Leadership
National Staff
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Officer and Director Nominees for 2017-2018
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National Staff
Simeon May, CAE, CPA, CCA
Chief Executive Officer
Email:
simeon@thechurchnetwork.com
972.699.7555
www.twitter.com/SimeonMay
Simeon May took office as the association's fourth Executive Director on May 1, 1998. He was the unanimous choice of the seven-member Executive Director Search Committee and the Board of Directors. In recognition of Simeon’s earning the designation of CAE (see below) the Board of Directors officially changed his title to Chief Executive Officer in March of 2004.
Prior to his selection, Simeon served as Minister of Business Administration for the First Baptist Church of Richardson, Texas, for almost fifteen years. Simeon joined the FBCR staff in September of 1983 after having been a layman in the church the previous seven years. As a layman he held several leadership positions in the church including Deacon. In 1994 Simeon was Ordained to the Gospel Ministry by the church. He has been a member of FBCR since 1976.
Simeon served on the TCN (formerly NACBA) Board for seven years from 1989 to 1996 including the last two of those years as President. His other service to TCN includes that of President of the Dallas Chapter and instructor in Church Accounting for the association's certification program. He is a Certified Church Administrator (CCA) from TCN. Simeon is also a past president of the Baptist Leader Network.
In January 2004 Simeon earned the designation Certified Association Executive (CAE) from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). Among association professionals “CAE” is an indication of demonstrated skill in leadership and expertise in association management. Simeon has also served on the board of directors for the Dallas-Fort Worth Association Executives (DFWAE) including two years as president.
Simeon was humbled and honored to receive the Award of Excellence from DFWAE in 2010 and the Association Executive Leadership Award from Multiview, Inc. in 2011.
Although a native of Louisville, Mississippi, Simeon declared himself a Texan while attending Baylor University. At Baylor, he earned the Bachelor of Business Administration degree as an Accounting major and later became a Certified Public Accountant. Simeon is a Life Member of the Baylor Line Foundation (formerly the Baylor Alumni Association).
In addition to his memberships in ASAE and DFWAE, Simeon is a member of the American Institute of CPAs and the Texas Society of CPAs. Simeon serves on the Religious Practices Advisory Committee for the Richardson Independent School District. He has also served on the Business and Audit Committee of the Baptist General Convention of Texas.
In September 2011, Simeon was appointed to a Panel of Religious Sector Representatives, which advised The Commission on Accountability and Policy for Religious Organizations. The commission was formed following a staff report issued by U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) that focused on the financial practices of six high-profile media-based Christian ministries. After releasing the findings of his three-year inquiry, the senator asked the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability to spearhead an independent national effort to review and provide input on major accountability and policy issues affecting religious and other nonprofit organizations. The Commission issued Part I of its report late in 2012 and issued Part II of its report late in 2013. Though Simeon does not agree with all of the recommendations of the Commission, he was honored to be a part of the discussion and process.
Simeon is married to Denise May, the Principal at Big Springs Elementary School in the Richardson Independent School District and the Pianist for the First Baptist Church of Richardson. Their children and "bonus" children are Emily and Ryan Hopkins, Joel and Kristin May, and Julie and Darrin Hicks. Emily, Joel, and Julie are Baylor graduates and are teachers in public education in the Dallas area. Simeon and Denise have a grandson and a granddaughter.
J. Phillip Martin, MA, ACC, CAE, CCA
Deputy Chief Executive Officer
Email: phill@thechurchnetwork.com
214.446.5702
www.twitter.com/jphillmar
www.phillmartin.net
A native of Huntsville, Alabama, Phill joined the staff of TCN (formerly NACBA) in June, 2000, as Director of Education. In March of 2006 he became the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the association. Phill completed twenty-four years of service in various positions of ministry in local churches, most recently as Associate Pastor of Administration of First Baptist Church, Richardson, Texas. For twelve years he served as Senior Educator/Administrator of South Main Baptist Church in Houston, Texas. In addition, he served First Baptist Church, Chamblee, Georgia (now John's Creek Baptist Church), South Avondale Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, and First Baptist Church in Richmond, Texas.
