SPEAKERS

The bios for this year’s distinguished list of speakers are still rolling in.  Here are the ones received to date. Check back often as we will be constantly updating this area of the site to reflect speaker and session updates!

 
Jeff Yordy, Fox Faith, Keynote Speaker

Jeff Yordy, Vice President, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, is responsible for the Company's $300 million acquired business. Yordy directly manages the FoxFaith business, including leadership roles in film acquisition, theatrical releasing, Christian retail sales, Christian church and consumer outreach/marketing, and DVD marketing.

FoxFaith, which is made up of leading faith-based titles as Passion of the Christ, The Visitation, Love Comes Softly, and others, currently holds 6 of the top 10 best-selling adult titles in Christian retail with a sales share of over 70%, and has shipped over 25 million units of faith-based product in the last two years.

Larry Ross, A. Larry Ross Communications

Larry Ross has more than 25 years experience in mainstream and Christian public relations, with significant involvement in both Christian and secular business. Throughout his career and personal ministry, Mr. Ross has been a strategic consultant to many organizations and individuals at both agency and corporate levels.
                        
A graduate of Wheaton College in Illinois, Mr. Ross has diverse experience in all forms of promotion and communications. He has developed national and international images for worldwide organizations, in several cases serving as primary corporate spokesperson.

Mr. Ross has extensive radio/television training and expertise. Before his involvement with public relations agencies in New York, Philadelphia and Dallas (since 1980), he spent several years as field spokesman for the General Motors Corporation. He has also handled media positioning for baseball great Joe DiMaggio and evangelist Billy Graham.

Mr. Ross has broad experience in for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. In New York, his focus was media liaison with business press, including investor relations and financial public relations for the nation’s second largest savings bank.

He has helped numerous organizations conduct issues management, corporate positioning, crisis communications and coordinate special events – influencing  public opinion through an effective use of media and public relations.

Bob Hutchins, The BuzzPlant

He is an Internet marketing industry veteran and former vice president of marketing and development for Global Tech Resources and The Christian Interactive Network.  With over 11 years experience in Internet marketing and promotion, he was on the bleeding edge of the new media revolution. His expertise extends to online media, Email marketing and wireless messaging.

BuzzPlant is a multipurpose Internet marketing agency that develops and creates awareness and demand on a grassroots basis for music artists and companies in the CBA industry. BuzzPlant¹s client roster includes such well known entities as Warner Bros. Records, Twentieth Century Fox, Mel Gibson's The Passion of The Christ, INO Records, Inpop Records, Rocketown Records, Crowne Music Group, Integrity Media, Flicker Records, John Tesh, World Vision, !Hero The Rock Opera, Curb Records and Zondervan Publishing.

BuzzPlant's marketing partners include AOL/Time Warner, Yahoo,  Christianity.com, and many others.

Beth Cathey, Renegade Idea Group

Beth Cathey helped found the Faith Based Marketing Association and is currently President of Renegade Idea Group, Inc. -- a media buying (including list brokerage) and faith based marketing campaign management firm. The simple mission of Renegade is to serve both Christian non-profit and for profit clients who make a difference in the world.  This is accomplished by helping organizations acquire new donors for their cause and customers for their products through strategic acquisition efforts and other strategically-applied media efforts and marketing campaigns.  Beth also co-owns Ground Force Network with BuzzPlant owner, Bob Hutchins.

Previously, Beth worked for a full service, direct marketing, fundraising, and marketing firm – KMA the agency -- for almost 15 years.  In June of 1993 Beth created a new division within the agency – a media services group.  This group was responsible for all print media buys for the more than 20 non-profit clients of the agency.  Beth also organized a list brokerage group which managed all aspects of new donor acquisition programs, from strategic development, list purchasing, merge/purge management, and results analysis.  This group was responsible for the development of a proprietary list analysis database that provided list by list performance analysis based on five years of multi-cause data.

Prior to the media services group, Beth served as a senior consultant, managing the multi-million dollar marketing/fundraising budgets of such national organizations as Prison Fellowship, American Bible Society, Moody Magazine, and many others.

