2017 Board Candidate Profiles

Transcription

1 Southwest Christian High School 2017 Board Candidate Profiles SWCHS Annual Corporation Meeting April 20, 2017 Pam Schmidt New Board Candidate 1) What are the name(s) of the members of your family, grade(s) of your children and their attending Tim Theo Grace Michael Madeline Husband (12th) SWCHS (11th) SWCHS (7 th ) Calvin Edina (5 th ) Calvin Edina B.A. English/Secondary Education from Dordt College J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School Calvary Christian Reformed Church, Edina 4) How has God equipped you to serve on the SWCHS board? God has provided me with the blessing of many years of Christian education and with a father who worked his entire life in Christian education. I believe strongly in the positive impact for Christ that Christian day schools equip covenant children to make in their communities and future professions. God has also allowed me graduate from law school and to work in law firms, consulting firms and corporations for about 18 years, primarily in employee benefits and HR, which gave me insight into how effective organizations work and how people use their gifts to further a common cause. I also had the privilege of serving on the Board of Trustees at Dordt College for 6 years. For 2 of those years I served on the Executive Committee and through bi-monthly meetings was closely involved in the governance of the college. I also had the opportunity to serve on the President Search Committee and Provost Search Committee, both valuable experiences. 5) Why are you seeking to serve on the SWCHS Board at this time? I want to serve on the SWCHS Board so that I can use my past experiences in professional and volunteer settings to further the work of Southwest. I would consider it an honor and a privilege to serve alongside the other men and women currently serving on the Board.

2 Scott Mellema New Board Candidate 1) What are the name(s) of the members of your family, grade(s) of your children and their attending Heather Keegan Camden Cade Wife (10 th ) SWCHS (7 th ) Calvin Christian School (4th) Calvin Christian School Dordt College: BS, Mechanical Engineering Iowa State University: MS, Civil Engineering 3) What is the church you are presently attending? Calvary Christian Reformed Church Edina MN 4) How has God equipped you to serve on the SWCHS board? I believe that serving on the Calvary Christian Reformed Church board as a Deacon (financial) and Elder (administrative) provided good experiences to understand the governance of a non-profit Christian organization. Serving on the Dordt College Engineering advisory board provided good experience and insight into long range planning and vision setting. During my terms on that board, they expanded their programs to include additional engineering disciplines (civil, construction management). The Visions and Goals of Southwest Christian and Dordt College align nicely in their desire to look at all things (academic/athletics/fine arts) through the lens of a Christian worldview, with the end goal of developing Christian disciples who can influence the world in whatever sphere they find themselves in. With the upcoming construction project, I feel I may be able to contribute positively with my construction experience that I ve gained over my 20-year career in various engineering and operations roles for specialty contracting companies. 5) Why are you seeking to serve on the SWCHS Board at this time? With my oldest son, Keegan attending SWCHS for 1 ½ years, I have been impressed with the way that the staff, teachers, and students live out the vision of seeking, knowing, living, and proclaiming the Truth. To be allowed to serve this community of believers, continuing on with the strong leadership that started with a small group of parents and students over twenty years ago, growing into what SWCHS is now, would be an honor. Helping, in whatever small way over the upcoming years through service on this board, and continuing the mission of SWCHS in developing disciples for work in His kingdom, sounds very rewarding. I also suspect, based on previous experiences, that I will personally grow spiritually through interaction with other godly men and women also serving on the board.

3 Mike Schwarz New Board Candidate 1) What are the name(s) of the members of your family, grade(s) of your children and their attending Joan Drew Elizabeth Nathan Greta Hannah Wife Sophomore at Bethel (12 th ) SWCHS (10 th ) SWCHS (8 th ) Prior Lake (8 th ) Prior Lake Concordia College, Moorhead, MN BA, Mathematics and Computer Science University of St. Thomas, Masters in Business Administration 3) What is the church you are presently attending? Grace Church Eden Prairie, MN 4) What past leadership experience has helped prepare you for this service? I have been blessed with a number of leadership positions for the better part of the past 20 years. I have had the privilege of serving as the Chief Information Officer of two divisions of UnitedHealth Group. I have started and run two small businesses. I have a broad range of experience in organizational leadership, financial and operating controls, technology, human resource management, and long-term planning. I also have a background in ministry both in the church setting and in a parachurch missionary organization. I have an MBA from St. Thomas and actually attended Bethel Seminary for a semester. 5) Why are you seeking to serve on the SWCHS Board at this time? I want to serve on the Board at SWCHS because I see SWCHS as having a unique opportunity to influence the Twin Cities for Jesus, as well as the world. SWCHS produces young men and women that make a difference for Jesus in the community and SWCHS has the opportunity to be a beacon of light to our community.

