Comments:
My first year at Wheaton College I dropped out of football before the first game and instead concentrated on track and academics. I married Elona before my Senior year at Wheaton, and managed to graduate with high honors and a school record in track.
Returning to the Warsaw area, I taught and coached at Warsaw Christian School, Warsaw High School, and Grace College, while I finished an MA at Ball State and had two children Arnold and Sonya.
I returned to Wheaton in 1967 where I taught languages, and then became an administrator after completing a Ph.D. in Higher Education at SUNY Buffalo (NY)in 1976. I was fired in 1983, and went to Fresno Pacific University (CA) in 1984. During 12 years as President of FPU we enjoyed a time of significant growth in enrollment and facilities, and high rankings in the annual US News higher education report.
I resigned the Presidency in 1997 and worked 11 years as a nonprofit organizational manager in the Fresno area, including president of Fresno United Way for 8 years. During that time Elona and I divorced, a very hard but important process for each of us. My book "Leadership Prayers" was published by Tyndale House in 1998. It is still available in print and as an e-book.
Since 2001 I have been married to Peggi whose daughter Janine has three children. My daughter Sonya died on 2/8/18 after three years fighting breast cancer. From our three children combined we have a total of seven grandchildren and three greats, all but one living within a comfortable drive of our home in Kingsburg, just south of Fresno in the Great Valley of central California.
For three years ending June 2017 I had to serve as president of Fresno Pacific again when they faced a sudden and significant leadership challenge. Without any current management responsibilities, I try to get additional books written and published, and do limited management and board consulting and public presentations.
My professional and personal life continues to be centered in my faith in Jesus Christ and my desire to enjoy "practicing the presence of God" in everything I do. I enjoy working out, including jogging, though I am a lot slower than in 1959. I enjoy our little vegetable garden, listening to music (from Bach and Rachmaninoff to Kenny G and Michael W. Smith), playing the piano, reading, internet conversations with long term friends, church, and time with Peggi and with our expanding circles of family.
Warsaw High School was a great experience for me, and by God's grace the years since I graduated have been full of laughter, tears, achieving life goals, satisfying service, learning life-lessons, and loving and being loved.