A member of the Direct Marketing Association for more than a decade, Beth has also served on the List/Database Council and the Non-Profit Council of the DMA, and the List Leaders Group.

Beth is a summa cum laude graduate of Hardin-Simmons University, majoring in mass communications.  She lives in Rockwall, Texas with husband, Dean and her three sons:  Joshua, Caleb and Micah. As a part of the local community, Beth serves as chairman of the Marketing committee as a Rockwall Chamber of Commerce Board of Director, and attends church at Lake Pointe Church.

Eric Wright, Ground Force Network

Eric Wright is a project manager with both The BuzzPlant and Ground Force Network, based out of Franklin, TN. He and his team drive marketing ideas and direction for numerous music, film and literary clients utilizing viral elements such as ecards, websites, and eblasts in conjunction with street team initiatives. Eric manages the overall process and is the key liaison between the client and the in-house designers.  He is currently managing campaigns for INO records, S/R/E records, INPOP records, Charlie Peacock’s new label The Runway Network, Disney/Walden film, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, and the New York Times best selling book, The Maker’s Diet.

Before joining The BuzzPlant and GFN, Eric worked primarily as an artist manager in the music business both with corporate firms and his own management company, WRIGHT management.  In this capacity, he developed marketing campaigns, over saw photo shoots, gave A&R direction, and handled all tour management aspects.  While at these companies, he worked with major label artists such as Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Cindy Morgan, Rachael Lampa, Jill Phillips, and All Together Separate.  Additionally he has done marketing consulting and career development for many independent artists who rely solely on grassroots and word of mouth marketing. 

Eric has also started his own hockey “grassroots” campaign aimed at his two young sons, which includes many trips to the practice rink and lots of nhl.com.

Susan Bill, Ground Force Network

Susan Bill has worked in word-of-mouth marketing for almost five years.  As the “Ground War Leader” for Ground Force Network, she has had the opportunity to work with thousands of volunteers as she manages and equips them to promote an array of books, films, music releases and events.  In addition to having direct contact with Ground Force volunteers, Susan also helps create each Ground Force campaign’s strategy and then leads the campaign to ensure that each element of the campaign is executed properly.  Recent projects include Erwin McManus’ latest book, Soul Cravings, the film Thr3e based on Ted Dekker’s best-selling novel, Jonny Lang’s new album Turn Around, and the film The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.

Prior to joining Ground Force, Susan was a marketing coordinator at the Nashville, TN office of Grassroots Music, Inc./StreetLaunch.com, where she helped execute viral marketing campaigns for new album releases in Christian music and online marketing/retail sales for hundreds of Christian artists on GrassrootsMusic.com. While at Grassroots Music, Susan worked on projects for artists such as Bebo Norman, Caedmon's Call, Jars of Clay, Switchfoot, and the Mel Gibson film, The Passion Of The Christ.

When Susan isn’t at the Franklin, TN office of Ground Force, she can usually be found down the road at The People’s Church where she serves in various leadership positions in the youth group and NextGen ministry.

Veda Brown, President/CEO of Black Gospel Promo, Inc.

“I didn’t ask for this.  God gave it to me.” – Veda Brown, President/CEO of Black Gospel Promo, responds when asked about her ever expanding email marketing enterprise.  Brown says that she had no idea that the little business she started from her laptop out of her home as a hobby would evolve into the marketing powerhouse that it has become today.

With over 180,000 people receiving Brown’s email blasts, and over 5 years into existence BlackGospelPromo.com has become the primary information source for the gospel music industry, African-American media resources and the African-American faith based minitries.  According to Steven Ford, songwriter, producer, and CEO of S Ford Music, “Black Gospel Promo has become the CNN of gospel marketing and communications… and with God’s direction [Veda Brown] has developed her company into the mainframe of the Gospel Media Industry.”  In less then five years, Black Gospel Promo has revolutionized the way that record labels, Christian businesses and churches communicates.

