Pleased by the professionalism. Not an infomercial to sell products and services like some conferences.”
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195
195
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Why Attend?
Pleased by the professionalism. Not an infomercial to sell products and services like some conferences.”Rick Hollering, Walton, IN
All Conference Speakers
CEO of Aspen Group – the Midwest’s premier church design and construction company, holds an engineering degree from Purdue University. His passion is to significantly impact individuals and communities by assisting churches in accomplishing their vision and mission. As CEO, Ed works closely with the Aspen Group team to develop and deliver planning, leadership, finance, architectural and construction expertise – expertise that ensures a powerful faith building experience for the church as well. He is also on the Board of Directors for the Indiana Family Institute.
Bill Couchenour has a fervent desire to help ministries improve their effectiveness at connecting their communities with Christ. He has served as President of Cogun, a company committed exclusively to helping churches develop the right ministry space, since 1994. From 1982 to 1994 he launched the Florida District of Cogun and served as District Manager. Bill has a business degree from Youngstown State University, an MBA from The University of Tampa. He has served in various capacities for his local church and other organizations including Youth for Christ, Heartland Christian School and BeTheChangeProject. Bill is the author of the book, Churches... Before You Build. Bill is the author of the book, Churches... Before You Build.
Mel McGowan is one of the youngest Principals in a national Architecture / Urban Design firm. He spent a decade with the Walt Disney Company, where he transitioned from a background in film / production design towards community design (following “Walt’s footsteps” and passion trajectory from toons to EPCOT (Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow). Post-Disney, he co-founded Plain Joe Studios, a multi-disciplinary design studio providing strategic branding, multimedia, and environmental design. He founded Visioneering Studios in 2002. He speaks extensively on sustainable Christ-centered community and is the author of Design Intervention: Revolutionizing Sacred Space.
Kevin G. Ford is the Chief Visionary Officer of TAG, a management consulting firm headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia. Kevin’s expertise extends from strategic planning and organizational development to competency-based management and leadership development. He has developed strategic plans for hundreds of organizations nationwide and has taught leadership development in numerous settings. He is also creator of the Transforming Church Index, a powerful assessment tool. Kevin’s previous years of experience in ministry combined with this extensive background in management consulting brings a powerful focus to his ongoing work to help churches become more effective in ministry.
Rex Miller is a futurist and author of the book, The Millennium Matrix: Reclaiming the Past and Reframing the Future of the Church. He is an organizational expert with a well proven track record of building and leading high-performance teams. He recently completed a second book for the construction industry, The Commercial Real Estate Revolution, and was awarded the 2009 CoreNet Global Innovator of Year Award. This award recognizes unique and proven solutions for the commercial real estate and construction industry. Rex speaks to groups around the country on the new rules for a digital era, innovation, leadership and mapping your future.
Allen Walworth is a stewardship consultant with Generis. Over the past decade, Allen has partnered with 90 churches, helping them raise over $260 million toward their ministry visions. Five of those campaigns raised over $10 million each, and one congregation raised over fifteen times its annual budget in a single capital campaign. Allen's passion for stewardship is fueled by a pastor's heart and a studied knowledge of scripture. Before becoming a stewardship consultant, Allen was a senior pastor for 17 years, leading congregations ranging from a small town church of 1,000 members, to a large metropolitan congregation of over 9,000 members. He is much in demand as a speaker at churches and other ministry venues across the country. Allen earned a Ph.D. in New Testament studies, and has taught at the college and seminary levels.
Will Mancini emerged from the trenches of local church leadership to found Auxano, a first-of-kind consulting ministry that focuses on vision clarity. As a “clarity evangelist,” Will has served as vision architect for hundreds of churches across the country. Will’s style blends the best of three worlds: the process thinking from the discipline of engineering, the communications savvy as an ad agency executive, and the practical theology as a pastoral leader. His education includes a ThM in Pastoral Leadership from Dallas Theological Seminary and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Penn State. He is the author of Church Unique: How Missional Leaders Cast Vision, Capture Culture and Create Movement, a Leadership Network Publication, and of Building Leaders.
Evan McBroom is founder of Fishhook, a marketing communications and creative services company. He is dedicated to serving as a communications partner and resource with churches and Christ-centered organizations. He combines the passion of his faith journey with the expertise he gained during his 14-year career with one of central Indiana’s largest corporate communications and marketing companies. Through Fishhook, he now provides churches with senior-level communications consulting services. Evan is a guest lecturer, presenter, emcee and trainer for numerous organizations. He and his wife are active in adult and children’s worship arts at The Church at the Crossing in Indianapolis.
