippany and has 3 children with his ex-wife.
Robert Skead is a Mayflower descendant and a Son of the American Revolution. He is also the author of several popular secular and Christian children’s books. Known for stories that whisk young readers away on thrilling adventures, Skead crafts tales that resonate with readers of all ages, celebrating a love of history, sports and personal quests.Rob’s storytelling especially shines through his American Revolutionary War Adventure series that he co-wrote with his father (making them his favorite stories). The stories are designed to nurture patriotism and inspire readers to do great things.Beyond his scope as a writer, Rob is also a dedicated advocate for literacy and the importance of fostering a love for reading at a young age.Through his school visits, workshops and speaking engagements, he shares his passion for storytelling with students, inspiring them to discover their own talents for a fulfilled life. Through these events, he speaks to more than 5,000 students per year.Additionally, for 23 years, Rob served as an affiliate and part-time staff member with Athletes in Action, ten of those years as team chaplain for the players on the New York Red Bulls (Major League Soccer). In this role, he delivered weekly chapel messages, led Bible studies and organized outreaches for the players to use their platform as professional athletes to be positive role models to youth in our communities.Rob received his MA in Communications (Media Management & Film Production) from Regent University in Virginia Beach, VA.He is married to Susan and has three young adult children of his own and three bonus children as well.For more information, visit www.robertskead.com.
Hard work and serving others are no stranger to John, growing up in West Milford, NJ. His father instilled a passion for meeting needs in the community at a young age, waking him up every Saturday morning to do community service projects since he was 11 years old. After 6 years of flipping houses, 12 years serving as a youth pastor at Cornerstone Christian Church, and graduating college with an organizational management degree, John transitioned to a part-time pastoral role in order to step into a full-time position as Executive Director of Servant’s Heart Ministry. Since then, John’s been living out his passion for working with his hands, loving people, and seeing lives changed through the gospel.On his off hours you can find him ATVing or hiking with his wife, Tara, and four boys, Colby, Shane, Hunter, and Chase, or working on one of his many projects in his basement workshop.
Jordan Whitmer is the founder and CEO of the How to Life Movement, a global Gen Z-led Christian evangelism and missions organization. At just 16 years old, Jordan launched the first youth-led outreach event in his Arkansas hometown—an initiative that has since grown into a movement spanning 29 U.S. states and 11 countries across four continents.Now 26, Jordan continues to mobilize and equip young people to boldly share their faith, empowering them to lead outreach events and foster meaningful conversations about Christ with their peers. Under his leadership, How to Life has become a vibrant network of student-led chapters and events that are transforming communities through the power of peer-to-peer influence and the Gospel.Jordan speaks regularly around the world and collaborates with a global team of emerging leaders. He recently relocated to the New York City area to expand the organization’s impact and continues to be driven by a deep belief in the potential of Gen Z to lead their generation to Jesus.
Kelvin J. Cochran serves as senior fellow and vice president at Alliance Defending Freedom. In this role, he oversees the spiritual care of ADF team members, speaks at ADF events and conferences, and assists the ADF Church and Ministry Alliance by expanding alliances with pastors and minority faith communities.Cochran dedicated over 30 years of his life to fighting fires and protecting the communities in which he’s lived and worked. After being born into extreme poverty in Shreveport, Louisiana, he worked his way up the ranks and became Shreveport’s fire chief in 1999, where he served until he was appointed fire chief for the city of Atlanta, Georgia in 2008. His exemplary service record drew the attention of President Obama, who appointed Cochran as the administrator of the U.S. Fire Administration in 2009, the highest office in the profession. He then resumed his post as Atlanta Fire Chief in 2010.After the city of Atlanta terminated Cochran’s employment because of his Christian faith and beliefs, ADF represented him in a federal lawsuit. A federal court ruled the city of Atlanta discriminated against Cochran’s religious views and violated his First Amendment rights, and the city of Atlanta agreed to a favorable settlement.Prior to his role at ADF, Cochran served as chief operating officer of Elizabeth Baptist Church in Atlanta. He received his doctorate of education in interdisciplinary leadership from Creighton University and is the author of two books, a sought-after public speaker, and an advocate for religious liberty and unity of the body of Christ.
Faith-Driven Builder | CRE Leader | Men’s MentorWaikiki "Kiki" Paulino blends 25+ years of commercial real estate leadership with a lifelong mission to strengthen men and communities through faith, mentorship, and healing.As Founder and CEO of CRE Construction Partners, Kiki has overseen $2.5 billion+ in projects and more than 3.5 million square feet of commercial development for family offices, institutions, and private investors across the U.S.He is a certified marketplace chaplain with Corporate Chaplains of America and a credentialed biblical counselor through the American Association of Christian Counselors. He also holds certifications in Mental Health and Behavioral Coaching, and serves as a coach and chaplain for at-risk youth and young adult men at True Warriors Boxing Club in Paterson, NJ.Kiki’s passion for helping men face real-life battles led him to launch Kings in Christ, a 501(c)(3) men’s movement dedicated to healing, accountability, and growth.His journey with New Canaan Society (NCS) began in 2008 at the NYC chapter, a fellowship that deeply shaped his spiritual walk and leadership mission. Today, he partners with NCS Bergen County, helping draw men out of isolation and into meaningful community across North Jersey.With degrees in Structural Engineering and Construction Management, Kiki has contributed to transformative projects including the Baccarat Hotel, Flatiron Building, Waldorf Astoria Renovation, and the SEC Headquarters.A devoted husband and father, Kiki is committed to building strong men, strong families, and lasting legacy—all by the grace of God.
Travis ("Pronk") Hafner played in Major League Baseball as a designated hitter and first baseman for 12 seasons. A left-handed hitter, Hafner played for the Texas Rangers, Cleveland Indians, and New York Yankees. His nickname, "Pronk", was given to him by former teammate Bill Selby during spring training of 2003 when people sometimes referred to him as "The Project" and other times "Donkey" for the way he looked when running the bases. With Don Mattingly he shares the MLB-record for grand slams in one season (6).Pronk was born in Jamestown, ND in 1977 and attended a small high school which did not have a baseball program. He was valedictorian of his high school class of eight students. He was drafted by the Rangers in the 31st round of the 1996 draft. In the winter of 2002, the Rangers traded Hafner to the Indians. Hafner had a breakout offensive season in 2004; as the primary DH in the Indians' line-up, he finished the season in the top ten in the league in on-base percentage, slugging percentage, doubles, extra base hits, RBIs and batting average.In 2006, Hafner hit home runs in six straight games from September 18–24, the second longest such streak in Cleveland history. After the season, the Cleveland chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America named him Indians Man of the Year and he finished fifth in the AL MVP voting.On February 1, 2013, Hafner signed with the Yankees. Despite batting 318 in April, Hafner faltered later in the season and suffered rotator cuff inflammation.Travis and his wife, Amy, have three sons and reside in Tampa, FL. He currently serves the Cleveland Indians as a special assistant.
Bob is CEO and Chief Investment Officer at Crossmark Global Investments, bringing over 40 years of investment experience to guide the investment process and serves as large cap US portfolio manager. Bob is a regular guest on multiple media outlets such as Bloomberg TV, Fox Business News, CNBC and Faith & Finance Live Radio. He has served in senior roles at Nuveen, BlackRock, Merrill Lynch Investment Managers, and Oppenheimer Funds. Bob serves as choir director at his local church and also serves on a number of boards among which include Cairn University, Christianity Today, Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary, Kingdom Advisors, The Lausanne Movement, Movement.org, New Cannan Society, and Word of Life Fellowship. Bob and his wife Leslie reside in Princeton, New Jersey and have three children and one grandchild.
As a result of The Lord’s continuous Favor, Steve Wolf has been fortunate to experience a track record of demonstrated, continual business success within large and small organizations in the marketing research and consulting space. Over the years, The Lord enabled Steve to excel in simultaneous, multiple roles (in the US and globally), creating/implementing vision and strategy, attracting/retaining/leading world-class talent - creating powerful teams, resulting in dynamic, sustained, and profitable growth for the businesses themselves and clients which included many of the Fortune 100 companies. He has revitalized several failing businesses, written articles and spoken at local and global conferences.On a more personal level, over the past four decades, Steve has:Co-led and mentored men in areas of character enhancement, integrity, and accountabilityAlong with his wife Lynda, have helped young people identify their life purpose, deepen their relationship with The Lord, and learn principles upon which to base their livesLater coached some of these same individuals to discover and utilize their personal treasure trove of talent and giftsHe and his wife also counsel couples in regard to biblical marriage principlesLed myriad church ministries, including currently leading one of the Bethany Church Prayer Teams, teaching Youth Bible Study, mentoring men on Saturday mornings, and leading the DivorceCare MinistryAs a temporary, part-time CEO for Crossroads Business Services in 2014, Steve and the Impact Paterson team helped individuals in need of a second chance, find employment. This initiative currently works with select Ministry Partners, to mentor and provide loans to individuals who need assistance "getting back on their feet" and securing better-paying jobs. He co-leads monthly meetings with these menBeen on the ground in 47 countries to mentor business associates and/or for missions purposesCommitted time and resources to organizations and outreaches like New Canaan Society (NCS), where he is a board member of the Bergen County Chapter and the Prayer Captain for the Paterson Chapter, where he shares personal devotions and leads prayer every MondayPresented on numerous occasions, to these and other NJ NCS chapters on the topics of disruptive discipleship, forgiveness, God’s faithfulness, obedience, and moreGuest lectured at Rutgers Business School, Eli Broad Graduate School of Management, and at Michigan State University. He was also a Faculty and Client Advisor for the Masters of Marketing Research program at Eli BroadIn 2014 he created Wisdom, Insight and Mojo (www.wisdominsightmojo.com) which conducts marketing research, consulting, executive coaching and career coaching.Steve has a ministry certification from Global University and is recognized by Bethany Church as a Commissioned Minister of the gospel. Steve and his wife Lynda have a blended family with four grown children, their spouses, one delightful grandson and a beautiful, sassy granddaughter.
Ron Walborn, 2025 Dr. Ron Walborn is the Executive Director of Urban Initiatives for Asbury Theological Seminary in New York City. Previously, Ron served as a Professor of Pastoral Theology, Vice President and Dean of Alliance Theological Seminary and Nyack College (Alliance University) in New York City and San Juan Puerto Rico for 24 years. He has a B.A. in History from Nyack College, an M.Div. from Alliance Theological Seminary and a DMin from Fuller Theological Seminary. Dr. Walborn has planted and pastored churches in Connecticut and California. He has authored one book and numerous articles and chapters for other publications. He has lectured and spoken at churches, conferences and other events both nationally and internationally. Dr. Walborn was born and raised in Western Pennsylvania in a ministry focused family. Ron and his wife, Dr. Wanda Walborn have been married for over 40 years and have four married adult children and six beautiful grandchildren with number 7 arriving in June 2025.
Hector currently serves as the Youth Pastor at the Montclair campus of Christ Church, where he leads and mentors the next generation of young people in their faith journey. His passion for youth ministry is driven by a commitment to fostering a dynamic spiritual environment where teens can grow in faith, resilience, and confidence.In addition to his ministry work, Hector is the 2024 World Master IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Champion and a former undefeated two-time MMA champion, achievements that showcase his discipline, perseverance, and leadership. His athletic background has shaped his approach to both ministry and personal growth, embodying a mindset of excellence and determination.Hector is also a devoted husband and father, drawing inspiration from his family as he leads and mentors the next generation.
Sean Isaacs is a business strategist, marketing expert, and biblical teacher with over 30 years of experience helping Christian leaders, professionals, and entrepreneurs apply God’s wisdom to self, wealth, and relationships. A former pastor with 25+ years in ministry, he has worked with over 750 entrepreneurs, equipping them to multiply their time, increase their market value, and grow their income exponentially—all through timeless biblical principles.As the author of Proverbs 12X – The Devotional: A 120-Day Journey through 12 Major Themes to Unlock God’s Wisdom for Self, Wealth, and Relationships, Sean teaches kingdom-minded professionals how to build lasting success God’s way. His Proverbs 12X framework, Your Questions Answered live sessions, and Create Your Own Economy Now method are transforming the way Christian leaders approach business, influence, and financial growth. Whether coaching entrepreneurs, training marketplace leaders, or speaking to audiences worldwide, Sean delivers practical, no-nonsense wisdom that leads to real results.
Tom Campisi has served as the publisher of the Tri-State Voice for the last 30 years. In that time, the Voice has been recognized as the leading Christian newspaper in Metro New York and has won several national awards. He also serves as the Director of Communications for Movement.org, a NYC-based organization that catalyzes Christian leaders to spiritually and socially impact key cities around the globe. In the last two years, Tom has co-written a series of one-year devotionals for BetterMan.com and Care Net, a network of 1,200 pregnancy centers in the United States. An alumnus of The College of New Jersey, he resides in Oakland, NJ with his wife of 31 years, Christen. The couple are the parents of two adult children, Victoria and Matthew.
For twenty years, Bill Paige was a policeman and detective in and around New York City. He served fourteen years as the associate chaplain at Children’s Village, where he worked with emotionally disturbed boys in the city. He has also served 10 years in senior leadership of Young Life. He is a certified trainer for “Therapeutic Crisis Intervention” involved in areas of emotional and behavioral issues among young people. Paige now serves as Special Assistant to the President of Young Life.An ordained minister, Paige speaks frequently at chapel services for National Football League (NFL) teams, including two opportunities to speak at the NFL Pro Bowl.
Chris McPadden is a retired Major General in the United States Army, having served for 35 years. He currently serves as CEO and President of Drive Forward, a consultancy focused on strategic planning, organizational development and leadership training.He previously served as a Co-President of the Grace and Mercy Foundation. As a retired Major General in the United States Army, McPadden’s’ past roles have included: Director of Strategy, Plans, and Policy; Deputy Director of Joint Strategic Planning; Director of Concept Development and Learning; and Director of Future Plans in Afghanistan. Throughout his 35 years of active military service, Chris has mentored cadets and officers, developing the next generation of leaders in service to our country.He previously served as Chief of Operational War Plans at U.S. Central Command. He began his military career in the 3-505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division. McPadden’s other command and staff positions include Assistant S3 and Long Range Surveillance Detachment Commander, 1st Infantry Division; Assistant Chief of Division Plans, Battalion S3 and Commander for 1-27 Infantry, 25th Infantry Division; G3 Strategic Plans, U.S. Army Pacific; Strategy, Plans and Policy Officer (FA 59); and Deputy Chief of Operational War Plans, U.S. Central Command.Chris received B.S. in American Studies from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, a M.A. in History from Brown University, a Master of Military Art and Science (M.M.A.S) from the School of Advanced Military Studies, and a M.S. in National Security Strategy from the Army War College. His military education includes Airborne School, Ranger School, Infantry Officer Basic School and the School of Advanced Military Studies.Chris is married to Linda, and they have two children: Jeremiah, who recently graduated from Wheaton College, and Mayla, who is a sophomore at Liberty University. He enjoys playing saxophone, chess, fishing, water sports, skiing, kit cars, weight lifting, and strategic investing.
During the week, Dave Lyman works as an engineer and owns his own business. But a few years ago he sensed a call from God that culminated in his ordination as part-time Associate Preaching Pastor at Covenant Christian Reformed Church in North Haledon. Perhaps this call grew out of Dave's 35 years of involvement in leadership of various men’s ministries including a weekly men’s Bible study in Midland Park and NCS Bergen County. Today, Dave preaches regularly at local churches and men's ministries; his website has reached over 60,000 people from over 110 countries around the world!
Dr. Garcia holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Christian Counseling and is a Licensed Clinical Pastoral Counselor with the National Christian Counselors Association (NCCA). He is also a Presidential Member of the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC) and an Ordained Minister.Dr. Garcia has been contracted by the U.S. Department of Human Services to train practitioners in the social-work space. He has also served as a Chaplain for NBAand NFL players; both current and retired.Dr. Garcia has authored 3 books and featured in FOX News’, “Beyond the Dream” segment and TBN New York City.He and his wife Deborah currently have a private practice where they provide different types of therapy including Christian Counseling, Temperament Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Mindfulness Therapy, and Pre-Marriage Counseling using SYMBIS.They have 2 adult children: Jordan and Hannah, 1 grandchild, and reside in NJ.
Jim Bushoven served on the pastoral staff of Hawthorne Gospel Church for 10 years playing a number of roles from Young Adults to Outreach to Executive Pastor. He was then the Lead Pastor at Rockpoint Community Church for the past 6 ½ years. He has recently joined the staff of New Hope Community Ministries as the Director of Development. Jim’s mission throughout his years of ministry has been to build unity amongst the churches and to be a catalyst of mercy in Jesus’ name outside the walls of the church. Jim is married to Amanda and they have 3 kids. He fancies himself a birder and likes to be at the beach as much as possible.
Looking at Adam Durso today, it’s hard to imagine that the Prodigal Son parable was once his reality.As a child, Adam struggled with his father’s decision to leave a lucrative family business to become a pastor, feeling trapped and longing for escape. By 17, he openly rejected God. While Adam was away at college, living a lifestyle far from his faith and facing the consequences of his choices, his mother prayed and fasted for months, believing for his return. Eventually, he hit rock bottom, ran out of options, and called his father for help.On July 9, 1996, during a prayer meeting led by his father, Adam felt a stirring in his heart. That night, he confessed his sins and committed his life to Christ. He woke up a changed man. Within weeks, Adam received a vision for "Youth Explosion," which grew his church’s youth group from 18 to over 700 in just three years. It was clear that God had a unique calling on his life.Since then, Adam has dedicated himself to ministry and leadership. He created Faith Breathes, a sermon series that reaches over 10,000 people weekly, and founded Catalytic Consulting NYC to equip and empower leaders across generations. His leadership extends to serving on New York’s Mayor’s Clergy Advisory Council, working alongside Dr. A.R. Bernard at the Christian Cultural Center, and serving a seven-year tenure as President of LEAD.NYC, where he fostered spiritual and social flourishing in New York City.Adam’s journey is a powerful testimony of God’s transformative power. His life’s work remains rooted in helping others grow in their faith, leadership, and purpose.
Dr. Chip made his way to NCS Manhattan in the Spring of 2014. In NCS, He has found a deep community and an opportunity to serve men as part of the leadership team. Chip speaks at other NCS Chapters nationwide, hosts the NCS Coast to Coast Podcast with NCS President Mason Rutledge, and serves as the Chairman of the NCS National Board.As the President of the VOCA Center, Chip and his team help Christians navigate the challenges and opportunities of their work lives. They are also called upon to assist nationally known ministries in developing their key leaders. Discover what VOCA might do for you at vocacenter.org.As the Managing Partner of RKE Partners, Chip and his team help executives grow their businesses through leadership development and team alignment. While specializing in mid-cap growth companies, he and his partners serve noteworthy firms across the finance, data, real estate, media, and fashion industries. Learn what RKE can do at rkepartners.com.Chip has been married to his wife, Audrey, for 36 years. He has three grown daughters, two sons-in-law, one grandson, James Charles, and one dog! He lives in the Long Island City neighborhood of New York City.