Phill graduated from Samford University, where he earned a Bachelor of Music Education degree. He received a Master of Arts in Religious Education from Southwestern Seminary and has done post-graduate work at the Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Administration at Rice University. He was ordained to the gospel ministry by Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas. He is a Certified Association Executive through the American Society of Association Executives.
Phill is a Certified Church Administrator (CCA) by TCN and, prior to working for the association, served on its board as Central Area Vice President and Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications. He is the original developer of the association's website and continues to serves as webmaster.
Active in his faith community, he has served as an elected officer of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, having held its top elected position as Moderator of the governing board 2002-03. He previously served as an at-large member of its Coordinating Council chairing the Communication and Marketing Ministry Group. In addition he has served on their Information System Task Force to develop technology strategies for the organization and chaired the local arrangement committee for the 1998 Houston General Assembly. For three years, Gloria and Phill served as member care counselors for mission personnel serving primarily in Eastern Europe.
Phill served as President of the Baptist Leader Network and holds their certification. He served on the Business and Audit Committee of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Phill is a member of the International Coach Federation and holds their coach certification, the American Society of Association Executives, and serves on the board of the Dallas-Fort Worth Association Executives.
He and his wife Gloria have two daughters, Lauren, a Georgia Tech alumnae and industrial engineer, and Andrea, a University of Texas in Austin alumnae and Registered Dietitian. Gloria holds the Masters of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy from University of Houston – Clearlake and has a private practice as well as works with the Robert Beaver’s Family Center. Gloria and Phill are members of the Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas.
Tammy Mirau
Administrative Associate
Email: tammy@thechurchnetwork.com
214.446.5710
Rose Ella McCleary
Education Associate
Email: rose.ella@thechurchnetwork.com
214.446.5705
Ernestine Haas
Conference Manager
Email: ernestine@thechurchnetwork.com
214.446.5706
Board of Directors
Want to get in touch with the national board?
Send an email to the board of directors at
board@thechurchnetwork.com.
Rev. Ross Burton, CCA
President
First Baptist Church
701 S Main St
Jonesboro, AR 72401-3547
Work Phone: (870) 932-3456
Email: rburton@fbcjonesboro.org
Denise Craig, CCA
Vice President
Abba's House
5208 Hixson Pike
Hixson, TN 37343-3929
Work Phone: (423) 877-6462
Email: denisec@abbashouse.com
Harold Carlson, CCA
Secretary
Thanksgiving Lutheran Church
3702 S 370 Plz
Bellevue, NE 68123-1206
Work Phone: (402) 292-2695
Email: harold.carlson@thanksgiving.church '
Rev. Greg Gordon, CCA
Director
First Church of God
2627 Niles Ave
Saint Joseph, MI 49085-1991
Work Phone: (269) 983-1524
Email: greg.g@myfirstchurch.com
Rev. Melvin E. Jones, CCA
Director
Antioch Baptist Church
6531 Little Ox Rd
Fairfax Station, VA 22039-1613
Work Phone: (703) 425-0710
Email: mjones@antioch-church.org
Laurel Swanson, CCA
Director
Lutheran Church of the Cross
1701 8th St SW
Altoona, IA 50009-2607
Work Phone: (515) 967-4818
Email: laurel@lccaltoona.org
Deborah Miller Wilson, CCA
Director
Pritchard Memorial Baptist Church
1117 South Blvd
Charlotte, NC 28203-4205
Work Phone: (704) 376-1571
Email: deborahwilson@pritchardmemorial.com
Brandon Woodard, CCA
Director
Cornerstone Assembly of God
10551 Chalkley Rd
North Chesterfield, VA 23237-4132
Work Phone: (804) 748-8613
Email: bqwoodard@gmail.com
Rev. Dr. Mark King, CCA
Director
Western North Carolina Conference
PO Box 18005
Charlotte, NC 28218-0005
Work Phone: (704) 535-2260
Email: mking@wnccumc.org
Compliance Officer
Merwin Pickney
Woodlake Church
7100 E 31st St
Tulsa, OK 74145-1203
Work Phone: (918) 622-7100
Email: mpickney@woodlakeag.org