Jim Couchenour began his career serving churches 20 years ago as a Project Consultant with Cogun. He currently serves as Director of Marketing and Ministry Services, and has developed tools for growing churches to bridge the gap between the church and unchurched. Jim has spoken on these subjects at many conferences, and has written a number of articles on church ministry in postmodern culture that have appeared in national Christian magazines. He graduated from Mount Vernon Nazarene University and received his MBA from Youngstown State University.
Brad Eisenmann is Vice President/General Manager of Aspen Group. He has an engineering degree from the University of Illinois and an MBA from Northern Illinois University. Since joining Aspen Group in 1994, he has served as Design/Build Manager, Director of Business Development and Vice President of Project Development before being promoted to his current role. Brad is very active in his own church. He is a lay minister and has served in several leadership roles. His knowledge of the church community and the planning, design and construction process is extensive.
Jim Smith is Regional Vice President of Aspen Group's Carmel, Indiana office. He is a Registered Professional Engineer (Indiana) and a Licensed Structural Engineer (Illinois) with over 20 years experience with commercial, industrial, agricultural, residential and church structures. He holds both a Bachelor and Master degree in Civil Engineering from Purdue University. At Aspen, Jim has served in the roles of structural engineer, project design manager, and the Director of Design. In his current role, he assists and supervises a staff of architects, designers, project managers and construction personnel.
Kurt André is a Senior Partner with TAG. Kurt’s expertise includes strategic planning, leadership and organizational development and leadership coaching. Kurt is a professionally certified Leadership Coach. He has received numerous awards including national recognition for his leadership among network development, Young Leaders of America, Who’s Who of Christian Leaders and for his international work among the former Soviet Republics.
Kurt has worked with hundreds of organizations across the US and overseas to develop and implement strategic plans in a variety of settings, but specializes in coaching individuals and groups in competency based management and leadership development. He is a sought-after expert in the area of postmodern studies. Kurt’s current work is in the areas of strategic planning, leadership and organizational development and coaching, he also has extensive experience in student ministry.
Matthew Robertson is a Senior Project Consultant at Cogun, Inc. Matthew is a graduate of the Virginia Tech Pamplin College of Business. He is dedicated to consulting with the Christian Community to understand and organization’s vision, mission, values and clearly identify their foundational reasons for ministry expansion. He has worked with churches in the areas of needs analysis, design consultation, financial feasibility, property assessment and procurement, governmental approvals, funding procurement, construction and warranty follow through. Since 2002, Matthew has partnered with churches to master plan, design, build and finance new ministry facilities ranging from $1 million to $14 million throughout the Carolinas, Virginia, and Tennessee.
Greg Snider, Aspen Group Project Developer, came to his current position with 12 years of field construction experience, six of which were spent building churches. Greg has served as a deacon and worship team leader. He also served as building committee chairperson for his church, an experience that gives him insider knowledge of how to serve churches during planning and construction. In his current role as Project Developer, Greg works with dozens of churches each year, helping them translate their visions into effective designs and then finished, ministry-enhancing facilities.
Mark Thomas is Vice Pres., Bank of the West - Church Loan Division. Mark assists churches in acquiring financing for construction, land acquisition, refinancing and permanent long-term loans. Mark worked in the secular for-profit world for a number of years until he felt directed to serve the business/management needs of a local congregation. He served three congregations in this capacity over a 10 year period. Mark has also served as a denominational lending consultant. Mark is an active member of NACBA. He also has been a featured presenter at numerous church building conferences. Mark’s love for the local congregation, understanding of the fiduciary responsibilities of church leadership teams, and passion for stewardship - coupled with his thorough understanding of commercial financing - guide him in his practical approach to church lending.
Matt Giebler is the Executive Minister of Programming at Greenwood Christian Church in Greenwood, Indiana. After graduating from Ozark Christian College in 1993, Matt served in many ministry capacities. His current responsibilities include the coordination of GCC’s teaching ministries and sharing weekend preaching with GCC’s Senior Minister. GCC recently completed an addition of a 1,300 seat auditorium and conversion of the former worship space to a vibrant connection space. Matt had an integral role in the planning and completion of this project.
Steven P. Fridsma, AIA LEEDAP is an architect and serves as the Worship environments Leader at Progressive AE, an award-winning, full-service, green architecture and engineering firm in Grand Rapids, MI. He is passionate about examining cultural, technological, and spiritual forces as they relate to new models for ministry facilities for each church client’s unique ministry context. Steve has been involved in leadership at two church plants and has served four churches designing and leading worship. Steve is also a guest instructor in architectural design and theory at Calvin College. In 2007, Steve received the AIA Grand Valley chapter's “Young Architect Award".
Church Building Event.