Joseph Careri, the founder of His Helping Hands, has turned his personal journey of overcoming homelessness into a mission to serve others. After spending seven years homeless, Joseph is deeply passionate about helping those in need, whether through clothing and feeding the homeless or providing groceries to families struggling to make ends meet.His Helping Hands is built on the belief that there is more that unites us than divides us. The nonprofit is proudly non-political, non-racial, and impartial to economic status. Joseph and his team work tirelessly to bring hope, love, and unity to the community, inviting anyone and everyone to join in the mission.Currently, His Helping Hands serves hot dinners every Friday night in Paterson, NJ, with a vision to expand their services to daily meal and clothing distributions in multiple towns and cities. Wherever there is a need, His Helping Hands strives to be there.
Dr. Pier moved to New York from South Dakota in 1984. He served for thirteen years with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship overseeing 15 campuses as Area Director and spoke at the 1993 and 1996 Urbana Mission Conferences.In 1988, Mac founded Concerts of Prayer with colleagues from Here’s Life Inner City. To date, more than 250,000 people from 2,000 churches have participated in the Metro NYC prayer movement.Dr. Pier and Dr. Tim Keller, co-founded the Church Multiplication Alliance in 2003. Its emphasis on united prayer and church planting was a catalyst for the 500% growth of evangelical Christianity in Manhattan from 1989-2014In 2008, responding to the expressed needs of local pastors and leaders, Dr. Pier founded The New York City Leadership Center (renamed Movement.org in 2018). Movement Day began shortly thereafter in 2010. Since then leaders from 400 cities and 95 countries have participated in Movement Day Expressions with new cities being added monthly. Movement.org is currently tracking with leaders in 500 cities globally.Mac also serves the Lausanne Movement as Co-Catalyst for Cities.Dr. Pier earned his Master of Arts degree in religion from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and his doctorate at Palmer Theological Seminary. He is the author/co-author of 10 books including the series – A Disruptive Gospel, A Disruptive Generosity, and A Disruptive God. A Disruptive Gospel was named an outreach resource of the year by Outreach Magazine in 2018. Mac also wrote The Power of a City at Prayer on the one-year anniversary of 9/11. His most recent book is Required with Bishop Claude AlexanderMac and Marya have lived in New York City for 39 years. They have three married children and five grandchildren.
After ten years of marriage, two kids, numerous losses of loved ones, and more difficult seasons in ministry than they could count, Rob & Jen Schwinge found themselves weary and wondering how they would be able to keep going. Little did they know that when they reached the end of their rope God had already begun their RESTORATION journey.In the following years with God’s strength and leading, they made the decision to intentionally retreat, and refocus their hearts on who God created them to be, and how He wanted them to live out their callings in everyday life. Through their restoration journey, they found healing, hope, and a passion to help others that were just like them.You can find out more about their ministry by visiting www.restorationfamilyfarm.com
Ron Hutchcraft is an impassioned contemporary evangelist, speaker, author and radio host. As President of Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Ron and his team specialize in developing authentic, relevant and creative tools to, as Ron says, “Bring the lost to the Cross.” Ron is committed to communicating the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the lost in their language and to motivating and equipping believers to communicate Christ to the lost in their world.He has hosted two international youth radio broadcasts and has authored many books. His most recent book came out in 2021 – Hope When Your Heart is Breaking: Finding God’s Presence in Your Pain (Harvest House).For over 35 years, Ron has been a part of people’s daily lives through his popular radio program. “A Word With You” is heard on over 1,300 outlets across the country and broadcast internationally in the six most-spoken languages in the world.Ron, with his late wife Karen, is the co-founder of On Eagles’ WingsTM, an outreach and leadership development program for Native American, First Nations and Alaskan Native young people. He has traveled with and helped shepherd Native-led On Eagles’ WingsTM teams that have brought hope to over 100 Native communities. He is also co-founder of the Warrior Leadership Summit conference, which annually brings together young people from almost 100 indigenous nations. In addition, the On Eagles’ WingsTM Warrior Scholarship Fund has helped many Native young people go to college to train for spiritual leadership among their people.Ron has been a popular speaker for major events and conferences in North America, Africa, South America, Australia and Asia and has spent his entire life working cross-culturally with young people. At Billy Graham Schools of Evangelism and other conferences, Ron has trained tens of thousands of Christian leaders in how to be spiritual rescuers in our rapidly-changing culture.Ron is looked to as a “Spiritual Rescue Coach.” Ron comes alongside Christian ministries, organizations and leaders, and provides both the “want to” and the “how to” for using their influence for maximum evangelistic impact. “Movements of rescue” have been and continue to be developed through Christian business leaders, Christian Radio broadcasters, church leaders, everyday believers, and more.Rev. Hutchcraft served as the Chairman of the 1991 Northern New Jersey Billy Graham Crusade, and frequently spoke at Billy Graham Evangelistic Association pre-Crusade youth events and Schools of Evangelism. He continues to speak regularly at the Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove. Ron was honored as Moody Bible Institute’s Alumnus of the Year for 1997. Ron has worked alongside his late wife and life-long ministry partner, Karen. They have three children who have served with them in ministry, and nine grandchildren.
Colonel Patrick J. Callahan was sworn in on October 31, 2017, as the 14th Colonel of the New Jersey State Police. He has served more than 26 years with the New Jersey State Police and as the State Director of the Office of Emergency Management, also serves as a member of the New Jersey Coronavirus Task force established by Governor Murphy in February of 2020. He previously served as the Deputy Superintendent of Operations overseeing nearly 1,800 road troopers assigned to State Police stations throughout the State. Prior to this assignment, Colonel Callahan served as the Deputy Superintendent of Administration. Previous assignments also included him serving as the Commanding Officer of the Emergency Management Section as well as the Recovery Bureau Chief in the wake of Super Storm Sandy. In this role, he was responsible for working with FEMA, all State Departments, county, and local government entities, as well as the Governor’s Office of Recovery and Rebuilding to administer and oversee the $1.5 billion in FEMA Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation funding awarded to the State.Colonel Callahan has also served as the Chief Financial Officer for the New Jersey State Police and has held various assignments in the Administration Section overseeing budget and fiscal responsibilities associated with the Division. He was also assigned to the Homeland Security Branch and assisted in the planning and distribution of the federal homeland security funding awarded to the State and its 21 counties in the wake of 9/11. Prior to this assignment, Colonel Callahan served as a station detective and general road duty Trooper.Colonel Callahan earned a Master’s Degree in Administrative Science from Fairleigh Dickinson University and earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree from Villanova University. He is a graduate of the 243rd FBI National Academy Session where he was elected Session President. Colonel Callahan also served as the Chairman of the State Police Retirement System Pension Board of Trustees until his recent appointment to Colonel on November 1, 2017.He has been married to his high school sweetheart, Linda, for 33 years and they have four children.
Allan F. Wright is a Husband, Father of four, Executive Director of the New Jersey Family Policy Center. Author of 21 books & Speaker. He is an Adjunct Prof. at Seton Hall University & Catholic Distance University, The former Academic Dean of Evangelization for the Diocese of Paterson and he has taught Sacred Scripture to the Missionaries of Charty (Mother Teresa's Sister's) for the past 17 years and has appeared on Fox News and Relevant Radio multiple times speaking of faith and evangelization.www.NJFPC.orgwww.allanwright.org
Steve Hawthorne has served as a pastor in North Jersey for almost 25 years. For the past 18 years, he has served as Executive Pastor of the church he co-founded, called Emergence. His greatest passions are seeing new life through the Gospel (the church has baptized nearly 1000 people since 2011), and having the honor of loving his wife, Melissa, and their three children. Steve can often be found near a soccer field. He’s been a soccer dad, referee, and has served as the chaplain for the New York Red Bulls for the last 9 years. The real dream is focused on another field, though—that the once-dead fields of New Jersey would be filled with life that only comes from Jesus.
Beth Greco's compelling journey into ministry, began in 1992, as a troubled young woman whose life was derailed by drugs and alcohol. It was her church that began to petition the Lord to intervene on her behalf, as darkness quickly engulfed her life. It was her youth pastor who first heard of the Hoving Home in New York and that it had a proven track record of successful recovery for women in bondage to life controlling issues, using only the power of God's love to break the shackles of addiction.Her church set a plan in motion to save Beth's life and arranged for a one way ticket to NY, as many, including her family, had all but given up hope for her recovery and saw the Walter Hoving Home as a last resort to save her life.It was at the home that Beth surrendered her life over to Jesus and was miraculously delivered of the life controlling issues that plagued her life. Beth now attributes her deliverance to her encounter with Jesus Christ and the infilling of the Holy Spirit, that dramatically changed the course of her life forever.Today Beth is the President and CEO of Hoving Home, the very place she found healing at many years ago. Over the years Beth has been used mightily of God, leading countless thousands of women to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Under her leadership, the Home has expanded to new states and added a Women & Children program at two locations.Today Beth is an in demand speaker who has shared her compelling testimony of God's amazing grace around the world. She has appeared on many television shows including the Trinity Broadcasting Network along with numerous local and national publications.Beth is married to her husband, Tim and they are the proud parents of a son, Jason.
William was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, the product of an abusive and alcoholic father. At the age of eleven he was forced to leave home when his mother chose to turn him away after he defended her during a beating from his then crazed and drunken father.William spent his teenage years living with relatives and friends on the streets of Brooklyn. He turned to drug use early on and continued destructive habits into his young adult years. In 1972, at the age of eighteen, he married his wife Nancy and continued to abuse drugs until Palm Sunday, 1981 when he received Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.William served in several ministries at his local church (Sunday School, Children’s Church, Youth Ministries and Prison Ministry) until 1996 when he and his wife felt called into full-time, inner city ministry. William then left his Wall Street job as a printer and became an Assistant Pastor for The Christian and Missionary Alliance at New Hope Community Church, Staten Island. While at New Hope Community Church, William began working with teenagers in a sports ministry. Using his love for God, life testimony and his love for sports, he became a great influence in the lives of many of the young people he came in contact with. Many of these young people received Christ or rededicated their lives to live for God.After five years at New Hope Community Church, William and his wife took another step of faith and became part of Campus Crusade for Christ in their outreach to athletes, through the ministry Athletes In Action. He served as Chaplain to the Staten Island Yankees and the Hispanic players of the New York Yankees. Through William’s work with Athletes In Action and the friendships he has developed with players, he has seen many of them develop into Christ- centered leaders. Players such as Mariano Rivera and Robinson Cano of the New York Yankees, In his work with the Brooklyn Nets, Coach Byron Scott, Alonzo Mourning, and others have dedicated themselves to come alongside William and his ministry to young people. In addition to his commitment to Athletes in Action, William served as director of Urban Impact a ministry of Pillar of Fire International dedicated to the mentoring of young boys and girls through sports ministry. William is now serving as Campus Pastor to Adult / Teen Challenge New Jersey. He resides in Clinton,NJ with his wife Nancy. They have three daughters, Venus, Yvette and Krista. He has founded a non-profit organization on Staten Island called “It’s A New Beginning”. It is a ministry dedicated to spreading the message of Christ.
Ed Gurak has been a follower of Jesus Christ for 54 years and married to his wife, Susan, for 53 years (after dating for 5 years). He has 2 grown children, Michelle with husband Patrick in Richmond, VA and Dave with wife Lindsay in Franklin Lakes. Ed and Susan have been blessed with 8 grandchildren. Ed, a life long resident of NJ and Bergen County was born and raised in Garfield before moving to Wyckoff in 1974. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Seton Hall University and a Master’s degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University. After a few years in public accounting Ed embarked on a 40 year career in banking. The first 18 years with the Prospect Park Savings Bank in Haledon and West Paterson and then 22 years with Columbia Bank in Fair Lawn. Much of his career was in Accounting and Finance with the last 5 years as Chief Risk Officer at Columbia. Throughout the years Ed has served in numerous industry, community, church and other Christian organizations. Ed 1st attended NCS Bergen County in 2005 and has been a “committed brother” since. He has served in chapter leadership roles through many of those years.Ed’s current life verse is: 3 John 1:4 “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth”. You will hear about this verse and the importance of God’s Word in his life this Friday morning.
Emanuel and Carmen Gaskins are natives of Paterson, NJ. They met in 1996 during a church service. Serving in their local ministries for more than 20 years, the couple joined Bethany Church in 2014. The Gaskins believed that Bethany Church had something to offer them and they in turn had something to offer Bethany Church. Emanuel served on the worship team, taught the men’s small group, and served as an Elder. Carmen served as a greeter, usher, and children’s ministry worker. In 2020, Emanuel felt called into Pastoral Ministry. With God governing their steps, they accepted the role as Campus Pastors for the Paterson campus of Bethany Church. Outside of ministry, Emanuel is a Licensed Insurance Broker, serving small businesses in 26 states and is the Sole Proprietor of Kings Prodigy Graphic Designs. Carmen holds a BA in Psychology and a MS in nonprofit leadership from Fordham University. After working for more than 10 years in the mental health industry, Carmen transitioned in childcare and is currently the Director of Bethany Christian Academy, a school she helped establish.Emanuel and Carmen have been married for 26 years and they have 4 children, Nicholas, Nia, Naomi, and Nathan; 2 bonus children, Patricia, and Sean; and 2 grandchildren, Keagan, and Alanna.They believe that God has sent them back to their hometown to serve and they are committed to doing the work for the Kingdom of God.
Preston Poore is a dedicated corporate leader with a storied history at The Coca-Cola Company and further expertise honed at The Hershey Company, Ralston Purina, Dale Carnegie Training, and AmSouth Bank.As the founder of Preston Poore & Associates, LLC, and a Certified Maxwell Leadership Team Speaker, Trainer, and Executive Coach, he seamlessly blends leadership excellence with Christian principles to empower leaders and organizations. His tailored coaching, speaking engagements, and leadership training are designed to inspire ethical leadership and elevate influence in the workplace and community.As a Colson Fellow, Preston is equipped with an understanding of a biblical worldview to be a redemptive influence in the marketplace and beyond. As a board member of Christ Led Communities, he champions the development of men into passionate Christ-followers within small, collaborative groups.He is also the author of the acclaimed "Discipled Leader" and "21 Days to Sound Decision Making," using his platform to mentor individuals in effective leadership and decision-making.In the defense sector, he shapes the future as a minority shareholder and board member of Numerica Corporation. Preston's academic foundations include an MBA from Samford University and a BS in Management from Colorado State University.Preston and his wife live in the Metro Atlanta Area, where they live out a commitment to service and leadership in every aspect of their lives.Learn more at prestonpoore.com.
Garrett Miller has been happily married to his bride Paula for 31yrs. His 3 grown children have all followed his path into sales. He graduated from URI and spent 18yrs in Pharma sales and sales management. For the next 17yrs he ran his own consulting company working with organizations companies like MARS, Bayer, Gallo, The FBI and Johnson & Johnson to help bring efficiencies to their workflow. He is the author of 2 books with a third in the works. 2yrs ago Garrett reentered the corporate life and began working as a Regional Sales and Management trainer for Sazerac, a spirit’s supplier. He has served as a Deacon in his Church for almost 30 yrs and has also served as on the Board of the American Christian School for over 20yrs. In his down time he enjoys playing soccer, doing anything DYI, and spending time with friends and family.
John "Little John" Paladino spent much of his life immersed in crime, violence, and illegal activities. Known as a notorious and feared mafia enforcer, he took pride in spreading terror and ensuring devastation wherever he went. His life was a continuous cycle of stealing, robbing, and cheating, which led to numerous stints in prison and other correctional facilities. Throughout these years, John was plagued by a deep sense of pain and a void of peace, affecting everything and everyone around him.In addition to his criminal endeavors, John experienced several near-fatal accidents, one of which resulted in the death of his own friend. Despite these harrowing experiences, he inexplicably survived each time. It was during these moments of survival that John began to sense a higher purpose at play, a realization that God wasn’t done with him yet.John's life took a dramatic turn on Memorial Day 2011, following a reckless challenge to God the night before. This marked the beginning of his radical transformation. Through what can only be described as a divine intervention, John felt a profound change within himself. This pivotal moment was the start of his journey from a life of chaos and destruction to one of redemption and renewal. Embracing his newfound faith, John began to walk a new path, committed to living as a changed man, redeemed by the grace of God.
Chris McPadden is a retired Major General in the United States Army, having served for 35 years. He currently serves as CEO and President of Drive Forward, a consultancy focused on strategic planning, organizational development and leadership training.He previously served as a Co-President of the Grace and Mercy Foundation. As a retired Major General in the United States Army, McPadden’s’ past roles have included: Director of Strategy, Plans, and Policy; Deputy Director of Joint Strategic Planning; Director of Concept Development and Learning; and Director of Future Plans in Afghanistan. Throughout his 35 years of active military service, Chris has mentored cadets and officers, developing the next generation of leaders in service to our country.He previously served as Chief of Operational War Plans at U.S. Central Command. He began his military career in the 3-505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division. McPadden’s other command and staff positions include Assistant S3 and Long Range Surveillance Detachment Commander, 1st Infantry Division; Assistant Chief of Division Plans, Battalion S3 and Commander for 1-27 Infantry, 25th Infantry Division; G3 Strategic Plans, U.S. Army Pacific; Strategy, Plans and Policy Officer (FA 59); and Deputy Chief of Operational War Plans, U.S. Central Command.Chris received B.S. in American Studies from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, a M.A. in History from Brown University, a Master of Military Art and Science (M.M.A.S) from the School of Advanced Military Studies, and a M.S. in National Security Strategy from the Army War College. His military education includes Airborne School, Ranger School, Infantry Officer Basic School and the School of Advanced Military Studies.Chris is married to Linda, and they have two children: Jeremiah, who recently graduated from Wheaton College, and Mayla, who is a sophomore at Liberty University. He enjoys playing saxophone, chess, fishing, water sports, skiing, kit cars, weight lifting, and strategic investing.