Black Gospel Promo’s services are utilized to promote anything from CD’s and book releases to conferences and small businesses.  Brown’s clients range from independent artists to gospel giants such as Kirk Franklin, Yolanda Adams, and Donnie McClurkin just to name a few.  Some of Black Gospel’s recent campaigns include:  Superbowl Gospel Celebration, Stellar Awards, Tyler Perry’s movie release of “Daddy’s Little Girl”, Bishop T.D. Jakes Conferences”, and Fred Hammond’s Tour just to name a few.

Black Gospel Promo may be a new face in the gospel industry but Veda Brown is not.  With over twenty years of experience working for corporate America, Brown is no newcomer to the entertainment industry.  Her impressive resume includes:  CGI Records, America Online’s NetNoir.com, Vickie Winans, and Bajada Records.  Brown writes for “The Gospel Industry Roundup” and “Gospel Today” magazine and consults for many churches and gospel record labels.

As if Brown wasn’t busy enough, Black Gospel Promo also has a publicity division.  BlackGospelPromo.com’s publicity division serves as a publicity firm for gospel recording artist, Kurt Carr and Bishop Andrew Merritt who pastors Straight Gate Church in Detroit, Michigan. 

Brown’s business savvy coupled with her expertise in the entertainment industry has led her to become a sought after speaker at various conferences and engagements.  She has spoken at the About My Father’s Business Conference, the Gospel Heritage Foundation Conference, the Stellars Awards, and the Bobby Jones Bi-Annual International Gospel Industry Retreat.

Veda is a native of Philadelphia, PA.  She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Moore College of Art and Design where she major in Graphic Design and Advertising.  Brown also has extensive training in music management from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia and business administration from various sources which includes programs at University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business.  In her spare time, she acts as a caregiver for her aunt who raised her from birth and her 2 year old niece of which both keep her very busy.  Her life scripture is “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.”

Honnie Korngold, ChristianTravelFinder.com

Honnie Korngold has nearly 20 years of leadership experience developing marketing programs for ministries and luxury resorts. An accomplished creative marketer, her vision and expertise have driven notable growth in the church, parachurch and hospitality segments. She has authored articles and lectured on the topics of ministry marketing and communications and is the recipient of an Adrian Golden Bell Award for excellence in advertising.  She has been featured in TIME Magazine, USA Today and The CBS Early Show.

Offering a rare blend of creative and operational strengths, Honnie has achieved exciting organizational and product turnarounds and is recognized for her success in marketing Christian events. As Director of Marketing for Campus Crusade for Christ’s conference ministry for nearly 10 years, Honnie was involved in developing, marketing and overseeing nearly 6000 Christian events during her tenure. Her strategic approach to building a business is reflected in her work as Founder and President of Christian Travel Finder, a unique and innovative California based travel and event company specializing in Christian cruises and events. 

Honnie also serves as the Vice President of the World Religious Travel Association and is the host of “Travel with Spirit” a half hour radio program on Salem Radio Network’s WTLN Orlando.  The show features faith-based, family friendly travel insights.

Tom McCabe, KMA Direct

Tom McCabe Tom is a 30-year veteran in direct marketing. He began his career under the leader­ship of Art DeMoss at the National Liberty Corporation. He also launched the International Marketing Group (IMG) in 1978—a direct response fundraising and research firm that served many nonprofits across America. Tom then co-founded KMA, where today he serves as president and CEO. He is also a board member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA), for which he served as chairman from 1992 to 1995. In addition, he is a board member of the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB). He is also a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, the Christian Stewardship Association, and the Council for National Policy. KMA is a member of the Founders Council of the Christian Management Association. Tom is married with three children and an elder in his church.

Curt Swindoll, Cool Strategies

Curt is the CEO of Cool Strategies, a management consulting firm founded in 2000.  Cool Strategies serves nonprofit and for profit clients across the country, providing strategic planning, business development and marketing, board consulting, and project implementation services.

During his career, Curt served in a variety of roles, ranging from IT functional leadership to COO/executive leadership positions.  He currently sits on several advisory boards.

In 2000, he completed his MBA at Pepperdine University and is currently an adjunct professor in BIOLA University's Masters in Organizational Leadership program where he teaches on nonprofit leadership and management issues.

Curt and his wife, Debbie, have been married for 26 years and reside in Brea, California.  They have three children:  Ryan (22), Chelsea (21), and Landon (18). 

