Josiah Venture Board
H. Philip Vierling serves as a Director and the Chairman on the Josiah Venture US board. He is President of Plumb Line Vision, Inc., which performs management and consulting services to the medical device industry. He is currently serving as interim CEO of SubioMed, Inc., an early-stage orthotic device company. Philip has over 30 years of management experience in the medical device industry, having served as the CEO/President for both Kalypto Medical (2006-2012) and Empi (1999-2004). From 2016 to 2018, Philip served as Department Chair and Assistant Professor at the University of Northwestern in St. Paul, MN. His initial involvement with Josiah Venture was as a participant of English camps in Poland, and Philip has served on the Board of Josiah Venture since 2002. He is a graduate of Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, Tennessee and holds an M.B.A. from the University of South Florida. Philip and his wife, Becky, have three children, four grandchildren, and live on a hobby farm in Minnesota.
Dave Patty serves as a Director and the President of Josiah Venture, and he is one of its founders. He and his wife, Connie, became missionaries to US servicemen and their families in the 1980s. Through mission outreaches into former Communist bloc countries, they became convinced that young people were ready and eager to hear the gospel, put their faith in Christ, and be discipled and trained up as young Christian leaders. Born to missionary parents (his parents founded Cadence International), Dave has been on the mission field for 25+ years. He is a graduate of Multnomah School of Bible in Portland, Oregon and holds a masters degree in Educational Ministry from Wheaton College. Dave and Connie live in the Czech Republic and have three adult children.
Frank Fernandes serves as a Director and the Treasurer of the Josiah Venture US board. He has been a private asset manager since 1993. Prior to this, from 1980-1993, Frank was a commodities and options trader at the Chicago Board of Trade, Chicago Mercantile Exchange, and the Chicago Board of Options Exchange. He is involved in several boards and committees, including Josiah Venture, English Language Institute China, Grace Foundation, Wheaton Academy, Wheaton College, HaChotam, and Grace Church. Frank is a graduate of Wheaton College in Illinois. He is married and has two children.
Don Christensen serves as a Director of the Josiah Venture US board and the Client Services Director for the Western United States for Ronald Blue & Co., LLC—a full-service financial solutions firm. He is a Certified Public Accountant who provides expertise in financial planning and investment management. Along with being active in various ministries and mission projects, Don is the Chairman of the Board of the Dave Dravecky Outreach of Hope Foundation and a board member for Baseball Chapel of America. Don earned his BS in Accounting from Arizona State University in 1976 and received his masters degree in Christian Leadership from Western Seminary. He and his wife reside in Arizona.
Jack Webster serves as a Director of the Josiah Venture US board and serves on their A-team. He recently transitioned from his role as a Lead Team Pastor at Southeast Christian Church, where he served as a Deacon and Elder of the church before joining the staff. Prior to his role at Southeast, he served 30 years in the Farm Credit System, the last seven as President and CEO of Farm Credit Services of America. Jack’s wife, Linda, also serves full-time in ministry as Executive Director of mPower. Jack is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma. He and Linda have two married children and seven grandchildren.
Dr. Dann Spader serves as a Director of the Josiah Venture US board and the President of Concentric, an Alliance of organizations committed to mobilizing indigenous movements of multiplying disciples around the globe. Concentric is present in almost 100 countries. Dann also serves as Founder and Chairman of the Board of Sonlife Ministries, a ministry devoted to training church leaders in the ministry priorities of Christ. In addition, Dann gives 4-5 days a month working as a consultant and staff trainer at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, KY. Dr. Spader is a graduate of Moody Bible Institute and Trinity Seminary. He has written numerous leadership training manuals, articles, and several books. His latest works include Walking As Jesus Walked and 4 Chair Discipling. Dann’s passion involves teaching people the disciple-making priorities of Jesus while in Israel where Jesus himself walked. Dann and his wife Char live in Louisville, KY. They have 3 daughters and two son-in-laws—all of whom are involved in ministry—along with six grandchildren.