Follower of Jesus – 33 years and countingHusband of Danielle – 23 years and countingFather of Isaac (21), Lynnaea (19), and Ryan (18)Born in Willmar, Minnesota – 1977-1986Lived in Austin, Texas – 1986-1989 while my father completed seminaryMoved to Circleville, NY – 1989 when my father was hired as pastor of Circleville ChurchGraduated Pine Bush High School 1995Graduated SUNY Cobleskill with a Bachelor of Technology Plant Science 1998Co- founded Tree of Life Landscape Design/Build 1999-2013Started an Upward Basketball League – 2001Established Jaloszynski homestead Bloomingburg, NY – 2001Married Danielle June 9th, 2001Formerly organized 12th Rock Sports – 2011 to presentSold Tree of Life Landscape 2013Closed on property in Middletown, NY for 12th Rock Sports – July 2017Serve as VP of 12th Rock Sports 2011-presentIn my free time I enjoy the outdoors, hiking, hunting, fishing, canoeing, sitting around a campfire, etc.
Ronald P. Joelson is a senior consultant working with Northwestern Mutual field offices, teams and clients to share his extensive experience and insights into the General Account and its impact on product value as well as the role of life insurance in helping clients achieve financial security. Ron was the executive vice president and chairman, Northwestern Mutual Investment Management Company (NMIMC) and member of Northwestern Mutual’s Senior Leadership Team from 2021 until the end of 2022. He has also served as Northwestern Mutual’s Chief Investment Officer (CIO), responsible for the company’s $250+ billion General Account investment portfolio and overseeing its Public Investments, Private Investments, Real Estate and Investment Strategy Departments (2012-2021).Joelson was CIO at major insurers twice before, starting in 2000 — at Prudential Financial and Genworth Financial. During his 23-year tenure with Prudential, Joelson held several other roles, including president of the company’s Guaranteed Products business and head of both the Structured Finance Group and the Enterprise Planning Group. His investment experience includes familiarity not only with the whole spectrum of investment asset classes, but also with risk management, investment strategy, analytics and leadership development.Joelson currently sits on the board of Conning Holdings Limited, a global asset manager for insurance companies and is on the Advisory board for Socium Advisors, a financial planning firm affiliated with Northwestern Mutual.
Armando Castro has ten years of experience as a corporate chaplain with Corporate Chaplains of America, serving various corporations in New York and New Jersey. In this role, he provides emotional and spiritual support to employees across these companies. Additionally, he has thirteen years of pastoral experience in Spanish and English-speaking congregations.Armando holds a Master of Divinity degree in Christian Ministry from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Practical Theology at Columbia International University in South Carolina. Outside of his professional commitments, Armando enjoys spending time with his wife and two children. He is also an active member of Grace Church in Ridgewood, NJ.
Jerry Palmieri has 34 years of experience as a Strength & Conditioning Coach, including 21 years in the NFL. He began his career at the University of North Carolina, and then spent time at Oklahoma State, Kansas State, and Boston College. In 1995, he became the first Strength & Conditioning Coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars. After 8 seasons, he served 1 year as an assistant for the New Orleans Saints, and then spent the last 12 years of his career coordinating the Strength & Conditioning for the NY Giants. During his tenure, the Giants won 2 Super Bowl Championships (42 and 46).Palmieri is a 1980 graduate of Montclair State University. He received a master’s degree in exercise physiology from North Carolina in 1984. Palmieri was a three-time New Jersey Golden Gloves champion (1976-78) and competed in international competitions as a member of the 1978 and 1979 USA Boxing Teams.Currently, Palmieri volunteers for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes advancing that ministry in North Jersey. He also speaks on topics of strength & conditioning and his faith, while also conducting workshops on 3 Dimensional Coaching.
Larry Hartmann, is the CEO of ZRG Partners, recently recognized as the fastest-growing executive search firm in North and South America with offices around the world providing senior-level retained search services to clients.Prior to joining ZRG Partners in 2002, Larry was a founder of Rockford Industries; a NASDAQ traded commercial lending business that supported the medical device market. While at Rockford, the firm went from a pure start-up to an Inc. 500 recognized growth firm through IPO and ultimate sale to American Express. After the sale, Larry was an EVP with American Express for three years.Larry also has broad board of director experience. In addition to public company experience as a board member, he has also served on boards in both Private Equity and Venture-backed businesses. Additionally, Larry founded and now leads a non-profit ministry, Impact Paterson, which supports jobs placement and creation for the community of Paterson, NJ in the spirit of the Good Samaritan.Larry is also author of Oddly Unjust, a book that explores the proof and odds that God exists, the Bible is the truth, and Jesus was indeed God’s Son through the lens of the OJ Simpson murder trial.Larry is married for 31 years and lives in Edgewater, New Jersey with his wife. He has three sons.
Frank is currently an Assistant Pastor at Calvary Chapel North Jersey. He is also a Supervisor at the National Labor Relations Board, an independent government agency authorized to enforce Federal labor law, for the past 28 years. He has participated in numerous outreach programs, including, serving as a moderator for the New Jersey Labor Law Conference. He is a graduate of Cornell University with a major in Industrial Labor Relations and a minor in Economics. Frank and his wife Michele have three children, Frank (27), Aaron (23), and Elisa (19).
Meet Phillip Bracco—a dedicated disciple of Jesus, a committed husband to Lisa, and a proud father of five wonderful children: Gianna, Joseph, Vincent, Francesca, and Dominick. Alongside his roles as a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and supervisor in New Jersey, Phillip serves as the Pastor of Care at Emergence Church. In addition, he co-owns Restore Counseling Center and holds the position of Director at Emergence Counseling Center. Passionate about Christ and the integration of top-notch mental health care, Phillip ensures that both centers prioritize advancing the gospel while delivering exceptional clinical services to those in need.
David Nammo has served as executive director and CEO of Christian Legal Society since 2012.He is the former executive vice president of the Leadership Project for America, where he worked closely with conservative leaders such as former Reagan Attorney General Ed Meese, Publisher Al Regnery, Club for Growth founder Steve Moore, and U.S. Rep. David McIntosh, in preparation for the 2012 election cycle.He also was the executive director of the Family Research Council Action (FRCA), the 501(c)(4) arm of the Family Research Council, where he worked on political issues, interfaced with Congress, and met with candidates from across the country. He also started the first PAC for the Family Research Council and engaged in the 2008 election cycle in over 40 states.David consulted and worked for a variety of employers over several years, including Gammon & Grange, a Virginia law firm; defense consultants for the Defense Intelligence Agency, and as a sole practitioner practicing trademark and business contract law. His prior employment at the Christian Legal Society was as the former director of attorney and law student ministries of Christian Legal Society. He also helped found the IVCF/CLS joint taskforce and restarted The Christian Lawyer magazine in 2005.He has been interviewed by national and international media, including the NBC Nightly News, Fox News, the Associated Press, CBN News, as well as various radio stations from across the country and around the globe. His op-eds have been published in USA Today, the Washington Times, the National Review, and many online news sites. Prior to attending law school at both George Mason University School of Law and Chicago-Kent College of Law, David worked as a journalist for the Fox News Service, a Middle East wire service, and WTTG-TV in Washington D.C.David writes an occasional blog called Babylonian Thoughts, given his Chaldean heritage, as the son of a Christian-Iraqi. He is co-owner of a record label out of Southern California. He resides in Northern Virginia with Laura, his wife (a patent attorney), their six children, a cat, and a St. Bernard dog.
Rollie Espinosa has had a diverse and accomplished career, showcasing a wide range of skills and experiences:Advertising Management: Worked as an advertising manager for prestigious publishing companies like Crains NY and John Wiley and Sons.Pursued a passion for art as a Gallery Artist, showcasing creativity and a keen aesthetic sense.Graduated from the School of Visual Arts (SVA), indicating a formal education in visual arts. Voiceover Announcer: Started as a weekend announcer and contemporary Christian radio deejay at WWDJ in the 1980s, showcasing artists from the Jesus revolution. Network booth announcer: for NBC RadioNBC page: on Late Night with David Letterman in the early 80s, gaining experience in television productionActive volunteer: Short-order cook at Hackensack River Mission for the homeless since 2014, demonstrating a commitment to community serviceRollie and his wife Francesca were married for 42 years before she went home to be with The Lord last month. Rollie was a dedicated and compassionate husband. As a result of Fran’s terminal brain disorder, Rollie resigned from corporate employment to be her full-time caretaker. Rollie’s rich and varied background reflects professional success and a commitment to community service, artistic expression, and personal resilience in challenging circumstances. His diverse experiences in advertising, voiceover, art, and community involvement contribute to a well-rounded accomplished believer and servant of his Lord Jesus Christ.
Prior to launching his “Speaking on Joy and Happiness” venture, Geoff was the co-founder of eMarketer, a New York-based company providing data, analysis and insights on all aspects of digital marketing and ecommerce on a global scale. In serving his various roles at eMarketer for over two decades, Geoff quickly became sought-after as a dynamic motivational speaker within the digital marketing industry. Geoff is also co-author of a book, Digital Impact: The Two Secrets to Online Marketing Success (Wiley & Co.) In his former careers, he was an advertising executive for over 15 years working in New York ad agencies, as well as a professional magician performing close-up and stage magic. Geoff was not raised on religion growing up, but after having an existential crisis in his mid-twenties, he found Christ and began his spiritual journey which has led him to where he is today. Geoff lives in Allendale with his wife Kim and they have four children, ages 29, 27, 23 and 14.
Andrew joined Regency Wealth Management as a Partner in 2010 after a two year affiliation with LPL Financial and over 18 years in Alliance Bernstein’s Fixed Income Division. As a Senior Vice President, he formed and headed Alliance’s corporate bond research group, managed institutional global credit portfolios, a credit oriented hedge fund, and a retail balanced mutual fund. He has also helped manage numerous institutional and retail bond strategies including open end and close end mutual funds and money market funds. His prior experience includes research roles at PaineWebber, Citibank, and Standard & Poors after being a Relationship Manager at The Chase Manhattan Bank.A visible and respected professional, Mr. Aran has been published in Institutional Investors, authored a case study in Fabozzi’s Bond Credit Analysis: Framework & Case Studies, has been quoted in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal; has been quoted or interviewed multiple times on Bloomberg and CNBC and has spoken at numerous financial conferences around the world. He also served on Markit iBoxx’s Oversight Committee. He is a member of the CFA Institute, FIASI, NYSSA (Bond and Stock Analysts Association), and is an Associate member of NAPFA (National Association of Personal Financial Advisors).Andrew earned a B.A. from Rutgers University in 1978, an M.B.A. from Fordham’s Graduate School of Business in 1980, and was awarded a Chartered Financial Analyst designation in 1986. He served as President of the Bergen County Chapter of the New Canaan Society from 2011-2015 and currently serves in their Board. Andrew is currently a member of the Advisory Board of Street 2 Street and The Exodus Road, and Star of Hope Ministries in Paterson, NJ and serves on the Christian Health Care Center’s Foundation Board. He is a member of Grace Church of Ridgewood where he has served on the Elder Board and their finance committee. He is blessed by his marriage to Cindy, their three children, and one grandchild.
Rich Garza originally from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, has lived in San Antonio, Texas for over 30 years. Rich played offensive line and started his college career at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where he was a four-year letterman, captain, and two-time offensive line MVP. In the early – mid 80’s, Rich continued to play football at the professional level for the Philadelphia Eagles and the Denver Broncos, as well as for two USFL teams, the Philadelphia Stars, and the San Antonio Gunslingers. Rich started 56 games and 2 playoff games while in the USFL.It was during an off-season when Rich felt a call to begin telling his story wherever there was an open the door and he’s been going strong for 36 years. In the past 3decades, Rich has spoken in over 3,000 schools in the United States, Canada, South Africa, Mexico, and Barbados; hundreds of prisons, penitentiaries, and detention centers all over North America; and death row in Raleigh, North Carolina. For the past 24 years,Rich has also volunteered his time as the co-chaplain of the 5-time NBA. World Champions, The San Antonio Spurs, their opponents, and arena staff before every home game. He also served as the Chaplain of Canadian Football Team, The Texans, in 1995.Rich is named to the National Hispanic Sports Hall of Fame, the Lehigh Valley Football Hall of Fame, and the Liberty High School Hal of Fame. He has also served sa the Chaplain for the US Army High School All-Star game that is held ni San Antonio, Texas since the games inception and been a guest speaker for Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Soldiers for Faith, and Behind the Walls Prison Ministries. Rich is the corporate chaplain for companies AM Technical Solutions, Airbox Inc, and the Austin Self AM Technical NASCAR Race Team. In 2014, Rich co-authored his first book, Available and his story is also told in Pat William’s Book Triumph.Rich and his wife Jan of 36 years have four wonderful children: Kelly, Rich. David, and Daniel.
A graduate of Nyack College, Manhattanville College, New York Theological Seminary and New York University, Dr. Schroeder served churches in New York, New Jersey, and England. On the missional front, he has served overseas and at home with the Christian and Missionary Alliance, Trans World Radio and International Teams, and continues preaching ministries in Latin America, Africa, Asia, and Europe.Dr. David Schroeder is currently serving as Chancellor of Pillar College after 14 years as President. He was also president of the Philadelphia Theological Seminary for three years and Nyack College for twelve years. Besides his work in Christian higher education, he has served in missions with International Teams, Trans World Radio, and The Christian and Missionary Alliance, under whom he was ordained in 1974.He has served three alliance churches as a full-time Pastor and four churches part-time, most recently at Grace Chapel in Bedminster, NJ, and Washington, NJ Alliance church.He is the author of twelve books, the most recent being The Lion, the Church, and the Warfare, published in 2020.Serving the next generation within a context of spiritual renewal, ethnic diversity, and Christ-centered higher education has been his passion for over thirty years.
Matthew Maher is a 2007 graduate of Temple University, where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Legal Studies. He is also a former professional soccer player, playing on teams in North Carolina, New Jersey, and Philadelphia respectively. He is the author of the book(s): U MAY B THE ONLY BIBLE SOMEBODY READS: R U LEGIBLE?; Imprisoned by Peace: A View Apart; and Unchained: A Voice Apart (available on Amazon.com). For the past 11 years, Matthew has been a monthly contributor to the Cape May County Herald with a column previously entitled, Prison Talk, and now Truth Over Trend.He is the host of the podcast, Rechurched, a podcast aimed at instigating Christians to be Christian, as well as a highly sought-after speaker both on the local and national level. His “Decisions Determine Destiny” program is sponsored by State Farm Insurance and has addressed over 500,000 high school and college students through various events and assemblies.Matthew is honored to serve as a Teaching Pastor at Landmark Church in Ocean City, NJ, where his desire is to inspire conscience (so people may know God) and instigate conviction (so people may show God).You can learn more at www.TruthOverTrend.com, where his blogs have been read by over 1,000,000 people in every state, 121 countries, and in 67 different languages.Matthew and his beautiful wife, Sarah, their daughter Willow, and son Ezekiel, reside in Egg Harbor Twp., NJ.Twitter || Instagram || Facebook @TruthOverTrend
Randy Wilson serves as FRC’s Director of Men’s Ministries. He travels the country building relationships with Christian ministers, speaking at regional and local pastoral gatherings and calling them to be Watchmen on the Wall (Isaiah 62:6). Prior to joining FRC, Mr. Wilson worked in the public policy department of Focus on the Family, where he started and developed state Family Policy Councils across the country. He also served the local church as a Family Life pastor.Randy and Lisa Wilson have been married for 37 years and have seven children, five are married and are blessed with fourteen grandchildren. They are the founders of Generations of Light Ministry, an outreach to families. They have authored three books: Celebrations of Faith: Tying our Children’s Heartstrings to the Truth; Daddy’s Blessing; and The Joshua Basket. They are the founders of “The Father Daughter Purity Ball” which caught the attention of national and international media. Mr. Wilson has had the opportunity to stand and defend the importance of fatherhood in such well-known venues as the Focus on the Family broadcast with Dr. Dobson, Time Magazine, The New York Times, O (Oprah) Magazine, Glamour, USA Today, The Economist, and Marie Claire as well as “Good Morning America,” “The Today Show,” “Glenn Beck Show,” “Cooper 360,” and “Dr. Phil,” among others, and are the subjects of two documentaries seen in the U.S. and across Europe. His older three daughters released their book, Purely Woman. Their son, Logan, created the School of Honor and travels the country gathering young men, 10-18 for a three day school teaching biblical masculinity and living as men of honor.
Dr. Joël Núñez is a New Jersey state licensed clinical psychologist. In 1996, he earned a Bachelor’s Degree with Honors in Psychology from Drew University in Madison, NJ. He earned a full scholarship to study psychology at Penn State University in University Park, PA graduating in 2003 with a Ph.D. in adult clinical psychology.As a graduate student, he was awarded the prestigious Soros Fellowship for New Americans on the basis of scholarly merit, academic promise, and potential to contribute to public life in America. He completed his clinical internship at the former Robert Wood Johnson Medical School/UMDNJ in Piscataway, NJ. Following internship, he worked as a bilingual clinical psychologist at the Meadowview Psychiatric Hospital in Secaucus, NJ and at the North Jersey Developmental Center in Totowa, NJ. He earned his license to practice psychology independently in 2006.Presently, Dr. Núñez owns and operates Prov 205, a multi-purpose agency providing: 1) comprehensive professional, student, and parental development services to local and national school districts, colleges, and universities as well as workforce and service delivery solutions to private and public sector agencies; 2) forensic psychological evaluations in immigration, juvenile waiver, adult resentencing and other criminal matters along with expert witness testimony throughout the state and region; and 3) a psychological group practice in Bayonne specializing in the treatment of individuals, couples, and families facing various challenges in living. He, his wife, and three children live in northern New Jersey.
There is an Isaiah 61 calling on Raun’s life; he is on a mission to help men to find their place in the Father’s heart.Raun loves to use his God-given talent in music to lead congregational worship and has had the unique privilege of doing so in churches of varied races and cultures.In his younger years, he was part of project mgt team at AECOM, a global leader in commercial construction.His famous Dad Ray Barretto, a Grammy award winning artist in the field of Salsa, was widely respected in the music industry as being an innovative pioneer in the blending of the Latin and Jazz genres.After the death of his Dad in 2006, Mark Reitsma invited him to come and play keyboard for the NCS Worship Band. This introduction to men’s ministry would forever impact the course of Raun’s life. His life changed once again when he heard Joe Pellegrino speaking at NCS on the topic of Facing Your Giants. Raun began to play for the chapter of NCS that Joe headed at the time. Sometime later, Joe went on to form Legacy Minded Men, and Raun became an integral part of his staff, serving in various behind-the-scenes capacities, including helping to edit several of Joe’s books.In 2022 he married his beautiful wife Diane, who was the first woman appointed by Joe to head up Legacy Minded Women. After walking with men through some of their deepest valleys for many years – and being through some of his own – Raun opened up Legacy Coaching last April. He has a deep passion to help men make “The Rest of Their Lives – the Best of their Lives”. At an age when many men are mainly thinking about relaxing and taking it easy, Raun is just getting started, to the Glory of God!