Mark Loux, Vice President of Client Services, Douglas Shaw & Associates
28 years experience

Mark brings to DSA strong direct response strategic planning and development, analytical, offer creation and testing skills and experience through multiple channels in both not-for-profit and for-profit organizations. Throughout the years Mark has helped grow the ministry resources for more than 50 ministries including Moody Bible Institute, International Bible Society, Mercy Ships, Union Gospel Mission of Seattle, Wycliffe Associates, SIM, American Bible Society, Young Life, Family Life and Partners International along with developing effective product marketing efforts for such organizations as Cook Communications Ministries, Moody Institute of Science, Seabury & Smith and Brownells.  Having held roles of Senior Consultant with direct response agencies Stratmark and KMA Direct, Mark has also owned and managed his own consulting and fundraising firm.  He also brings experience in multi-channel marketing (mail, e-commerce and phone) and one-to-one marketing strategies.  He's a graduate of Wheaton College with a B.A. in Economics and Business.  I'll try to have a photo to you in the morning.

John Walvoord, Stratmark, Ltd.

Dr. John Walvoord is one of the foremost strategic planners and CEO-to-CEO consultants in the not-for-profit private sector. Dr. Walvoord frequently plays a critical role in the restructuring of large not-for-profit organizations and in the start-up of others. He is active in networking to provide relationship linkages and co-marketing relationships between not-for-profit organizations. 
Dr. Walvoord has been the founder or co-founder of several companies, including:  Walvoord Killion McCabe & Associates (now KMA DIRECT COMMUNICATIONS), Walvoord Data Systems, Inc. (now SHELBY SYSTEMS), Stratmark, Ltd. , Response World Media, Ltd., and is7. 

Dr. Walvoord has professional expertise in theology, psychology, marketing research, advertising, direct response marketing, and institutional development. His extensive education includes a B.A. and M.A. from the University of North Texas, a Th.M. and Th.D. from Dallas Theological Seminary, postdoctoral study in religion at Southern Methodist University, graduate study at New York University and a Ph.D. in psychology from Columbia University in New York. He has been listed in Outstanding Educators in America, Who’s Who in the Southwest, Who’s Who in Religion, and Who’s Who in Advertising.

Dr. Walvoord pioneered the use of LIFEVALUE MARKETING as both a philosophy and a system of targeted communication. The result has been the development of both strategic planning models and practical systems for donor relationship management. This allows not-for-profit organizations to manage the long-term value created by donors and members across every life stage. These techniques are now critical for organizations to sustain high levels of income in the rapidly shifting not-for-profit marketplace of the 21st century.

Currently Dr. Walvoord serves as CEO of Stratmark, Ltd. and is actively involved in strategic planning for key not-for-profit organizations including the American Bible Society, Feed The Children, Joel Osteen Ministries, and InTouch Ministries (Dr. Charles Stanley).

In his roles as entrepreneur, teacher, strategic planner, and consultant Dr. Walvoord has been a catalytic influence in helping not-for-profit organizations become more effective in bringing hope, help and redemption to millions around the world.

Jim Killion, is7

A native of Los Angeles, Jim’s life has been focused on helping others. He has mentored a remarkable array of communicators, many of whom continue to make an impact for good in the lives of millions.

Over the past three decades Jim has helped nonprofits raise hundreds of millions of dollars for causes which directly address the human condition.  Over that time period he has worked for some of America’s most respected nonprofits, serving hundreds of organizations.

Jim pioneered online communication for nonprofits, launching websites and an online portal in 1994. He is the winner of Bronze, Silver, and the rare Diamond International Echo Award. He was a principal founder, CEO, and Chief Creative Officer of KMA, and joined Stratmark in 2003. He is the founder of is7.