Dave Jamerson serves as a Director of the Josiah Venture US board and is a former professional basketball player. After a record-breaking collegiate career, Jamerson played for the Houston Rockets, Utah Jazz, and New Jersey Nets in his 3+ NBA seasons. Dave is now the Lead Pastor of Renovate Church in Austin, Texas. Dave became a Christian while playing in the NBA, and therefore, brings a unique perspective to outreach and how to strategically connect the gospel to culture. Dave served as the President and International Director of Champions for Christ, was the founder and President of Champions Academy, and served on the NABC (National Association of Basketball Coaches) ministry team in charge of all outreach activities at the NCAA Final Four and Convention. Dave has helped to plant churches and lead ministry in over 30 countries. He resides with his wife of 25 years, April, and their 4 children in Leander, Texas.
John Deedrick serves as a Director of the Josiah Venture US board and is an experienced senior executive, as well as an early stage company founder and director/advisor. His career encompasses venture investments in over 50 companies, a board director for more than 35 companies, a co-founders role in 22 companies, and various operating roles. In addition to Josiah Venture, John serves on Athletes in Action committees for the Uncommon Award presented by Tony Dungy and the NFL Coaches Fellowship. John is President of CHIP Solutions, a business consulting firm that serves the Defense Industry and the Healthcare Industry. He is the Co-founder and Executive Chairman of ActivOrtho, Inc., and Co-Founder and Director of EndoGenex, Inc. He holds a Bachelor of Sciences degree in Business Administration from Northwestern University of St. Paul and an MBA from St. Thomas University. John and his wife, Kelly, live in Minnesota and have 2 sons and 5 grandsons. The Deedrick family loves serving others by shining the light of Christ!
Andrej Lovše serves as a Director of the Josiah Venture US board and is the country leader and President of Društvo Več, Josiah Venture’s partner organization in Slovenia. Andrej became a believer as a college student and soon after that God changed his life plans. Andrej got his Bible degree from the Institute for Biblical Studies in Zagreb and MA in Christian Ministry from Abilene Christian University in Texas. While studying, both Nina (his wife) and Andrej worked as youth ministers in Croatia. After finishing school the Lovše family moved back to their hometown of Maribor (Slovenia) and started youth work and a church plant there. When they saw the vision and mission of Josiah Venture it immediately aligned with their mission and vision for their church and the country. They joined Josiah Venture in 2009 and Andrej was on the national organization founding board. Andrej has been serving as one of the three elders of the church since its beginning in 2010 and as Društvo Več (Josiah Venture Slovenia) country leader since November 2014. Andrej is married to Nina and they have 3 children Eva, Timotej, and Izak.
Russ Schultz serves as a Director of the Josiah Venture US board and is the Director of Operations for New Life Ranch, a Christian camp and retreat center in Oklahoma where he has been part of the leadership team for almost 20 years. Prior to his full-time ministry role in camping, Russ spent 18 years in technology and business. He is a graduate of the University of Tulsa. Russ is active with other NPO boards and enjoys time with his wife, Deedra, their six children, and one precious granddaughter.
Kevin Wilson serves as a Director of the Josiah Venture US board and is President and Chief Executive Officer of Heska Corporation (NASDQ: HSKA) (2013-present), a business focused on veterinary healthcare, with locations in the United States, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Australia, and Malaysia. He resides in Colorado with his wife, three sons, daughter, and border collie. He is chairman of the board of Vail Christian High School; while he didn’t complete college he encourages others-especially his children-to do so. He began to follow Jesus at the age of 15. At the age of 20, he began founding and operating start-up businesses in medical diagnostics, image detection, software, and related services, several of which resulted in positive mergers and integrations with public and private companies. Being from Colorado, he skis (alpine and cross-country) and cycles (road and mountain) each more slowly every year.
David Swain serves as a Director of the Josiah Venture US board and is cofounder of two healthcare companies: OB Hospitalist Group and Proactive-MD. He enjoys mentoring business leaders and young men and advising/investing in startup organizations. He received a degree in Math and Computer Science from The Citadel and a degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of South Carolina. David has been married to his beloved wife, Mary, for 40 years. Both are enthusiastic supporters of Josiah Venture. They live in Greenville, SC, and have 6 children and 8 grandchildren; 7 of which live next door.