Arnie Cole (EdD, Pepperdine) is the CEO of Back to the Bible and Director of Research and Development for the Center for Bible Engagement. With his passion for research and helping others, Dr. Cole has been active most of his professional life in developing methodologies, processes and best practices to instill significant behavioral change in individuals. A serial entrepreneur, Arnie pioneered disruptive organizations in California that successfully moved violent patients with developmental disabilities out of institutions and safely into the community and employment. Dr. Cole has also served with YWAM’s Business as Missions group in the Middle East, CEO of MegaVoice LLC, as well as Vice President of Development for Mission Aviation Fellowship. Today he is responsible for the digital media ministries as well as Research & Development at Back to the Bible.For the past 18 years, he has done life transformation research and field work on the spiritual lives of people from around the world as it relates to spiritual formation, spiritual fitness and life transformation. Additionally, he leads a team that developed a spiritual fitness assessment that supports a spiritual needs-based algorithm that is the heart of a daily spiritual fitness digital platform that helps people engage in Scripture on the path of life transformation. Dr. Cole is the co-author of several books, including Unstuck: Your Life, God's Design, Real Change; Worry Free Living; Tempted, Tested, and True (all Bethany House Publishers). Arnie and his wife Char are the parents of adult children. They operate Still Waters Equestrian Academy which is an equestrian ministry that serves as a community outreach. The Coles live near Lincoln, Nebraska.
Dr. Pier moved to New York from South Dakota in 1984. He served for thirteen years with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship overseeing 15 campuses as Area Director and spoke at the 1993 and 1996 Urbana Mission Conferences.In 1988, Mac founded Concerts of Prayer with colleagues from Here’s Life Inner City. To date, more than 250,000 people from 2,000 churches have participated in the Metro NYC prayer movement.Dr. Pier and Dr. Tim Keller, co-founded the Church Multiplication Alliance in 2003. Its emphasis on united prayer and church planting was a catalyst for the 500% growth of evangelical Christianity in Manhattan from 1989-2014In 2008, responding to the expressed needs of local pastors and leaders, Dr. Pier founded The New York City Leadership Center (renamed Movement.org in 2018). Movement Day began shortly thereafter in 2010. Since then leaders from 400 cities and 95 countries have participated in Movement Day Expressions with new cities being added monthly. Movement.org is currently tracking with leaders in 500 cities globally.Mac also serves the Lausanne Movement as Co-Catalyst for Cities.Dr. Pier earned his Master of Arts degree in religion from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and his doctorate at Palmer Theological Seminary. He is the author/co-author of 10 books including the series – A Disruptive Gospel, A Disruptive Generosity, and A Disruptive God. A Disruptive Gospel was named an outreach resource of the year by Outreach Magazine in 2018. Mac also wrote The Power of a City at Prayer on the one-year anniversary of 9/11. His most recent book is Required with Bishop Claude AlexanderMac and Marya have lived in New York City for 39 years. They have three married children and five grandchildren.
As a result of The Lord’s continuous Favor, Steve Wolf has been fortunate to experience a track record of demonstrated, continual business success within large and small organizations in the marketing research and consulting space. Over the years, The Lord enabled Steve to excel in simultaneous, multiple roles (in the US and globally), creating/implementing vision and strategy, attracting/retaining/leading world-class talent – creating powerful teams, resulting in dynamic, sustained, and profitable growth for the businesses themselves and clients which included many of the Fortune 100 companies. He has revitalized several failing businesses, written articles and spoken at local and global conferences.On a more personal level, for 25 years, Steve has co-led and mentored men in areas of character enhancement, integrity, and accountability which includes spiritual, business, relational, and financial matters as well as mobilizing the group to tangibly assist others in need. For decades Steve and his wife have helped young people identify their life purpose, deepen their relationship with The Lord, and learn principles upon which to base their lives. They have worked with some of these same individuals later in their lives to help them discover and utilize their personal treasure trove of talent and gifts. He and his wife also counsel couples in regard to biblical marriage principles.Steve has been on the ground in 47 countries to guide senior business associates and/or for missions purposes. He commits time and resources to various organizations and outreaches including New Canaan Society (NCS), where he serves on the leadership board of the Bergen County Chapter and is the Prayer Captain for the Paterson Chapter, where he shares personal devotions and leads men in prayer every Monday at Noon. He has presented on numerous occasions, to these and other NJ NCS chapters on the topics of disruptive discipleship, forgiveness, God’s faithfulness, obedience, and more.Wolf co-leads an Impact Paterson initiative which works alongside select Ministry Partners, to mentor and provide loans to individuals who need assistance “getting back on their feet” and securing better paying jobs. He’s also presented on the subjects mentioned earlier, to the men enrolled in the Discipleship House Rehabilitation Program in Paterson, NJ, and, for the past couple of years, has co-led monthly meetings with those men.In educating the next generation of marketing researchers/consultants, Steve has guest lectured at Rutgers Business School, at Eli Broad Graduate School of Management, and at Michigan State University. He was also a Faculty and Client Advisor for the Masters of Marketing Research program at Eli Broad.In 2014 he created his Wisdom, Insight and Mojo (www.wisdominsightmojo.com) which conducts marketing research and consulting, as well as executive and career coaching. His multiple executive coaching certifications are from Five Capitals (www.fivecapitals.net), an organization that trains leaders in how God’s truth connects to both their personal and professional lives, creating greater levels of integration, wholeness and fulfillment. Steve helps individuals and teams thrive, focused on what they have been created to do, become and accomplish.Steve has a ministry certification from Global University and is recognized by Bethany Church as a Commissioned Minister of the gospel. Steve and his wife Lynda have a blended family with four grown children, their spouses, one delightful grandson and a beautiful granddaughter.
Raymond H. Harris established one of the country’s largest corporate architectural firms. The firm was ranked as the number two American retail design firm for three years by McGraw Hill Architectural Record Magazine. While leading his firm, he helped establish numerous other businesses, ministry efforts and projects. Using his business acumen, he capitalized educational, medical, manufacturing, and entertainment businesses in the USA and abroad.Being an entrepreneur, he recognized talent in young men and women and became an igniting force for their businesses. Through using capital earned through his architectural practice, he has deployed millions into God’s kingdom in for-profit businesses and ministry efforts throughout the world. Raymond is a Senior Fellow of Entrepreneurship in the Institute of Global Engagement at Dallas Baptist University. He is a writer and speaker, having previously published three books Business by Design, The Heart of Business, and The Anatomy of a Successful Firm. Raymond has delivered chapel messages at LeTourneau University, Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS), and many lectures and talks at Wheaton College, The Kings College (NYC), Oklahoma University, Dallas Baptist University, DTS Leader Board, ISI, The Navigators, OMF, Elevate USA, Movement Day, Crown Financial Ministries, Kingdom Advisors, New Canaan Society (Manhattan), Redeemer City to City with Tim Keller, among others. As Bill Hendricks of DTS once said, “Raymond is not a professional speaker, but he is a very effective one.”Raymond has been an executive producer, founding partner and chairman of the board for Erwin Brothers Entertainment which has now become the largest faith-based movie producer. Movies include, I Can Only Imagine, American Underdog, Jesus Revolution, Moms Night Out, Woodlawn, I Still Believe, and October Baby. He is an executive producer for Getty Music on the Evensong album. Raymond sits on the board of the Come and See Foundation which owns the rights to the sensational series The Chosen.Although Raymond has never been in vocational ministry, he has endeavored to build God’s kingdom through business and unique ministry projects. The insights through his forty years of experience in business has helped many so far, including the men that he mentors and the thousands that have heard him speak and have read his books.Most of the ministries and businesses that Raymond helped start have said “we could not have done this or we would not be here without Raymond’s help.”
First, & most importantly, I’m a husband of a beautiful wife & father to an amazing 4-year-old.Of secondary importance, I am the owner of Beard & Bowler Productions, a Commercial Filmmaking creative company that helps nonprofits raise funds & awareness through the power of storytelling via video.I have worn all the hats, including an English bowler, in my time building this company & have been privileged to work with a long list of businesses, agencies, & organizations. There is genuine power to the art of storytelling and I’m proud to be part of a company that uses this power to make an impact in our world.As with any good story there are numerous details I must not go into great detail over here. From my days as a hard news journalist to A.J. Video to Beard & Bowler I continue to learn & grow. Only greater things to come… just you wait.
Bob joined Crossmark in May 2021 as Chief Investment Officer (CIO), bringing over 40 years of industry experience to guide the investment process and serve as portfolio manager for multiple Crossmark large-cap strategies. He also utilizes his investment expertise to provide weekly and quarterly investment commentaries, as well as annual market predictions. Bob is a regular guest and contributor to multiple media outlets such as CNBC, Bloomberg TV, Moneywise, and Fox Business News. Prior to arriving at Crossmark, he held the roles of Senior Portfolio Manager and Chief Equity Strategist at Nuveen and Blackrock, President and Chief Investment Officer at Merrill Lynch Investment Managers, and Chief Investment Officer at Oppenheimer Funds, Inc. Bob graduated from Lehigh University with a B.S. in Accounting and a B.A. in Economics. He later went on to earn an M.B.A. from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®) designation, as well as the FINRA Series 7 and 63 securities licenses. Bob dedicates his time as choir director at his local church and also serves on a number of boards including the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals, Word of Life Fellowship, New Canaan Society, Kingdom Advisors, National Christian Foundation, Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary, The Lausanne Movement, Movement.org, Cairn University, Christianity Today, and the Princeton Healthcare System. Bob and his wife Leslie currently reside in Princeton, New Jersey and have three children.
As the Senior Partner and CEO of Hampton Square Wealth Management, Scott helps over 170 households and organizations to plan, invest, and steward their money in a way that reflects their values and life goals.Scott worked for Northwestern Mutual Insurance and then Merrill Lynch before starting Hampton Square Wealth Management, so he could focus on values-aligned investing and talk more freely about his faith. He now holds the designations of Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC®) by the College for Financial Planning and Certified Kingdom Advisor®.Before joining the financial services industry in 2009, Scott was president of an international manufacturing and importing company in New York City, where he enjoyed a long and successful career.Scott has taken many active leadership roles in Sussex County, New Jersey. He has served on a local Board of Education, his township government board, his church elder board, and two non-profit boards of directors. He is a member of the Sussex County Chamber of Commerce and Business Networking International (BNI). He is also the leader of a local Kingdom Advisors® monthly study group for Christian Financial Advisors in northwest New Jersey.Scott lives in Hampton Township, NJ with his wife Jan. Together, they have six adult children and enjoy spending time with (and sometimes without) them at their vacation home near Camp-of-the-Woods in the Adirondacks. Scott is an active member of C12 New Jersey.
Along with his brother, Jon began his career as a teenager working for ESPN as a camera operator in his hometown of Birmingham, Alabama. Jon worked as a sports cameraman and covered University of Alabama games all over the country and also worked with ESPN College Football Primetime, FOX NFL, and the NBA. In 2002, he founded a production company with his brother, Andrew. Their first ventures were commercials, documentaries and music videos. The brothers soon were directing videos and producing concerts and television programs for platinum recording artists such as Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Casting Crowns, Switchfoot, Skillet and others and received eleven GMA Dove Awards nominations and 3 wins for Music Video of the Year.Alongside their award-winning music videos, Jon and Andrew have also produced and directed several documentaries. These include the multi-award winning 9/11 story, “The Cross and the Towers”.In 2010, Jon and Andrew began exclusively developing dramatic feature films. Their features have all opened in the top ten box office on opening weekend and they have received the coveted A+ Cinema Score twice. Their features include OCTOBER BABY, MOMS’ NIGHT OUT, WOODLAWN and the 2018 surprise hit I CAN ONLY IMAGINE, which became the #1 independent film of 2018, earning over $83 million at the box office.In 2019, Jon and Andrew launched Kingdom Story Company, alongside their partners Kevin Downes and Tony Young, with a first-look deal with Lionsgate. The first film from that venture is I STILL BELIEVE, a biopic about CCM megastar Jeremy Camp slated for 3/20/20.Jon serves as Chief Executive Officer at Kingdom Story Company as well as writes and co-directs feature films with Andrew. He is also the author of the upcoming book For Love and Honor, which tells the amazing true story of his grandfather Red Erwin, who received the Congressional Medal of Honor in WWII. It is slated for publication in 2020.
Ron Hutchcraft is an impassioned contemporary evangelist, speaker, author and radio host. As President of Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Ron and his team specialize in developing authentic, relevant and creative tools to, as Ron says, "Bring the lost to the Cross." Ron is committed to communicating the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the lost in their language and to motivating and equipping believers to communicate Christ to the lost in their world.He has hosted two international youth radio broadcasts and has authored many books. His most recent book came out in 2021 – Hope When Your Heart is Breaking: Finding God's Presence in Your Pain (Harvest House).For over 35 years, Ron has been a part of people's daily lives through his popular radio program. "A Word With You" is heard on over 1,300 outlets across the country and broadcast internationally in the six most-spoken languages in the world.Ron, with his late wife Karen, is the co-founder of On Eagles' WingsTM, an outreach and leadership development program for Native American, First Nations and Alaskan Native young people. He has traveled with and helped shepherd Native-led On Eagles' WingsTM teams that have brought hope to over 100 Native communities. He is also co-founder of the Warrior Leadership Summit conference, which annually brings together young people from almost 100 indigenous nations. In addition, the On Eagles' WingsTM Warrior Scholarship Fund has helped many Native young people go to college to train for spiritual leadership among their people.Ron has been a popular speaker for major events and conferences in North America, Africa, South America, Australia and Asia and has spent his entire life working cross-culturally with young people. At Billy Graham Schools of Evangelism and other conferences, Ron has trained tens of thousands of Christian leaders in how to be spiritual rescuers in our rapidly-changing culture.Ron is looked to as a "Spiritual Rescue Coach." Ron comes alongside Christian ministries, organizations and leaders, and provides both the "want to" and the "how to" for using their influence for maximum evangelistic impact. "Movements of rescue" have been and continue to be developed through Christian business leaders, Christian Radio broadcasters, church leaders, everyday believers, and more.Rev. Hutchcraft served as the Chairman of the 1991 Northern New Jersey Billy Graham Crusade, and frequently spoke at Billy Graham Evangelistic Association pre-Crusade youth events and Schools of Evangelism. He continues to speak regularly at the Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove. Ron was honored as Moody Bible Institute's Alumnus of the Year for 1997. Ron has worked alongside his late wife and life-long ministry partner, Karen. They have three children who have served with them in ministry, and nine grandchildren.
Cole retired from a 37-year career on Wall Street in 2021. He currently serves as managing partner and founder of Narrowgate Partners, a consulting and advisory firm. He is an author and will publish his book, “The Narrow Gate,” this fall.He spent the last 11 years of his career in investment banking at Citibank, where he was co-head of the leveraged finance business for the U.S. and Canada. In this role, he was responsible for managing the origination, approval, and distribution of leveraged loan and high yield bond financings for large corporate issuers, including LBOs for the world’s largest private equity firms. His responsibilities also included leading the recruiting of analysts for all businesses within Citi Capital Markets; liaising with U.S. regulators from the Fed, FDIC, and OCC; serving on the Capital Commitments Committee and the Investment Banking U.S. Operating Committee.Prior to Citi, Cole spent two-and-a-half years at HSBC, where he was hired to grow its leveraged finance business and was promoted to co-head of its commercial and investment banking business for the Americas. In this capacity, he oversaw the firm’s origination and product groups, including M&A and public and private equity and debt.Prior to HSBC, Cole had a 20-year career with Deutsche Bank in investment banking, primarily in client service and origination, initially focusing on the Midwest region and then as head of the Chemical Industry group. He also spent two years in London in a risk management role, approving all transactions in the UK and Europe for corporate clients as well as distressed debt trading. He started the U.S. Leveraged Finance group in 2001, which he led until his departure at the end of 2007. Deutsche Bank was awarded the U.S. Leveraged Finance House of the Year by IFR Magazine in 2006.Prior to Deutsche Bank, Cole spent three years at Continental Bank as an associate, and prior to that, he spent two years at General Electric in its Financial Management Program.He is a board member and former chair of the New Canaan Society (a ministry serving men), president of Faith in Financial Services, a member of the Center for Being Known (psychiatrist Curt Thompson’s organization that facilitates connected communities), a member of the New York City Salvation Army, and an advisor for the DRM Foundation (promoting mental health among college students and young professionals).While a student in the Kelley School, Cole was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity and captain of the Men’s Swimming team, through which he was an NCAA All-American and Big 10 champion. He received the Balfour Award given to one member of each sport for “outstanding performance and conduct.”In 2012, the I Association awarded Cole with the ZG Clevenger Award, which is given to alumni who have made outstanding contributions through service to IU’s athletic program. In 2020, he received IU’s Bicentennial Award for his personal and professional efforts to broaden the reach of IU. He has served on the Kelley School Dean’s Council for more than 15 years, and the Cole family has funded scholarships for Kelley and IU Men’s Swimming.Cole received an MBA in accounting and finance from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business in 1992. He is married to Kim, and they have three children and four grandchildren.
Tucker Rodkey is a visionary leader, artist, communicator and founder of Painting Freedom Ministries. At the age of 17, Tucker was given a vision to use art to spread the Gospel. Over the following years, Tucker travelled all across the United States painting and preaching the Gospel. In 2017, this gave birth to Painting Freedom Ministries, a team of artists dedicated to the sole purpose of using art to impact lives.Painting Freedom has gone on to share the Gospel with hundreds of thousands of people and is actively involved in the revitalization of inner city Chester. Additionally, Tucker is an avid reader and coffee drinker.
The 30-year owner of a construction company, Mike Palombi has been building foundations—both for houses and for young lives. In 2008, Mike was able to accomplish what even the law said he’d never be able to accomplish; he received a Standard Certification for Teacher of Carpentry allowing him to teach in any school in the State of New Jersey. Since his release from prison, Mike has used his trade skills and experience of overcoming the entanglements of addiction and incarceration to teach at-risk youth the importance of building foundations for life.In January 2014 Mike released his award-winning memoir, How’s It Feel, Tough Guy? From Prisoner of Pride to Prisoner of Hope. His memoir, received 1st Place recognition in The Christian Writers Awards, in the category of Counseling/Recovery and is currently in over 400 prisons and county jails nationwide. Together with his wife Heidi, they use the book as a vehicle to bring a message of hope to those most others deem to be hopeless.Most recently, Mike has completed the Brooklyn Teen Challenge School of Ministry and is pursuing his ministerial credentials to help position himself to have access to the prison populations he desires most to minister to. Mike regularly speaks at men’s groups, churches, recovery events, drug treatment facilities, and jails. Mike and Heidi attend and serve at El Bethel International Ministries Church, Inc. in Port Jarvis, NY.