Dr. Michael D. Miller

Dr. Miller is currently the Executive Pastor at First Baptist Dallas, managing church staff of 200 employees & an operating budget of $12.6 Million dollars.  He has been a pastor in some capacity since 1978.   Dr. Miller’s experience as Vice President of Church Relations for LifeWay’s Church Resources division found him responsible for $127 Million dollars of direct to church business with the primary responsibility of developing and implementing sales & marketing plans for LifeWay.  Dr. Miller’s passion for the church and his practical working knowledge of marketing make Dr. Miller the perfect candidate to speak at the Faith Based Marketing Summit on the topic of Church Marketing Done Right.  Dr. Miller’s other accomplishments could fill a book, but other notables include:  serving as Director of the Church Growth Division for the California Southern Baptist Convention and authoring many books, including:  A Resources Manual for Small Groups, Ministry Gifts Inventory, Kingdom Leadership, Kingdom Principles Growth Strategies, Honoring the Ministry, Keeping Your Heart for Ministry and The Kingdom Focused Leader. Dr. Miller is also President of Management Solutions Services a consulting company that assists organizations with management solutions customized to their needs. The company provides leadership coaching, organizational audits, change management processes & sales & marketing assistance. Clients have included mega churches, publishing companies.

Van Crouch

Van Crouch is widely regarded as one of America's most effective ministers, conference speakers, and trainers.  As founder and president of the ministry, Van Crouch Communications, Van challenges individuals to achieve excellence in their lives.  His past experiences in the corporate arena and as a speaker to many of the nation's professional sports teams, give him an enthusiasm for life, a spontaneous sense of humor and a genuine interest in people.

Reverend Crouch entered the ministry after ranking as a consistent national sales leader with the American Express Company, and as a qualifying member of the insurance industry's prestigious Million Dollar Round Table.  He has authored the best-selling books, Stay In The Game, Winning 101,  Dare to Succeed, and Take It Back.

Melanie Few, Results, Inc.

Melanie Few is the founder and managing partner of RESULTS, INC., which she established in 1995 after several years of holding senior marketing management positions. During her career in corporate America, she garnered a wealth of consumer-based marketing experience which she now applies to her work at RESULTS, INC. where she has established the company as a leading Urban Marketing and Entertainment Marketing agency, pioneering programs that effectively align faith based programs with corporate America. 

This highly successful marketing approach has taken the industry by storm and has given traditional "blue chip" companies an in-road to the lucrative Urban Faith market. Melanie's group has been the faith based consulting agency to major clients including: The Coca Cola Company, The National Football League, Revlon, General Mills, Hallmark Cards, Loreal, Pepsi, Procter and Gamble, Church’s Chicken, and Paramount Films just to name a few
Ms. Few has garnered national recognition as a “deal-maker” securing the following first-of-their-kind marketing agreements:                                                                                      

1.  The first agency to secure over 1 million dollars in sponsorship for a faith based gospel tour.
2. Created and then negotiated the agreement for General Mills’ Honey Nut Cheerios® to be the first cereal brand to feature gospel recording artists on the back of the cereal box.
3. Persuaded The Coca-Cola Company to align its 1996 Coke Classic campaign with gospel in the first promotional association of its kind.            
4.  Convinced the National Football League on the need for a gospel concert that is aligned with the Super Bowl resulting in a 9 year agreement with the NFL as the exclusive sanction holder of faith based property-The Super Bowl Gospel Celebration.
1. Secured Motorola, Sam’s Club, Burger King, Gateway Computers, Amtrak, American Family Insurance, St. Joseph Asprin and McDonalds as sponsors during the 9 year history.
5. Negotiated and assisted in the development of Hallmark Card’s “Loose Your Spirit” Greeting Card Line.
6.   Aligned gospel artist, Kirk Franklin, with Church’s Chicken in a franchise deal. Not only is Mr. Franklin a franchisee, he was also featured in television and radio commercials for Church’s Chicken. 

She has been a featured speaker for many national conferences including: The ANA (Association of National Advertisers), IEG Sponsorship, AMA (American Marketing Association), EPM (Entertainment Promotions and Marketing) and Starcomm . She has been named the leading resource in Urban Faith Based marketing by: Advertising Age and Black Enterprise.

Melanie is a graduate of Clark College where she majored in Mass Communications and minored in Marketing. She is an active member of the New Hope Church and a volunteer for the Margaret J. Few Camp for disadvantaged children.