4 Rodney Provart Current Board Member up for re-election for one-year term 1) What are the name(s) of the members of your family and the grade(s) of your children and their attending Sara Kirsten Britta Colin Wife 2011 SWCHS Grad; 2015 Augustana University Grad 2014 SWCHS Grad; junior at Dordt College 2016 SWCHS Grad; freshman at Carlson School of Management, U of M Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, MN Bachelor of Arts Degrees in Business and Psychology Carlson School of Management, Minneapolis, MN Christ Presbyterian Church, Edina 4) How have you been involved in service at SWCHS in the past? Board of Education member, 6 years 4 years serving as Chairman Leading the Way Kick-off Event Co-Chair Admission and Marketing Committee member Attending and participating in many school activities Praying for the school, faculty and staff 5) What past leadership experience has helped prepare you for this service? SWCHS Board member, 6 years / chairman, 4 years BSF Children s Leader since 2001 Sr. High Youth Mentor, CPC and SOTH Shepherd of the Hills Church Board member Various vocational leadership positions 6) Why are you seeking to serve on the SWCHS Board at this time? I m excited to continue to service the SWCHS students, community, faculty and administration. While supporting the Southwest s mission and vision, I m eager to help our school increase the quality of Christian education and high school experiences for students. I also want to help us achieve increased enrollment goals while we maintain the current affordability and integrity of tuition.

5 Beth Reiskytl Current Board Member up for re-election for one-year term 1) What are the name(s) of the members of your family, and the grade(s) of your children and their attending Rob Sara Adam Matthew Husband Senior at Wheaton College, IL Sophomore at Wheaton College, IL Senior at SWCHS Litchfield High School, Litchfield, MN B.A. Macalester College J.D. University of MN Law School Westwood Community Church 16 years 4) How have you been involved in service at SWCHS in the past? Currently serving on SWCHS Board for 3 years and Board Secretary 2 years Board representative on ACSI Accreditation Steering Committee Member of SWCHS Program Excellence Committee (SWCHS s Strategic Plan) Supported soccer and basketball programs, serving as captain s parent for both and as program communications lead for SWCHS Boys Basketball program 5) What past leadership experience has helped prepare you for this service? In addition to the past three years on the SWCHS board, I served on the Chapel Hill Academy board for six years ( , ) and currently serve on the Westwood Community Church Leadership Board, a position I have held since While on the CHA Board, I held the positions of Secretary, Vice Chair, and Chair, and am currently the Board Secretary for both SWCHS and Westwood. I have organized and served as a board member and officer on two sports-related booster clubs, holding positions of Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary. While practicing at the Minneapolis law firm of Fredrikson & Byron as a corporate/securities lawyer, I led several client teams, served on management committees, and advised boards of directors, ranging from large publicly-held to small, privately-owned start-up companies. I currently advise non-profit boards on a consultant basis, which often includes discussions related to the duties and responsibilities of non-profit board members among other topics. 6) Why are you seeking to serve on the SWCHS Board at this time? God has given me a passion for leadership and non-profits, along with a legal background and a heart to serve His purposes while pursuing these passions. Serving on the SWCHS Board for one additional year allows me to continue to contribute to this remarkable community, particularly as we finish the accreditation process and begin the campus expansion project. Consistency and board experience represent critical needs at this point in the SWCHS journey. I have been very impressed with the heart of SWCHS, its excellent leadership and teachers, and I believe that God is moving mightily here! I ve seen an incredible impact on the life of my son who attended the past four years and will graduate this spring. Along with that, I enjoy serving on boards! I also realize that when serving in these capacities, God grows me in greater measure spiritually and in many other ways. It's a privilege and fulfilling to serve with other Godly leaders, doing His work that matters while also impacting young lives positively!

6 Roger Watchorn Current Board Member up for re-election for three-year term 1) What are the name(s) of the members of your family, and the grade(s) of your children and their attending Leanna Brendon Carly Ty wife Sophomore at Dordt (11 th ) SWCHS (9 th ) SWCHS I attended high school and university in Brandon, Manitoba, Canada. I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Business Administration. Our family has been attending Grace Church since our move to Minneapolis in Leanna and I have been members at Grace for four years. 4) How have you been involved in service at SWCHS in the past? Board member the past 3 years. Currently serving as vice-chair. 5) What past leadership experience has helped prepare you for this service? I believe that the Lord has enabled me with spiritual gifts that have allowed me to serve in several leadership positions in my workplace over the years. However, it is the experiences in serving in leadership positions through the various churches we have been a part of and in the opportunities to facilitate Christian worldview studies in small groups that have best prepared me for the SWCHS board. I have served on the elders board of two former churches in Saskatoon, Canada and in Warsaw, Poland. 6) Why are you seeking to serve on the SWCHS Board at this time? I have a passion for young people to have a strong Christian worldview that teaches them to understand God s world, through God s Word and I love what SWCHS is doing to support parents in their role to be diligent in teaching this. Our family s time living in Europe, seeing first-hand the implications on society when we move away from this worldview and the pressures that our own children felt in standing alone against the culture, have reinforced the need for us to make this teaching available to as many young people as possible and to give our children the support to stand strong and defend their beliefs. I also believe that this is an exciting time in the history of SWCHS and I have been praying that the Lord would clearly provide an opportunity to use my gifts here as He has in all of our previous family moves. Leanna and I believe that He has brought that opportunity forward to me in a way that uses my experiences, spiritual gifts and passions and I am excited to step forward in faith to serve Him.