Mason Rutledge is the national Executive Partner of the New Canaan Society. His appointment was announced at the 2023 NCS National Retreat. Mason is also President of Grand Avenue Consulting and Red Door Investments and serves on the Board of KIROS, a marketplace ministry in Seattle/Bellevue, WA. Prior to starting at NCS, he was the President of C3 Leaders, a ministry to business owners. Mason previously served CRISTA Ministries, which his grandfather helped found, as the Senior Director of Donor Relations, and he served for 25 years with Young Life, as Senior Regional Director for Young Life’s largest region, as worldwide Director of Training, and in other local, regional and national roles. Known as an excellent communicator and trainer, Mason has taught around the world. NavPress published his first book/study, Memorize This! TMS V3.0. He has also been published in numerous magazines, including Pray!, Discipleship Journal and Christian Reader. His second study, God Moves, will be released in 2023.He has a Master of Divinity degree from Fuller Theological Seminary and a bachelor’s degree from Washington State University.He and his wife, Brenda, live in Everett, Wash. They have three adult children (Merrick & Kelsey Rutledge, Madison & Kameron Fleming, and Murdock Rutledge) and two grandchildren from the Flemings, Kingston and Kinsley. Mason enjoys cooking, running, traveling, and time with his family.
Waikiki "Kiki" Paulino: Fusing Profound Commercial Real Estate Acumen with Christian Faith-Driven Leadership for Comprehensive ImpactWaikiki Paulino, affectionately known as Kiki, is a dual force in commercial real estate development and Christian faith-based community service. Leveraging more than 25 years of experience, Kiki has managed projects with budgets totaling an inspiring $2.5 billion and has successfully overseen the construction of over 3.5 million square feet of commercial real estate. His business, CRE Construction Partners, is a leading light in the sector, representing Private Commercial Real Estate Investors, Family Offices, and Institutions across the United States.Kiki’s educational background is equally robust, with a degree in Structural Engineering and Architectural Studies from New York City Technical College, a bachelor’s in Construction Management from Pratt Institute, and additional real estate master's courses at New York University. His portfolio boasts transformative projects such as the Bear Sterns headquarters, the SEC headquarters, The Flatiron Building renovation, Baccarat Hotel, Waldorf Astoria Renovation, and NYACK College Jersey City Dorms, among others.Having grown up facing the multifaceted challenges of Brooklyn, Kiki developed resilience and a commitment to community that have shaped him personally and professionally. These values shine through in his role as the non-profit founder of Kings in Christ, a men's group based in Wyckoff, NJ, focusing on spiritual and personal development. He also leads a commercial real estate men's mastermind group in NYC, a testament to his skill in merging professional expertise with a passion for community and mentorship.Since finding salvation at the age of 26, Kiki has been unwavering in his devotion to Jesus Christ. He credits all his accomplishments to God's grace and blessings upon his life. Currently, he is furthering his biblical studies and pastoral training, a pursuit that dovetails perfectly with his role as a trained chaplain and grief counselor. Kiki's emotional intelligence and compassionate leadership make him a dynamic force for positive change.He is steadfastly committed to generational wealth-building, community enhancement, and, most importantly, helping individuals find their purpose in both spiritual and material realms.At the heart of Kiki's life and ambitions lies a deep-rooted commitment to his family. As a loving husband to his wife Neivis and an attentive father to his two precious daughters, Angie and Celeste, Kiki embodies the family values that are central to the mission of Kings in Christ.
Branch Commander, Homeland Security Branch, New Jersey State Police
Christopher M. DeMaise was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel on June 1, 2023, and has faithfully served more than 24 years with the New Jersey State Police (NJSP). He currently oversees the Homeland Security Branch which encompasses the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management and the Special Operations Section. This group is comprised of more than 438 enlisted Troopers and 442 civilians. He serves as the Deputy State Director of Emergency Management and has held roles such as State Emergency Response Commission Co-Chair, State Coordinating Officer (SCO) and Governor Authorized Representative (GAR) for numerous Presidentially Declared Disasters. He also serves as the Accountability Officer for the American Rescue Plan funds awarded to the New Jersey State Police and has been tasked with integrity monitoring for $2.4 Billion Coronavirus Relief Funds for the State of New Jersey.
Prior to this assignment, LTC DeMaise served in various assignments within the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management. He served as the Unit Head of the Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) Unit and oversaw the transition of New Jersey Task Force 1 (NJ-TF1), the state’s Urban Search and Rescue team, into the Federal US &R system. As the NJ-TF1 Representative, he led deployments to incidents such as Hurricane Matthew (North Carolina), Hurricane Harvey (Texas) and Hurricane Florence (North Carolina). He also served as the Incident Commander and other Command and General staff positions for several Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) deployments to Puerto Rico (Operation FURIA- Hurricane Fiona-2022, NJSPEAR- Earthquake Response- 2020, and NJPRIDE- Hurricane Maria-2017.)
Preceding his assignment to the Emergency Management Section, LTC DeMaise spent 12 years in the Special Operations Section. He was promoted to Lieutenant of the NJSP Technical Emergency and Missions Specialist Unit (T.E.A.M.S.) where he initiated numerous programmatic goals based on enhancing the training and certification of the Unit’s membership, enabling grant funding of resources as well as realigning the records management processes of the Unit to a more professional standard. During his assignment in the Special Operations Section, he served as the Station Commander of the Atlantic City Marine Station and Training Officer for the Section. He served as Chair of the Training and Civil Disturbance Response Committee for Superbowl XLVIII held at Met Life Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ.
LTC DeMaise proudly served the United States Marine Corps for six years (active duty/reserves) before joining the NJSP. He has earned a Master’s in Human Resources Administration from Seton Hall University and a Master’s in Security Studies from the Naval Postgraduate School. He also attained a Bachelor’s Degree in Law & Justice with a Minor in Spanish from Rowan University, where he now serves as an adjunct professor. He has been married to his wife Chrissy for 24 years, and they have three children, Tyler, Emma and Layla. Emma currently attends Rowan University and Tyler has recently graduated from the institution.
Greg Brenneman is Executive Chairman of CCMP and a member of the Firm’s Investment Committee. Mr. Brenneman plays an active leadership role in executing the Firm’s overall strategy while remaining actively engaged in completing transactions, developing strategies and coaching the senior management of CCMP’s portfolio companies.
Prior to joining CCMP in October 2008, Mr. Brenneman served as Chairman, CEO, President and/or COO of Quiznos Sub, Burger King, PwC Consulting and Continental Airlines. In 1994 Mr. Brenneman founded Turnworks, Inc. (“Turnworks”), his personal investment firm that focuses on corporate turnarounds. Prior to founding Turnworks, Mr. Brenneman was a Vice President for Bain & Company. Mr. Brenneman currently serves on the board of directors of Hayward, Ecovyst, Baker Hughes, Baylor College of Medicine and The Home Depot, Inc.
Mr. Brenneman is an Emmy Award winner and the author of Right Away & All At Once, Five Steps To Transform Your Business and Enrich Your Life. Mr. Brenneman holds a bachelor’s of business administration degree in accounting/finance, summa cum laude, from Washburn University of Topeka, Kansas and a masters of business administration degree with distinction from Harvard Business School. He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Commerce degree from Washburn University.
Joseph Kelley is the Founder of Building For Him Ministries, an organization with the mission to educate, advance economic development and raise up disciples and leaders throughout the world. They are currently working closely with pastors in India, Venezuela, Pakistan, and Kenya.
He is also the president of On-Site Construction– he has built the highest quality architecturally designed custom houses in the Hampton’s for the past 40 years, which vary in style from classic to ultra-modern. Several houses he has built have been showcased in books and magazines and featured across various forms of digital and social media. His assembled team of skilled sub contractors are among the finest skilled craftsmen in their various fields of expertise.
Joseph additionally serves as the Senior Pastor of Hampton’s Church, faithfully guiding his congregation. He has been married for 45 years, is a proud father of six grown children, and is a grandfather to nine grandchildren.
Ray was in the National Football League for seven seasons: four with the Jets, one with the Patriots, and two with the Miami Dolphins.Lucas was a favorite player of Bill Parcells during Parcells’ time in New England and with the Jets, and was one of the players Parcells eventually brought over from the Patriots to the Jets. The son of a Giants season ticket holder, Lucas, who grew up at Exit 15W has said that he could have walked to the Meadowlands and knew the stadium well.Lucas started in the Jets’ 1999 preseason opener against the Green Bay Packers, and Parcells had him in the running for the starting and second-string quarterback role during that season. After starting QB Vinny Testaverde was injured in the first game of the season, Lucas started several games.Following his playing days, Lucas began to talk about the game. Lucas worked for SportsNet New York as an analyst to Jets programs such as pre-game and post-game shows and weekly updates, before leaving in 2020.On March 28, 2008, Lucas was named to the Hudson County Sports Hall of Fame and in 2014, Lucas co-wrote the book Under Pressure: How Playing Football Almost Cost Me Everything and Why’d I’d Do It All Again.In the book, Lucas explains how he turned to painkillers after his career-ending injury, and how the abuse of painkillers leaves many former players unable to lead a normal life once their playing days are over. Lucas also tells how he overcame the addiction and turned his life around.In March 2018, Lucas was named Executive Director of the Harrison New Jersey Housing Authority serving in the same capacity that his father did for 27 years.\Lucas, lives in his hometown of Harrison with his wife, Cecy, and their three daughters: Rayven, Madison, and Kayla.
Pastor Anthony Fleming was born and raised Aussie, has a passion for God, people, and life.From the young age of 19, Anthony believed he was called to preach the word of God. He earned a tennis scholarship to Liberty University and represented the school during college while earning a Bachelor of Business of Science in Business Marketing. It was here that he also met his beautiful wife Miriam. They have 3 beautiful children and together they founded and currently serve as the Senior Pastors of Church Alive in northern New Jersey.From a basement with 8 people at the start of the church, Church Alive has grown to over 1300 people in attendance, and is known for its passion for God, love for people, and generosity in the community.Wanting to practically equip people to have a fresh, real, and powerful walk with God, in 2018, Anthony launched Transform. Through a dedicated focus to develop men, he continually sees to it that men find genuine faith and continue to get unstuck and flourish in all areas of life. What started as a men’s group at Church Alive grew in 2021, when Anthony Fleming released his first book, Transform. He is now the President of Transform the Movement and continues to coach leaders throughout the nation and empower men to rise up and transform their lives.
Nicholas Di Iorio has been part of the NCS Manhattan community since November 2012. After leaving the seminary to be a Roman Catholic priest, he moved to New York to start his career at Pfizer Inc. During his career, he has been a financial contractor, political candidate, educator, and development officer.Nicholas and his wife Dana have been married since 2017 and live on the Upper West Side. He has degrees in philosophy from Providence College and Fordham University. Nicholas is passionate about helping those in need and ensuring is included and part of a community. He currently raises money for a mobile outreach to our neighbors experiencing homelessness called City Relief.
Larry Hartmann, is the CEO of ZRG Partners, recently recognized as the fastest-growing executive search firm in North and South America with offices around the world providing senior-level retained search services to clients.Prior to joining ZRG Partners in 2002, Larry was a founder of Rockford Industries; a NASDAQ traded commercial lending business that supported the medical device market. While at Rockford, the firm went from a pure start-up to an Inc. 500 recognized growth firm through IPO and ultimate sale to American Express. After the sale, Larry was an EVP with American Express for three years.Larry also has broad board of director experience. In addition to public company experience as a board member, he has also served on boards in both Private Equity and Venture-backed businesses. Additionally, Larry founded and now leads a non-profit ministry, Impact Paterson, which supports jobs placement and creation for the community of Paterson, NJ in the spirit of the Good Samaritan.Larry is also author of Oddly Unjust, a book that explores the proof and odds that God exists, the Bible is the truth, and Jesus was indeed God’s Son through the lens of the OJ Simpson murder trial.Larry is married for 31 years and lives in Edgewater, New Jersey with his wife. He has three sons.
As the Development Coordinator of Servant’s Heart, Nate is responsible for the growth and progress of a local Christ-centered, construction-based nonprofit. Since graduating from Ramapo College with a degree in Business Management, he is has been professionally serving in ministry for the last ~15 years: pioneering a multi-site youth program, starting a church location as Campus Pastor, and working as a Pastor of Community Engagement.Nate’s deepest passion is to see the Church mobilized into the local community. For that reason, it was a smooth transition from working inside the walls of the church to now working outside the walls at Servant’s Heart, where he oversees roughly 400 volunteers a year. As a Jersey native, Nate met his wife Kaitlyn at Pequannock Township High School. They’ve been married for 11 years, and have four kids: Hailey (10), Melida (8), Luke (6), Madison (4).
Lee is from Greensboro, NC. He attended Page Senior High School. Lee varsity-lettered in several sports and was an integral part of the Page Pirate community. He went on to receive a full scholarship to the University of Colorado where he played for Coach Bill McCartney. Lee was the 4th all-time leading rusher at Colorado from 1980 – 84. He was a key factor in turning the Colorado Buffaloes’ program around to become a National Champion.Lee was drafted by the New York Giants and played under Bill Parcells for six years and won two Super Bowl rings with the Giants. He was Special Teams player of the year in 1986. Lee’s Professional Football career was ended because of ankle injury. In his final year in the NFL, he was a starting Full Back and Tight End with the Cleveland Browns under Coach Bill Belicheck.Lee has worked as a professional speaker with Sports World Ministries for over 20 years. He has served as Director of North Jersey for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes for 15 years, and presently sits on the board, serving North Jersey FCA. Lee helped to plant the New Horizon Church Ministry serving as Associate Pastor and praise and worship leader under the leadership of Pastor Michel Faulkner beginning in 2006.Lee recently worked as manager for the mentoring and leadership program in the Mount Olive Township School District. He serves as a board member for Legacy Minded Men and a Board Trustee for Pillar College. Lee obtained a BA in Business Management at Malone University in Canton, Ohio. Also, Lee has an MBA with a concentration in Workplace Conflict Management. Currently, Lee is the Principal Executive for an LLC; Move Your Chains, a consulting company that looks to work within the educational and business industries. Lee works tirelessly throughout the community encouraging everyone from the youth to the elderly with the message of Hope.Lee and his wife, Lisa, have four children and eight grandchildren.
Ray was born and was raised by his mother and his grandparents in Brooklyn and East New York. After high school he attended NYC Technical College and went on to work for the NYC Department of Transportation. With a desire for life change and more experience he joined the Army National Guard. Little did he know this experience would include a “battlefield” conversion and a new purpose for life.Ray served in the Army for 21 years with tours in Bosnia during Operation Noble Eagle and in Iraq during Operation Enduring Freedom. After ten years at the NYDOT he joined the NYPD where he served for 20 years as an officer and detective in some of NYC’s toughest neighborhoods. His greatest joy with the NYPD was community engagement. These interactions fueled his desire to mentor young men and help others fight through adversity to realize their full potential.Ray’s work with youth has garnered him recognition by the New York City Police Foundation where he received the Dale Hermerdinger Award for “Community Service.” In 2021, he co-authored a collaborative book entitled The Reveal an Analogy. Ray’s chapter “Full Circle” is a chronicle of his life’s journey to manhood and finding his purpose.Today Ray spends his “retired” years mentoring young men and working with Inspire Sports Camps to develop new urban partnerships. He is a also a minister at his home church, Bethel Gospel Tabernacle in Jamaica, Queens. He and his wife, Princess, reside in Long Island.
As a member of Generation “Z”, Jordan is uniquely positioned to impact his Generation with the Gospel. Jordan has grown up in a multi-generational ministry family. He is a graduate of Liberty University, with a Bachelor’s in Religion: Biblical and Theological Studies, and is an ordained reverend.As a frequent speaker at churches and conferences, Whitmer challenges both young people and adults to join Jesus in fulfilling His Great Commission. He has been the subject of numerous local and national media appearances for radio, television, and print.Jordan is passionate about mobilizing student leaders around the world to impact their generation for Christ. Jordan is the host of the Gen Z Today Podcast. He travels frequently, and can often be seen at Starbucks mentoring and encouraging young people to boldly lead for Jesus.
Henry Eugene “Hank” Erwin Jr. was the son of Henry Eugene “Red” Erwin Sr., a U.S. Army Air Forces sergeant who earned the Medal of Honor in World War II. He was born in Birmingham, Alabama, and graduated from Ensley High School in 1967, before going on to earn degrees at Troy State University (1972), Southeastern Bible College (1974), and the Dallas Seminary (1981).Erwin broke into broadcasting in the 1970s and served radio and TV stations in Dallas, Texas, and Birmingham, Alabama, for almost 35 years.[citation needed] He was elected to the Alabama Senate in 2002 and re-elected in 2006.Erwin and his wife, Shelia, have two sons, filmmakers Andrew and Jon Erwin.
Logan Gentry is the Generosity:NYC Director for Generous Life. Generous Life is creating a movement of generosity among Christian philanthropists by awakening the hearts of those blessed with capacity to transform the way we give, and leading the next generation to give with purpose.Logan was a pastor for 12 years in Manhattan, where his last role was the Lead Pastor at Lower Manhattan Community Church in Tribeca. LMCC was known for the miracle of generosity, giving away over $1 Million annually to 25 ministries and missions while Logan served as the pastor. He is also an executive coach who combines strategic planning with personal care. He assists clients and their teams unlock their potential to live the best vision for their lives and businesses.Logan’s distinct coaching style empowers clients to align their personal life vision with their professional ambitions.Before two decades in pastoral ministry, Logan’s career journey began as a civil engineer working in urban planning. His distinct career path has allowed him to work with and impact hundreds of CEOs, entrepreneurs, and business leaders.
Ken is a lifelong resident of the area. He ran a family-owned business for a number of years before passing it to his sons. He and his wife, Judy, recently celebrated their 51st anniversary. Their two sons and grandchildren live in the immediate area.He is a graduate of Fairleigh Dickenson University and Biblical School of Theology. He was ordained as a Baptist minister. In 1975, he began Applied Biblical Counseling which was a counseling center based on Biblical principles. It served multiple area churches, police departments, children’s homes, and prisons.He retired for a brief period in 2013, found himself taking naps in the afternoon, and realized retirement was not for him. He then worked as Executive Director and Counselor at Grace Redeemer Church as well as providing counseling advice to other ministries. Now he’s trying retirement a second time. So far his retirement/COVID interment have resulted in he and his wife painting the interior of their home and a few days at the Corvette race track.
John Hanna is New Jersey State Capitol Minister with Ministry to State, a ministry to those serving in government. Ministry to State is an evangelistic gospel outreach to government, which also exhorts those who profess faith in the Lord to be faithful to him in their calling within government. It also serves a voice of witness and conscience to government. In addition, Ministry to State aims to be a bridge between the government and the Church of our Lord in New Jersey.John is a graduate of Binghamton University (B.A., Pol. Sci.), The American University Washington College of Law (J.D.), and Westminster Theological Seminary (M. Div.). Prior to going into full-time ministry, John practiced law for over a decade. He has served as Associate Pastor of All Souls Community Church in Suffern, NY, and as Pastor of Restore Fellowship in Oakland, NJ. He and his wife, Nevine, have five children.John believes that the opportunity to serve with Ministry to State in New Jersey brings together his education, experience, and interests. His hope is that in and through Ministry to State, the powerful, gracious, redeeming, dying, and rising, truth and love of God through Jesus Christ in the presence and power of the Holy Spirit would be at work in and among the people in government in New Jersey.
John Jay Crandall, AIA will speak on the journey Christ has laid out for him, especially during the transition to retirement. The path has had hardship, joy and life altering implications, not always realized at the time they were happening! John looks for ways to work for our Lord in all endeavors and tries to realize the presence of Christ in every moment. John will speak on his journey and how Christ is calling him today.John is a “retired” Architect with over 40 years of experience in the design, construction and leasing of a wide variety of facilities. He has been responsible for the coordination, planning and construction efforts for Fortune 500 companies, managing their design professionals, working with their project teams as well as both tenant and landlord leasing teams.For 25 years John has been a volunteer serving our Lord through the Appalachia Service Project (ASP). ASP serves the people of Central Appalachia performing emergency home repairs. The focus of the organization is to make homes “warmer, safer and dryer”. Mr. Crandall has served on the ASP Board of Trustees and helped spear head the “New Build–Appalachia” projects as well.John serves on other Christ centered not-for-profit Boards and started “ACT Now!” Youth Fellowship in Morris county. ACT (Applying Christ Touch) organizes and funds youth mission trips and projects. John also is a past President for Tres Dias of Northern New Jersey.
The Boswell Aiosa GroupRon Aiosa co-founded The Boswell Aiosa Group with William Boswell of Keller Williams Prosperity Realty. The team is comprised of Listing, Buyer and Rental Specialists along with a full-time client relations and administrative staff.Boswell and Aiosa were each named Platinum Level recipients of the NJAR® Circle of Excellence Sales Award® for the last consecutive 9 years, the highest level recognized by NJ Realtors®. They have consistently been ranked in the top tier on the REAL Trends Best Real Estate Agents in America list of NJ’s top real estate sales professionals based on closed transaction sides.The Prosperity NetworkAiosa, along with his business partner Bill Boswell, is the co-owner & founder of Keller Williams Prosperity in Wayne, NJ as well as Keller Williams Integrity in Sparta, NJ. These brokerages both continue to grow and flourish, providing their communities with the best real estate agents in the industry. They pride themselves on establishing the most incredible cultures any real estate environment has ever seen along with ancillary income through multiple opportunity streams provided by their companies, daily training relative to today’s environment as well as a world class staff which supports, trains and encourages their agents at the highest level.PersonalRon is married to his beautiful wife Laurie for 25 years, is father to three amazing children and has a desire to speak the name of Jesus every day. He looks for opportunities to open doors in what he considers his mission field, the daily workplace. Ron Aiosa is known as one of the happiest men alive, one who is always there to uplift a person a need and spread as much joy as he possibly can.
Raised in a Pastor’s home in Northern Jersey, Aaron went to Midland Park High School and then attended The College of New Jersey where he studied Finance and played basketball, graduating in 2010.After working for five years at a financial firm in NYC, Aaron joined the staff at Grace Church of Ridgewood in 2015 and enrolled in the M.Div program at Southern Seminary. In January 2017, Aaron became the Senior Pastor at Grace. His main responsibilities are setting the vision and direction of the church along with the elders, leading the staff, preaching, and shepherding the congregation.Aaron’s passion and burden, which God has increasingly stirred in his heart over the past five years, has revolved around the gospel of Jesus Christ proclaimed and applied in the lives of young men and women through the context of the local church.Aaron has been married to Rochelle since 2012, and they have four children: Kaden, Brinley, Graham, and Loren.
As an Assistant Vice President at LAN Associates, Matt is responsible for the development and management of LAN’s New Jersey Architectural Department. He has been in the architectural industry for over 17 years, working at several local and global firms including Wells Associates and Gensler. He is a licensed architect, member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), LEED Accredited Professional, Construction Document Technologist (CDT), and is NCARB certified. Matt graduated Magna Cum Laude from the New Jersey Institute of Technology with a bachelor’s in architecture.Matt’s diverse background in design, construction and technical knowledge has led to a creative and well-rounded leadership style. He plays a vital role in LAN’s business development and project contract acquisition efforts, and his expertise in project management has led him to efficiently direct various projects ranging from hospitality, commercial, retail, mixed-use, multi-family, and non-profit institutions. Matt’s background in historic adaptive reuse, and passion for sustainability, have proven the ideal mix to support the development and execution of many award-winning projects across the region. Recently, he was recognized by NJBIZ as a Leader in New Jersey Real Estate and Construction.Beyond his day-to-day professional role, Matt is passionate about community service and donating his time and talents to underserved communities and non-profits in need. He has designed and coordinated the construction of a school in an impoverished area of Mexico and lead the master planning and design efforts for a medical center development in Uganda, Africa. Matt was also the co-founder of a local Christian skateboarding non-profit called Solid Foundation. Currently, he serves on the facilities committee at his local church, involved in teaching at the Servants Heart Workmanship training program in Paterson and serving on the board as chapter president of the Bergen chapter of New Canaan Society. He is married to his wife Monica for 17 years and has three children, Riley, Madison, and Evan.
Mike was born in 1947 in a small mountain town, Loudon Tn, and he was so talented that, by the time he reached the 8th grade he was known as “Tennessee Tarzan” being sought after to play in pool tournaments and move into a profession that would certainly encompass him through the rest of his life. He has lived the rough life of a hustler and he is alive today because God was with him through all the rough and hustling times he lived as a pool hustler.Mike Massey is a “Hall of Fame” pool player that has won 23 major titles and numerous 8-ball and 9-ball tournaments.He has traveled to at least 40 countries playing tournaments, teaching pool, doing exhibitions and the Gospel trick shot ministry.Mike has served his country from 1964 to 1967 is proudly a Veteran. He also had worked as a firefighter in Chattanooga, Tn in his earlier years.Mike has been married twice and he has a son named David and a daughter Anna that have blessed him with two grandsons, Zachary and A.J. with them all residing still today in Chattanooga, TN.
Steve Lillis is the current President and Founder of the worldwide ministry Gospel Trick Shot Ministries, Inc. (GTS) which is an evangelistic ministry using the BAM (Business As Mission) model for ministry. Recently this past October, he led a GTS team of five Christian American pool players along with a GTS coach from South Africa and two GTS team managers from South Carolina to Tangier, Morocco to compete in the 2022 World Blackball International Pool Championships with 32 nations in attendance. The GTS USA team did live Gospel Trick Shot Artistic Pool shows in the main arena with thousands viewing online from all over the world. GTS distributed billiard products as gifts from leading Amercian billiard manufacturers along with Bibles in both Arabic and English to players and fans in this Arab nation! Steve has recently been nominated and confirmed as the first President and Founder of the USA Blackball Pool Association and has been selected by his peers to be the General Secretary of Blackball International. He has been charged with the responsibility of bringing the vastly popular English styled billiard game of Blackball to the American shores. Gospel Trick Shot is using the BAM model of ministry by using the sport of billiards in 12 African nations to help the poor become self-sufficient. Blackball pool is the most popular cue sport on the African continent. GTS is not only providing billiard tables for future entrepreneurs but also has located a site in Zambia to build blackball pool tables for distribution. GTS is also partnering with churches both here in the USA and Africa to dig water wells along with a seed planting ministry to produce crops to help combat the great need for both food and water. GTS also currently has 23 international billiard industry partners assisting in this effort. In January, Steve will lead another GTS team to England to compete in the 2023 IPA World Blackball Championships and has again been invited to do special GTS Artistic Pool shows which will be broadcast on the BBC. The team has also been invited to Dublin, Ireland after England for more shows before heading back to the USA. Steve is a retired professor of English from William Paterson University after serving as an educator for 24 years here in Northern New Jersey. He has run after school programs and summer camps in the City of Paterson. He also was a franchise general manager for Chic-fil-A and the Corner Pockets of America. Steve has served on the Board of Trustees for the Passaic County Community College (PCCC) and has college degrees from PCCC, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC), and St. Peter’s University, along with a 4-year Bible Diploma from the Hawthorne Evening Bible School.
Ron Hutchcraft is a 40-plus-year veteran of youth and family ministries. Ron presents the Gospel across North America and around the world, through city-wide evangelistic “Community Impact Weeks,” parenting seminars, singles’ events, youth outreaches, and business/professional dinners.He is the author of several ground-breaking books, including his most recent –Living Peacefully in a Stressful World. Ron hosts three radio programs, including the popular daily short feature “A Word With You.” Ron is s also the founder of “On Eagles’ Wings,” a Native American leadership program.
Reginald Smith serves as a Research Analyst for Eventide Asset Management, a values-based investment firm based in Boston. He is primarily responsible for finding and evaluating new investment opportunities in clean tech, clean energy, and traditional energy.
Mr. Smith spent five years at Johnson Controls where he developed large energy conservation and solar projects and, most recently, led the development engineering for an energy storage start-up business within the firm. Before Eventide, he spent the Summer of 2019 at Marathon Capital, an investment bank in clean energy.
Mr. Smith holds an MBA with High Distinction from Harvard Business School and a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Drexel University.
Nick grew up in the Catskill Mountains working alongside his father and mother in a small family run restaurant. He attended SUNY Cortland, played varsity football, concentrated in athletic training, and graduated with a degree in Physical Education. Upon graduation from college Nick married Betsy and in his early 20’s was given the opportunity to own a small family market in Bedford Hills, NY. Under an apprenticeship to his uncle, he learned to become an artisan butcher… Yes, that’s right, a butcher…
In the years to follow, after several attempts at business, his backgrounds in meat cutting and foodservice opened the door for him to teach aspiring culinarians the basics of cutting and selecting meat. Moving from teaching to administration, Nick spent the greater part of his eighteen-year career at The Culinary Institute of America in the office of Advancement where he learned the business of development and fundraising.
Today, Nick is the Development Director for Hoving Home. Hoving Home is a Christ centered program dedicated to helping women overcome addiction. Hoving Home has been helping women overcome addictions of all kinds for the last 55 years and has provided opportunities for recovery to over 26,000 women. Currently, with locations in Oxford, NJ; Garrison, NY; Las Vegas, NV; Pasadena, CA; and Rose Hill, NC Hoving Home has the vision to have a presence in 50 states by 2050. In addition to his full-time job as Director of Development, Nick is an ordained pastor at The Reformed Church of the Comforter in Kingston, NY.
Panelist #1: Scott MacKenzie, CEO, Hampton Square Wealth Management
As the Senior Partner and CEO of Hampton Square Wealth Management, Scott helps over 170 households and organizations to plan, invest, and steward their money in a way that reflects their values and life goals. Formerly with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management and Northwestern Mutual Insurance, Scott holds the designations of Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC®) by the College for Financial Planning and Certified Kingdom Advisor®.
Panelist #2: Eric Rojas, Founder, Six+ One LLC
Eric Rojas is the Founder and Chief Creative Officer at Six+One LLC a creative branding and category redefinition firm based in New York City. Eric graduated from FIT with a degree in Communication Arts. He started working at Deutsch Advertising working his way up from Art Director to Creative Director. He then moved to Amarati and grew their creative team from 8 to 60 people. Eric then transitioned to Havas before starting his own creative agency in July 2014. He and his team have worked on brands that became household names including CPGs such as Vitamin Water, Pirate’s Booty, Body Armor Sports Drinks as well as working in the financial sectors with giants such as New York Life and Charles Schwab.
Panelist #3: Brendan DaSilva, CEO, The DaSilva Team
Brendan Da Silva is the Founder and CEO of Da Silva Team, a residential real estate team that sold >$90M in volume and 200+ homes in 2021. Over the past several years, Brendan and The Da Silva Team have earned numerous accolades within their industry, been featured on Fox News for their generosity during the COVID-19 pandemic, and shown a commitment to building an faith driven and impact-oriented business. This year, Brendan and The Da Silva Team will move their office to Newark, New Jersey, where they will focus heavily on educating Newark residents about the home-buying process.
Panelist #4: Bill Bavagnoli, President, Specialized Storage Solutions Inc.
Bill Bavagnoli is President of Specialized Storage Systems in Fairfield, NJ. Their core values of Honesty, Integrity, and Service guide them to help customers create space, maximize productivity, and improve profitability in commercial facilities, and to honor God in all they do. They have been in business for more than 25 years, and have many Fortune 500 clients throughout the United States.
Panel Host: Charles Eapen, Chair, C12NJ
Charles (Chuck) Eapen is a follower of Christ, husband and dad. He’s lived on both coasts and got his start in business by joining a startup he eventually became President of. It was through his working career he was introduced to the person of Jesus Christ and since then has strived to be a faithful follower to lead people to Jesus. Today, Chuck is the Principal Chair and CEO of The C12 Group Northern NJ and leads 20+ corporations ranging in size from a few million to a few hundred million in revenues. Through C12 and their network of 3,000+ corporations across 5 countries, C12 is the largest professional development corporation for Christian business Owners/CEOs.
After ten years of marriage, two kids, numerous losses of loved ones, and more difficult seasons in ministry than they could count, Rob & Jen Schwinge found themselves weary and wondering how they would be able to keep going. Little did they know that when they reached the end of their rope God had already begun their RESTORATION journey.
In the following years with God’s strength and leading, they made the decision to intentionally retreat, and refocus their hearts on who God created them to be, and how He wanted them to live out their callings in everyday life. Through their restoration journey, they found healing, hope, and a passion to help others that were just like them.
You can find out more about their ministry by visiting www.restorationfamilyfarm.com
Juan is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, focusing on Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Temperament Therapy & Marriage and Family Systems. He has earned a PhD in Clinical Counseling.
Dr. Garcia serves NBA and NFL players, both current and retired, as a Certified Professional Life Coach and Chaplain, since 2005. In his work, he uses different assessments that have proven measurable results towards healing and sustainable optimal living.
Dr. Garcia has been featured on FOX News, “Beyond the Dream”, speaking on the topic of the importance of mentorship in the lives of young people. He has also appeared on TBN NYC as a speaker and has traveled all over the world as part of the National Speaker’s Association.
Dr. Garcia has been contracted by the US Department of Human Services as a trainer for staff all over the country, including the US Virgin Islands.
Dr. Garcia has a private practice along with his wife Deborah in Hawthorne, NJ called, Restored Counseling Center. They have been married since 1996 and together have 2 children: Jordan and Hannah.
Ryan Baitzel is a husband, father of 5, follower of Christ, and lead pastor at Emergence Church. Emergence Church was planted as an independent church in December 2011 and in that time has grown to 3 campuses, with 2000 plus weekly attenders across Northern NJ.
Bob served for 31 years in the U.S. Army in a wide variety of command and staff positions culminating in his last three assignments as Assistant Division Commander for Operations, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault); Commander, Second Infantry Division, United States Forces Korea; and as Deputy Commanding General, V (US/GE) Corps in Europe, concurrently serving as Commander, US-Israeli Combined Task Force for Missile Defense. Commissioned a second lieutenant after graduating from West Point in 1972, he is also a graduate of the Naval Postgraduate School, the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, and Royal College of Defense Studies in London, England.
Following military retirement in January 2003, Bob served as Executive Director, Defense Strategies, Microsoft Corporation; followed by leadership of a non-profit outreach to the military. While authoring The Resilience Trilogy (Resilient Warriors, Resilient Leaders, and Resilient Nations), he pioneered resilience programs for the military and beyond as Associate Vice President for Military Outreach, Adjunct Professor, and Director of the nation’s first Institute for Military Resilience at Liberty University. Bob subsequently served as National Security Advisor and Campaign Chairman, Dr. Ben Carson for President 2016. His primary endeavor now is leading the National Center for Healthy Veterans at Valor Farm near Liberty University, with the mission of “Returning Healthy Veterans to America.”.
Bob speaks at numerous seminars and conferences, as well as commentary on national security, Resilience God Style, and cultural topics in numerous media venues, churches, military bases, and business organizations across America. He was featured as one of 30 "Master Leaders" in America by noted author George Barna. You may recall him from his tour-of-duty as speaker at the 2017 NCS Metro NYC Regional Retreat, as well as his “Resilient Aging” talk to our group a year ago!
Bob has been married to the former Kathleen Robinson of Houston, Texas, for 48 years. They have two children and nine grandchildren, and are currently moving to the National Center for Healthy Veterans at Valor Farm in Virginia. General and Mrs. Dees are grateful for the privilege of serving God, Nation, and others during these critical times.
For twenty years, Bill Paige was a policeman and detective in and around New York City. He served fourteen years as the associate chaplain at Children’s Village, where he worked with emotionally disturbed boys in the city. He has also served 10 years in senior leadership of Young Life. He is a certified trainer for “Therapeutic Crisis Intervention” involved in areas of emotional and behavioral issues among young people. Paige now serves as Special Assistant to the President of Young Life.
An ordained minister, Paige speaks frequently at chapel services for National Football League (NFL) teams, including two opportunities to speak at the NFL Pro Bowl.
Debbie Provencher has served as Executive Director of Lighthouse Pregnancy Resource Center since 2006. Lighthouse is a ministry in North Jersey that guides women, men and teens facing unplanned pregnancies toward life-enhancing choices.
Debbie came to Lighthouse with a background in public relations, and a heart for serving young adults. Debbie has been instrumental in growing the center from one to four locations and forming creative collaborations to support under-resourced parents. Debbie and her husband, Fred, who serves as senior pastor of Cornerstone Christian Church in Wyckoff, have four adult children, a daughter-in-law, two sons-in-law, and a grandchild on the way!
Ten years in youth ministry and nearly three decades of parenting and premarital counseling motivated the Provenchers to create a student curriculum called Sex Matters, which is now part of the pregnancy center’s REALife Relationship and Love Training. Debbie and Fred serve as REALife presenters, and also spend time together preparing couples for marriage. In their spare time, they enjoy walking their dogs, reading, gardening, and hanging out with their children. Debbie is currently pursuing a Master’s in Evangelism and Leadership at Wheaton College.
Mr. Van Ostenbridge served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Stewardship Financial Corporation and Atlantic Stewardship Bank from September 1984 until November 2019, when the corporation merged with Columbia Bank. He was instrumental in designing the former bank’s product and service portfolio while serving on several committees across the business. He previously served as a member of the Board of Directors at New Jersey Bankers and currently maintains involvement in several business and charitable organizations. Mr. Van Ostenbridge also serves as the Vice Chairman for New Hope Community Ministries.
Gian Paul Gonzalez, a high school teacher in Union City NJ, was asked to lead a chapel service for members of the NY Giants football team the night before their Christmas Eve 2011 game against the NY Jets. Playoff hopes were slim. To illustrate the concept of commitment, Gian Paul handed each football player a poker chip, instructing them to write their number on one side and what they wanted to be committed to on the other. He then shared the meaning behind the poker phrase “All In” and challenged them to fully commit to anything they take on, as a father, husband, son or even football player.
Read more at https://newcanaansociety.org/bergen-county/team-member/gian-paul-gonzalez/
From 2010 to 2020, President Mathews was the Director General of Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), the Telecom Communications Industry Association in India, leading a $36 billion advocacy group representing the industry in India and around the globe.
His remarkable leadership background also includes various senior executive positions including Chief Executive Officer, President, Chief Financial Officer, and Vice President-Controller of companies such as AT&T, Telargo Inc., Afghan Wireless Communications, Call Sciences Inc., Beatrice Foods International and Columbia Tri-Star Pictures.
While at AT&T, Mr. Mathews was named President and CEO of Birla AT&T, then AT&T’s largest international investment. There he introduced digital mobile telephony services in India, building out and operating one of India’s largest Global System for Mobile Association networks. A licensed certified public accountant, his professional career began with Price-Waterhouse Coopers where he audited and consulted with Fortune 100 Companies such as Phelps-Dodge, IBM, Exxon, and Colboro. He has considerable expertise in international operations having managed and operated companies in England, France, Germany, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, Afghanistan and India. He has spearheaded fundraising initiatives resulting in more than $1 billion in public and private equity, debt, private placements and new venture funding.
Mr. Mathews served as President of Woodstock School, a premier residential international baccalaureate world school in India, after previously serving as the school’s Finance Committee Chair. In the past several years, he has been instrumental in raising over $50 million for other schools and charities.
Devoutly living out his faith and deeply involved with local churches, Mr. Mathews has also been a speaker at family and youth conferences in the United States and abroad. He holds board memberships with Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and Far East Broadcasting Association.
President Mathews and his wife, Grace reside in Manhattan. They are members of Stone Hill Church in Princeton, NJ where he is a board elder. They are the parents of two daughters—Kavita and Nithya, who is married to Jeffy Joseph and the grandparents of one grandson, Avi.
Nyack College currently serves more than 2,000 students in its undergraduate, graduate, doctoral degrees programs offered on site and online. In addition to its main campus in New York City, an extension site is located in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Nyack is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools and is chartered by the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York. Nyack’s Alliance Seminary is accredited by the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada.
Darryl Donlin, LCSW is a Christian-based counselor who specializes in working with men who are dealing with the enormous challenges facing them as a husband, father, and man of God. By combining the principles of psychology with a Faith-based approach Darryl enables clients to understand the issues that drive behavior and replace the “quick fix” mentality by inviting Jesus to bring long-term healing and change. Darryl recently launched his private practice; This Is Now Counseling.
Darryl has 20+ years of extensive clinical and executive management experience in behavioral health including private practice, in-home family treatment and managed care corporate settings. He has a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Marywood College (now Marywood University) in Scranton, PA. In addition, he earned a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Healthcare Delivery Systems from Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, NJ. He is also a Certified Trauma Treatment Professional (CCTP) utilizing EMDR, CBT and Somatic based interventions.
Colonel Patrick J. Callahan was sworn in on October 31, 2017, as the 14th Colonel of the New Jersey State Police. He has served more than 26 years with the New Jersey State Police and as the State Director of the Office of Emergency Management, also serves as a member of the New Jersey Coronavirus Task force established by Governor Murphy in February of 2020. He previously served as the Deputy Superintendent of Operations overseeing nearly 1,800 road troopers assigned to State Police stations throughout the State. Prior to this assignment, Colonel Callahan served as the Deputy Superintendent of Administration. Previous assignments also included him serving as the Commanding Officer of the Emergency Management Section as well as the Recovery Bureau Chief in the wake of Super Storm Sandy. In this role, he was responsible for working with FEMA, all State Departments, county, and local government entities, as well as the Governor’s Office of Recovery and Rebuilding to administer and oversee the $1.5 billion in FEMA Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation funding awarded to the State.
Colonel Callahan has also served as the Chief Financial Officer for the New Jersey State Police and has held various assignments in the Administration Section overseeing budget and fiscal responsibilities associated with the Division. He was also assigned to the Homeland Security Branch and assisted in the planning and distribution of the federal homeland security funding awarded to the State and its 21 counties in the wake of 9/11. Prior to this assignment, Colonel Callahan served as a station detective and general road duty Trooper.
Colonel Callahan earned a Master’s Degree in Administrative Science from Fairleigh Dickinson University and earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree from Villanova University. He is a graduate of the 243rd FBI National Academy Session where he was elected Session President. Colonel Callahan also served as the Chairman of the State Police Retirement System Pension Board of Trustees until his recent appointment to Colonel on November 1, 2017.
He has been married to his high school sweetheart, Linda, for 32 years and they have four children.
Jinu’s story begins in Calcutta, India where he was born to missionary parents. After completing his engineering & mba, he spent 20+ years in manufacturing, technology and pharmaceutical industries and worked for 8 Fortune 500 companies.
He is currently serving part-time as the Chief Growth Officer at Phos Creative and only recently founded his consulting firm, The Grit Room. As many of you know, he was the founder of Collyde and Rethink Creative.
Jinu is a strategic thinker and works companies and non-profits to develop vision, communications, strategy and culture.
Jinu describes himself on his blog as a perpetual dreamer, cautious builder, passionate instigator and a struggling disciple of Jesus. He believes that the greatest story is the one in the making. He desires that all his friends, leaders, readers and family will see a reflection of the Perfect One through his imperfections, struggles and failures.
When Jinu is not working on a strategic plan or thinking up new ideas, he is relaxing at home with his wife, Ann, and their two sons, Joshua and Judah. Jinu loves listening to music or podcasts and is always up for a Starbucks run.
It’s a little strange compiling a biography to send to our chapter, since I’m the current individual who manages our digital content, so I won’t.
I, Matthew Carpenter, am the Director of Communications for Star of Hope Ministries (as well as for our NCS chapter). Also, because this is North Jersey and I have a family, I have roughly 3 additional side hustles out of necessity.
Now, some quick details:
Adopted Grew up in a Pastor’s home Saved and baptized at a young age The US Military sent me to 1 year of Bible College and that relationship dissolved The NYPD sent me to a 2nd year of Bible College but God had another plan I was a pastor, in some capacity, for nearly 20 years but God had different plans once again Married for 17 years, 4 kids, living in Ramsey (trying to buy the house we are currently in)
I have been through many things throughout my life. The fact of the matter is, we all have a story and within that story are crossroads where a man decides how to translate his identity in Christ.
My story is a life in translation and, if you are planning to join us this week, I’ll share what I’ve learned about providence and identity through the lens of adoption.
Bob joined Crossmark in May 2021 as Chief Investment Officer (CIO), bringing over 40 years of industry experience to guide the investment process and serve as portfolio manager for multiple Crossmark large-cap strategies. He also utilizes his investment expertise to provide weekly and quarterly investment commentaries, as well as annual market predictions. Bob is a regular guest and contributor to multiple media outlets such as CNBC, Bloomberg TV, Moneywise, and Fox Business News. Prior to arriving at Crossmark, he held the roles of Senior Portfolio Manager and Chief Equity Strategist at Nuveen and Blackrock, President and Chief Investment Officer at Merrill Lynch Investment Managers, and Chief Investment Officer at Oppenheimer Funds, Inc.
Bob graduated from Lehigh University with a B.S. in Accounting and a B.A. in Economics. He later went on to earn an M.B.A. from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®) designation, as well as the FINRA Series 7 and 63 securities licenses.
Bob dedicates his time as choir director at his local church and also serves on a number of boards including the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals, Word of Life Fellowship, New Canaan Society, Kingdom Advisors, National Christian Foundation, Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary, The Lausanne Movement, Movement.org, Cairn University, Christianity Today, and the Princeton Healthcare System.
Bob and his wife Leslie currently reside in Princeton, New Jersey and have three children.
Dave grew up in the Mattapan neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. He attended Boston Latin School, where he played varsity football. He then attended Springfield College, where he earned a degree in education and played offensive tackle on the freshman football team. Gettleman has two master’s degrees: one in physical education from Southern Connecticut State in 1978, and another in sports administration from St. Thomas University in 1986.
He began his football career as a teacher-coach at Spackenkill High School in Poughkeepsie, New York. As the head coach from 1973–78 and 1980–81, Gettleman led his teams to two league titles, competing against schools twice the size of Spackenkill. He spent a season as a volunteer assistant at Cal State Long Beach in 1979. Gettleman joined the faculty of Kingston High School in 1982 and became the head coach in 1984, leading his team to a Section I Bowl berth.
From here Dave was hired in 1986 as a scouting intern for the Buffalo Bills. He spent the next seven years working in their scouting department before leaving to accept a scouting job with the Denver Broncos after the 1993 season.
In 1998, he was hired as a scout by the New York Giants, who promoted him to Pro Personnel Director the next year. In 2012, he was given the title of Senior Pro Personnel Analyst. In January 2013, he was chosen to become the general manager of the Carolina Panthers and in the 2015 season, the Panthers started 14–0, before falling to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 16.
During Gettleman’s tenure as general manager the Panthers compiled a regular-season record of 51–28–1. In that 5-year timeframe the Panthers advanced to the playoffs 3 seasons and won 3 NFC South titles.
On December 28, 2017, Gettleman was named as the new general manager of the New York Giants, returning to the Giants fold after six years. Dave has since retired following the 2021 season finishing his tenure with the Giants.
While every team Dave worked for played in a Super Bowl and even though he was named the NFL Executive of the Year in 2015, his greatest accomplishments continue to be the loving marriage to his wife of 38 years, Joanne, and the blessing of their 3 children – Aaron, Sam, and Ana Jane. The Gettleman’s are looking forward to serving in whatever way the Lord will use them in the coming years.
Ken is a lifelong resident of the area. He ran a family-owned business for a number of years before passing it to his sons. He and his wife, Judy, recently celebrated their 51st anniversary. Their two sons and grandchildren live in the immediate area.
He is a graduate of Fairleigh Dickenson University and Biblical School of Theology. He was ordained as a Baptist minister. In 1975, he began Applied Biblical Counseling which was a counseling center based on Biblical principles. It served multiple area churches, police departments, children’s homes, and prisons.
He retired for a brief period in 2013, found himself taking naps in the afternoon, and realized retirement was not for him. He then worked as Executive Director and Counselor at Grace Redeemer Church as well as providing counseling advice to other ministries. Now he’s trying retirement a second time. So far his retirement/COVID interment have resulted in he and his wife painting the interior of their home and a few days at the Corvette race track.
This past week we were blessed to hear about a group of guys from our chapter who have taken things to the next level by organically starting to meet outside of a Friday AM for fellowship.
We learned about this 3-year standing small group and hear how focusing on weekly Bible study, accountability, and support has continued to serve them through the highs and lows of life.
Brothers, this type of friendship and accountability doesn’t happen on its own. It is this sort of natural progression that propels our walk with Jesus. Come and be encouraged and informed on what it might look like to take the first step … learn ways to get engaged in a group of your own
As a result of The Lord’s continuous Favor, Steve Wolf has been fortunate to experience a track record of demonstrated, continual business success within large and small organizations in the marketing research and consulting space. Over the years, God enabled Steve to excel in simultaneous, multiple roles (in the US and globally), creating/implementing vision and strategy, attracting/retaining/leading world-class talent – creating powerful teams, resulting in dynamic, sustained, and profitable growth for the businesses themselves and clients which included many of the Fortune 100 companies. He has revitalized several failing businesses, written articles and spoken at local and global conferences.
On a more personal level, for 22 years, Steve has co-led and mentored men in areas of character enhancement, integrity, and accountability which includes spiritual, business, relational, and financial matters as well as mobilizing the group to tangibly assist others in need. For decades Steve and his wife have helped young people identify their life purpose, deepen their relationship with The Lord, and learn principles upon which to base their lives. They have worked with some of these same individuals later in their lives to help them discover and utilize their personal treasure trove of talent and gifts. Over the years Steve has been involved in virtually every church ministry and has financially supported scores of initiatives focused on those who are less fortunate. As a temporary, part time CEO for Crossroads Job Network in 2014, Steve and the Impact Paterson team helped individuals in need of a second chance, find employment.
Steve has been on the ground in 47 countries to guide senior business associates and/or for Missions purposes. He commits time and resources to various organizations and outreaches including New Canaan Society, where he is a very active member and has presented on a number of occasions, to several chapters across the state of New Jersey, on the topics of disruptive discipleship and forgiveness.
In educating the next generation of marketing researchers/consultants, Steve has guest lectured at Rutgers University Business School, at Eli Broad Graduate School of Management and at Michigan State University. He also served as both Faculty and Client Advisor for the Masters in Marketing Research Program at Eli Broad.
At the present time he runs his own marketing research and consulting firm named Wisdom, Insight and Mojo (www.wisdominsightmojo.com) and also is a Certified Executive Coach for Five Capitals (www.fivecapitals.net), an organization that trains leaders in how God’s truth connects to both their personal and professional lives, creating greater levels of integration, wholeness and fulfillment. Steve and his wife Lynda have a blended family with four grown children, their spouses, and one delightful grandson.
Dr. Ron Walborn is the Vice President and Dean of Alliance Theological Seminary and Nyack College in New York City and San Juan Puerto Rico. He has a B.A. in History from Nyack College, an M.Div. from Alliance Theological Seminary, and a DMin from Fuller Theological Seminary.
Dr. Walborn has planted and pastored churches in Connecticut and California. He has authored one book and numerous articles and chapters for other publications. He has lectured and spoken at churches, conferences and other events both nationally and internationally.
Dr. Walborn was born and raised in Western Pennsylvania in a Ministry focused family. Ron and his wife, Dr. Wanda Walborn have four married adult children and four beautiful grandchildren.
Pastor Matt Andersen serves as the Executive Director at Star of Hope Ministries in Paterson, NJ. Over the past 20 years, Matt and his family have served in various ministry capacities such as teaching posts in Okinawa, Japan, leading worship at Calvary Chapel Okinawa, and as church planters in Paterson, NJ.
In addition to his work with Star of Hope, Matt currently serves on several teams including the board and national leadership team of City Advance, The Social Justice League of Passaic County, and “Ecclesia” a city Gospel movement in Paterson, NJ.
For years, Matt has been obsessed with the concept of TEAMS. From sports teams growing up, to coaching, to working with a team of teachers, or a team in business and ministry, he’s been on amazing teams, as well as teams full of dysfunction. From seasons of thriving to periods where things…JUST. SEEMED. STUCK.
But why do some teams thrive, and others get stuck? Even if have the right people “on the bus”, it’s easy to get caught feeling guilty, or judging others when things aren’t going well. This led Matt to discover Patrick Lencioni’s WORKING GENIUS model, and he and his wife now serve churches, organizations, executive leadership teams, and city movements as Certified Working Genius Facilitators. Wherever you find a group of people working together towards a common goal, The Working Genius Model can help ensure each person is “in the right seat on the bus”.
Join us as we discover how The Working Genius model can help you, 1) Instantly gain a deeper understanding about yourself and how you are “hard wired, 2) Know better the kinds of work you should do and not do, and 3) Learn how your team can get much more done by tapping into the diverse skill sets of each member. Not only is there an application for TEAMS, but there are a multitude of BIBLICAL parallels for the Body of Christ as we strive together towards UNITY.
Some of Matt’s greatest passions are spending time with his wife and three children, teaching the Word of God, playing and watching basketball, and riding his motorcycle. His favorite verse is Galatians 6:9 – “’And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”
As a member of Generation “Z”, Jordan is uniquely positioned to impact his Generation with the Gospel. Jordan has grown up in a multi-generational ministry family. He is a graduate of Liberty University, with a Bachelor’s in Religion: Biblical and Theological Studies, and is an ordained reverend.
As a frequent speaker at churches and conferences, Whitmer challenges both young people and adults to join Jesus in fulfilling His Great Commission. He has been the subject of numerous local and national media appearances for radio, television, and print.
Jordan is passionate about mobilizing student leaders around the world to impact their generation for Christ. Jordan is the host of the Gen Z Today Podcast. He travels frequently, and can often be seen at Starbucks mentoring and encouraging young people to boldly lead for Jesus.
Pastor Anthony Fleming was born and raised Aussie, has a passion for God, people, and life.
From the young age of 19, Anthony believed he was called to preach the word of God. He earned a tennis scholarship to Liberty University and represented the school during college while earning a Bachelor of Business of Science in Business Marketing. It was here that he also met his beautiful wife Miriam. They have 3 beautiful children and together they founded and currently serve as the Senior Pastors of Church Alive in northern New Jersey.
From a basement with 8 people at the start of the church, Church Alive has grown to over 1300 people in attendance, and is known for its passion for God, love for people, and generosity in the community.
Wanting to practically equip people to have a fresh, real, and powerful walk with God, in 2018, Anthony launched Transform. Through a dedicated focus to develop men, he continually sees to it that men find genuine faith and continue to get unstuck and flourish in all areas of life. What started as a men’s group at Church Alive grew in 2021, when Anthony Fleming released his first book, Transform. He is now the President of Transform the Movement and continues to coach leaders throughout the nation and empower men to rise up and transform their lives.
Josiah Haken is the Chief Executive Officer with City Relief, a non-profit organization that creates connections for the homeless community to hope and resources that can improve their lives. Growing up in Yaoundé, Cameroon, as well as working as an advocate and an outreach leader in the streets of New York City since 2010.
Josiah has a unique perspective on the complexities of urban poverty and homelessness and believes that our unhoused neighbors deserve our best, not just our leftovers. Josiah often leads workshops and webinars to equip and empower people to see their homeless neighbors and engage them with intentionality and compassion.
He holds a Masters Degree in Ministry, Leadership, and Culture from Fresno Pacific University and currently resides with his family in New Jersey.
Paul Pettit serves as Director of Career Services and teaches in the departments of Spiritual Formation and Leadership and Pastoral Ministries. Dr. Pettit and his wife, Pamela (a Neo-Natal Nurse Practitioner) have five children and live in Rockwall, Texas, where they are involved in their church and a local Christian school.
Paul’s background includes experience as a sportscaster, author, and speaker. His books include Dynamic Dads: How to Be a Hero to Your Kids, Congratulations, You’ve Got ‘Tweens, Congratulations, You’re Gonna Be a Dad!, which he coauthored with his wife, and Foundations of Spiritual Formation.
Paul holds degrees from the University of Kansas, Moody Bible Institute’s Advanced Studies Program, and both the Master of Theology and Doctor of Ministry from Dallas Seminary. He enjoys coaching emerging leaders.
Ken has been a believer since the Lord opened his heart at a very young age. At his core, Ken has always been and will always be a teacher. With his unique insight into God’s people and His Word, Ken began preaching at the age of 16. A natural, albeit humble leader, Ken has had a variety of ministry responsibilities – church elder, itinerant preaching, chairing the board of the Ezekiel Project, youth leader, Bible study teacher, and youth leader.
Known as Mr. Barrett in his position teaching at Tenafly High School for more than three decades, Ken has worked in a variety of content areas including Africa and Asia, European, and American History. He currently is teaching African and Asian Civilizations and Cultures both honors, Debate, and Sociology electives as well as the American Experience Honors course for seniors.
Ken has been married to his best friend, Rose Barrett, for 35 years. Together they love and deeply enjoy their two adult children, their wonderful spouses, and their soon-to-be grandchild!
Bob served for 31 years in the U.S. Army in a wide variety of command and staff positions culminating in his last three assignments as Assistant Division Commander for Operations, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault); Commander, Second Infantry Division, United States Forces Korea; and as Deputy Commanding General, V (US/GE) Corps in Europe, concurrently serving as Commander, US-Israeli Combined Task Force for Missile Defense. Commissioned a second lieutenant after graduating from West Point in 1972, he is also a graduate of the Naval Postgraduate School, the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, and Royal College of Defense Studies in London, England.
Following military retirement in January 2003, Bob served as Executive Director, Defense Strategies, Microsoft Corporation; followed by leadership of a non-profit outreach to the military. While authoring The Resilience Trilogy (Resilient Warriors, Resilient Leaders, and Resilient Nations), he pioneered resilience programs for the military and beyond as Associate Vice President for Military Outreach, Adjunct Professor, and Director of the nation’s first Institute for Military Resilience at Liberty University. Bob subsequently served as National Security Advisor and Campaign Chairman, Dr. Ben Carson for President 2016. His primary endeavor now is leading the National Center for Healthy Veterans at Valor Farm near Liberty University, with the mission of “Returning Healthy Veterans to America.”.
Bob speaks at numerous seminars and conferences, as well as commentary on national security, Resilience God Style, and cultural topics in numerous media venues, churches, military bases, and business organizations across America. He was featured as one of 30 “Master Leaders” in America by noted author George Barna. You may recall him from his tour-of-duty as speaker at the 2017 NCS Metro NYC Regional Retreat, as well as his “Resilient Aging” talk to our group a year ago!
Bob has been married to the former Kathleen Robinson of Houston, Texas, for 48 years. They have two children and nine grandchildren, and are currently moving to the National Center for Healthy Veterans at Valor Farm in Virginia. General and Mrs. Dees are grateful for the privilege of serving God, Nation, and others during these critical times.
Mark Whitacre is an Ivy League Ph.D. and is considered the highest-ranked executive of any Fortune 500 company to become a whistleblower in U.S. history, and was responsible for uncovering the ADM price-fixing scandal in the early 1990s. Mark wore a wire for 3 years for the FBI in the early 1990s. Mark’s website has further info about this ADM case: www.markwhitacre.com
Mark Whitacre is Executive Director of the t-factor initiative at Coca-Cola Consolidated, Inc. since December of 2019. Mark had served as COO of Christian Business Men’s Connection (CBMC) from 2013 to 2019. Mark was the COO and Chief Science Officer from 2006 to 2013 at Cypress Systems, Inc., a California biotechnology company where Mark still serves on their advisory board today.
After completing his B.S. and M.S. degrees at Ohio State University, Mark earned his Ph.D. degree at Cornell University in biochemistry. He worked as an executive for three Fortune 500 companies, including Ralston Purina (now Nestle), Degussa (Evonik), and Archer Daniels Midland (ADM). He was recruited at ADM, number 56 on the Fortune 500 in 1989, when he was 32 as the President of the Biotech Division. Mark has extensive international business experience, having lived in Germany for four years working for Evonik at their world headquarters in Frankfurt.
Mark and his wife Ginger have been married over 42 years and have three adult children.
Pastor Tim is the Senior Pastor of Calvary Chapel North Jersey in Passaic, NJ. Prior to that, he was an Assistant Pastor and Worship Leader at Harvest Christian Fellowship in Manhattan for 12 years.
In 2003, the Lord lead him to start a Bible Study in North Jersey which quickly grew and CCNJ was founded later that year. In 2006, he left his career as an IT Professional and Project Manager with a large multi-national insurance company to serve at the church full time.
Tim believes strongly in raising up leaders and has taken dozens of men through 2-year mentorship cycles. In addition to serving at CCNJ, several of these leaders have planted churches, become missionaries, and started other ministries.
He and his wife, Michelle, have been married for 33 years and work together in facilitating pre-marital sessions for young couples at the church. In his downtime, Tim practices Shorin-ryu Karate and enjoys periodically performing in a local cover band.
Brendan Da Silva is the Founder and CEO of Da Silva Team, a residential real estate team that sold 90M in volume and 216 homes in 2021.
Brendan graduated with a degree in pastoral ministry from Nyack College in 2016 but no more than a month after graduation served six months in jail. When he was released he could not find suitable work so upon the encouragement of family and friends, he began pursuing a career in real estate in April of 2017.
Over the past several years, Brendan and The Da Silva Team have earned numerous accolades within their industry, been featured on Fox News for their generosity during the COVID-19 pandemic, and shown a commitment to building an impact-driven business.
In 2016, Brendan joined The Plant Church in Mahwah where he would be mentored by Rob Parker for 5 years and lead a young adults group for 4 years. He married his wife Debora in 2019 and they currently reside in Jersey City. They are hoping to have their first child this year.
Brendan’s story is one of resilience, redemption, and restoration.
Fred Provencher has been the Senior Teaching Pastor at Cornerstone Christian Church since February 1996. Before coming to Cornerstone, he was the Youth Pastor at Hawthorne Gospel Church, where he was ordained in 1994. He has also served with churches in Colorado Springs and Somerset, NJ.
Fred has a B.A. in history from Rutgers University, an M.Div. from Denver Seminary and a D.Min. in preaching from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Debbie, have been married since 1986. They live in Hawthorne with their four children.
Jim has been the Men’s & Family Ministry Manager at Lighthouse Pregnancy Resource Center for a little under a year. His move to a full-time ministry position is a story that will encourage and inspire your heart.
Lighthouse PRC is a faith-based, non-profit organization that provides free, confidential services to lovingly guide and support women, men, and teens facing unplanned pregnancies and related concerns toward life-affirming choices.
Jim brings his experience of over 20 years as a Sales and IT Management Vice President where he developed, trained, and mentored leaders as well as his more recent experience in the life sciences and healthcare industry.
John Rivera began working with local nonprofit organizations during the late 1980′s and continues serving throughout the northeast to this very day. Over the years, John also enjoyed the opportunity to serve in a variety of volunteer leadership positions with numerous organizations. Some of those roles included that of board member and adviser.
John has an extensive background as a trainer and consultant in organizational and leadership development. Through his work, John has helped many nonprofit organizations grow, define their vision and execute in excellence. His primary tools have been coaching, training, and comprehensive assessments that have consistently led to positive and lasting change for his clients. Most recently, he added his new book: “The Climb” to his cache of effective leadership and organizational development tools.
He earned his bachelor’s degree in communication from William Paterson University of New Jersey. He graduated with high honors (Summa Cum Laude). He also received the Excellence in Interpersonal Communications Theory Award. Senior faculty members select one student each year based on academic performance, leadership and overall command of the subject area.
Today John continues to use his years of experience and education to assist area business and nonprofit leaders with their communication, organizational and leadership development needs. In this journey, he is committed to encouraging, equipping and empowering leaders to accomplish their mission as well as creatively multiply their impact and footprint. John strongly believes that “individuals and organizations can all ascend to a higher level of excellence as they pursue their personal and organizational mission in life.”
To learn more about John’s leadership work, book or to schedule a speaking engagement, send your inquiry to: Jrivera.vive@gmail.com or call 704-594-0815.
Tom Lane is Vice Chairman and a founding partner of ECP. ECP is a private equity firm that invests in the energy infrastructure sector and has $20 billion under management. He serves on the boards of Wisconsin Energy, Sendero Midstream and US Development Group.
Prior to helping establish ECP in 2005, Tom worked for 20 years in the Energy investment banking group at Goldman Sachs. Tom has extensive experience in financing and merger related transactions and helped to source a number of Goldman Sachs’ principal investments within the energy sector. He has testified before the House Energy Subcommittee on energy related matters.
Tom has a BA in Economics from Wheaton College and an MBA in Finance from the University of Chicago.
Tom serves or has served on a number of nonprofit boards including Place of Hope, Street2Street, New Life of NYC, Urban Youth Impact Foundation and the New Canaan Society. Tom is married, has four children and nine grandchildren.
David Sutherland is the Chair of the Board for International Care Ministries, a charity that focuses on the ultra-poor in the Philippines through 10,000 slum churches. ICM has designed a four-month anti-poverty training program called Transform. At the end of this four-month program, ultra-poor participants experience a 146% increase in income, a 27% reduction in illness, and a 46% increase in an index of Hope. ICM has graduated 1.2 million Filipino family members from the four-month Transform program. ICM is now one of the largest charities in the Philippines.
Until early 2013, David was Morgan Stanley’s Chief Financial Officer in Asia Pacific, responsible for the company’s financial affairs in countries from China to India, from Korea to Australia. Before his role as CFO, David spent more than a decade as a Morgan Stanley Managing Director, overseeing its tax department in Asia.
Since 2013, David has been full-time with ICM. But he has also held two other part-time roles as Chief Operating Officer of Pacific Andes (one of the largest fishing companies in the world) and Senior Advisor to FountainVest (a US$4 billion private equity fund that invests in China).
Prior to Asia, David worked for Arthur Andersen; Cadwallader, Wickersham & Taft; Caplin & Drysdale; and the U.S. Department of Treasury where he was the Associate International Tax Counsel. In the later capacity, he represented the U.S. Government regarding tax issues with most countries in Asia, including successful tax treaty negotiations with Thailand and Indonesia.
In addition to his role with ICM, David also serves as the board chair of Asian Charity Services (which provides pro bono management consulting services to hundreds of other charities), Friends of Hong Kong Charities (which processed nearly $100m of donations from US citizens living in Hong Kong to benefit dozens of Hong Kong charities) and the Lion King Project (which assists street children in North Bali, Indonesia).
David has a law degree from the University of Virginia, a Master of Taxation from the American University, and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Louisville. David was the national intercollegiate debate champion in the United States in 1982.
David and his wife, Deanna, have three adult children who grew up in Hong Kong and are now working and living in the United States.
Aaron us the Senior Pastor at Grace Church of Ridgewood. His main responsibilities are setting the vision and direction of the church along with the elders, leading the staff, preaching, and shepherding the congregation.
Aaron’s passion and burden, which God has increasingly stirred in his heart over the past five years, has revolved around the gospel of Jesus Christ proclaimed and applied in the lives of young men and women through the context of the local church.
Ron Hutchcraft is a 40-plus-year veteran of youth and family ministries.Ron presents the Gospel across North America and around the world, through city-wide evangelistic “Community Impact Weeks,” parenting seminars, singles’ events, youth outreaches and business/professional dinners.
He is the author of several ground-breaking books, including his most recent –Living Peacefully in a Stressful World. Ron hosts three radio programs, including the popular daily short feature “A Word With You.” Ron is s also the founder of “On Eagles’ Wings,” a Native American leadership program.
Jesse Kroeze is a passionate innovator, a lover of culture, and a coffee connoisseur. He is known for being a deep-thinker, a peace-making leader, an avid entrepreneur, and an eternal student. Jesse and his wife, Andrea, are a power-team full of enthusiasm related to global missions, adoption and living out the Kingdom of God.
A New Jersey native, Jesse traveled around Central America after graduating from Taylor University seeking adventure, mastery of the Spanish language and God’s leading on his life. It eventually brought him back to the Northeast where he took a position with Touch the World managing a coffee-house ministry. It was here that his path crossed with the woman who would become his wife and their combined passions eventually carried them across the Atlantic to begin a ministry in Uganda, Africa.
After five years exploring the intricacies of community development as the Country Director of Touch The World – Uganda, Jesse was asked to return to lead the future path of the mission organization, Touch The World as Executive Director. Along with his wife and three children, their oldest adopted from Uganda, Jesse seeks to partake in sharing the global perspectives of missions we have been called to as Christ’s ambassadors.
George Verwer is the Founder and former International Director of Operation Mobilization (OM), which is a ministry of evangelism, discipleship training and church planting. George led Operation Mobilization for over 40 years before stepping down in August 2003. Saved at the age of 16, George returned to his school in northern New Jersey and within a year about 200 of his classmates had found a relationship with the living God through Jesus Christ. He also started with distribution of Gospels of John in Mexico in 1957, which continued during summer vacations.
Attending Maryville College after high school, he transferred to Moody Bible Institute where he met, Drena, who would later became his wife. They went to Spain in 1961, and the work of OM was born: to get to know God together in discipling young Christians while concurrently carrying out a rigorous program of world evangelism.
Today OM reaches across the world through over 6,100 people working in over 110 nations to make Christ known in the lives of all they meet. For many years George served as International Director of OM and helped raise up dedicated leadership to pursue this task across the world, freeing him to travel and speak, helping many find their role in extending the Kingdom of God.
George and his wife are now involved in Special Projects Ministries (still part of OM) full-time. They have three adult children;five grandchildren; two great-grandchildren and make their home in England.
Woody is the founder and President of Street 2 Street, a ministry reaching underprivileged and neglected youth via unique sporting events. Street 2 Street began with street ball tournaments in the boroughs of New York City, but has garnered national attention for its innovative approach and remarkable results and is expanding throughout the U.S. The success of the street ball tournaments revealed a dearth of discipleship partners for the teens making spiritual commitments, so Woody and several colleagues have now created Street 2 Street University, an initiative to equip youth workers with ministry skills and theological training.
Woody’s entire adult life has been devoted to helping young people in crisis. A long time staff member with Athletes in Action, the athletic outreach of Campus Crusade for Christ, Woody and his family moved to New York City in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. Woody is the Co-Founder of NCS-Bergen County with his best friend Tom Lane and serves on the board as its Secretary. He also serves on the board of Game Day International. Woody is a graduate of Tennessee Temple University (B.A., Communications) He lives in Hawthorne, NJ with his wife, Renee, and together they have 3 children, Abbey, Allison and Will, “the Thrill”.
What does community mean for you? Who do you want to spend more time with? Who are you waiting to encourage? Your heroes didn’t wait, mine didn’t either
In this race our active discipline and faith is required.
We need community, we need to be held accountable, in order to flourish.
Will you be remembered as one of these great heroes of the faith? Like my grandfather and my best friend were?
Are you ready To lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely- Dig deep and weed out and do the work that is required no matter what it means you have to give up or sacrifice?
Are you ready to run with endurance this race that is set before us no matter the challenges ahead?
Fast-Starting a Career of Consequence: A Providential Book Journey I. My Faith Journey
Not Raised in a Worshipping Family My Mystical Adolescent Experience An Enduring Faith & Desire to Learn More Retired Early to Pursue a Life-Long Dream II. Retirement Pursuits
Spiritual Development (Yale Divinity School) College Teaching (Fairfield University) Board Service (5 Non-profits & 2 For-profits) Mentoring Young executives Wrote 3 Books III. The Genesis & Themes of My 3 Books
God Revealed Genesis: Dinner with Daughter Dena Theme: My Encounters with God Grace Revealed Genesis: Compelling Stories on Book #1 Promo Tour Theme: Surviving Serious Crises Through Faith Fast Starting a Career of Confidence Genesis: Tips to My Daughter Dena Theme: Launching a Career of Consequence IV. God’s Presence on the Journey
My Daughter’s Request 5 Tips of great value to her Wrote & published an article MarketWatch.com (Tip#5) My Literary Agent My Passion has been to positively impact others by speaking and writing about my faith & my business experience It’s now a calling This book was a blessing to write: it integrates my faith and my business experience The Publisher’s Surprise Concession The Unexpected New York Life Request The Even More Surprising CNO Request MarketWatch.com Strikes Again Providential Market Expansion: Christian College Students Veteran’s & Those Coming Off Childrearing Years COVID-19 Furloughs Non-Christians V. Biblical Principles & Business Tips from,
Fast-Starting a Career of Consequence: Practical Christ-Centered Advice for Entering or Re-entering the Workforce Chapter 1: Identify & Utilize Your Spiritual Gifts at Work Chapter 2: Always Act in Concert with Your Values and Beliefs Chapter 3: Jesus as a Workplace Partner Chapter 4: Pray Often for Guidance from the Holy Spirit Chapter 5: Apply the Golden Rule with Coworkers & Customers Chapter 6: Demonstrate Commitment Chapter 7: Understand & Embrace the Company’s Mission Chapter 8: Develop Cultural & Organizational Awareness Chapter 9: Develop & Demonstrate Strategic Thinking Capability Chapter 10: Understand the Financial Underpinnings of the Business Chapter 11: Take Charge of Your Own Development Chapter 12: Overprepare for Every Meeting Chapter 13: Make Every Presentation a Command Performance Chapter 14: Demonstrate Integrity and Earn Trust Chapter 15: Balance Faith, Family and Career
Kingdom-Minded Business Leader
Parable of the Sower
Not a 2x impact, a 30x, 60x, 100x impact
What are 3 ways a leader can have a Kingdom-Minded Impact? How can God use you? Love others the way Christ loved us Story of Daryl Bennett It’s starts by being there for them Share the Good News It’s a tricky thing to do Google “Why are Christians…” - as a Christian leader you are under a microscope How? Wisely take opportunities when they present themselves Invest in Kingdom-Work Inspire other people to do the same All of us have influence, how do you spend your influence? None of this happens without intentionality
Energy Group Questions: How are you trying to make an impact for the Kingdom of God? What are you doing in 2021 with your gifts?