COMPLETING THE CALL - Key Persons
In early 2004 when Art Foster needed help with his computer, he did what everyone else does. He called tech support. Minutes into that call, the entire course of Art's life shifted to a brand new mission. The man Art had finally reached at that support center in Toronto was an Indian pastor. The two men stayed in touch and out of this simple phone call, a friendship grew over the ensuing months. It culminated with Art stepping into ministry later that year and his life has never been the same.
Jerry West grew up on the beaches of Santa Monica, CA. After deciding that there was no future in being a beach bum, he went to San Diego State University. Graduating with a bachelor's degree in Production Management, he went to work at Douglas Aircraft in the Missiles and Space Division. While doing his work, he also earned an MBA from The University of Southern California's School of Business.
After college, he entered the field of Information Technology and went on to build a 40 year career in that field. Responding to opportunities early in his career, he moved to Atlanta, where he found himself in the middle of the Bible belt. After some twists and turns, he accepted Christ and stepped into the next era of his life as a successful Christian businessman.
Eventually, Jerry made the decision to stop working for others and started his own IT consulting business. In 2010, Jerry and his wife moved to their favorite lake in North Georgia to take on a semi-retired lifestyle.
Jerry keeps busy as an adjunct professor for the University of Phoenix in the school of business, teaching management courses in the MBA and undergraduate programs and keeping a few consulting clients. He's currently seeking a new career in fishing and gardening that he can enjoy with his wife, four daughters and eight grandchildren.
Michael is a missionary, church planter and bi-vocational pastor. He and his wife Vicki both graduated from seminary and served together as missionaries with IMB (International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention) in Chile for about a year and later in Poland for four years.
When God connected Michael with Art Foster in 2010, he and Vicki caught a passion for the unreached peoples of India. They went with Art and others to Karnataka for 10 days in 2014. While there, their passion became inflamed! Since then they have supported one of Karnataka Gospel Mission's senior pastors. Also, their Church supports the ministry monthly as well. Michael joined the board of directors of Completing The Call in October 2015.
Michael is from from St. Louis, Missouri and Vicki is from Southern Illinois. They met at Michael's home church in St. Louis where Vicki was working as children's minister. Shortly after, they were married while they were both attending seminary at Southwestern Baptist in Fort Worth, Texas. Vicki received her degree in Christian Education while Michael received his in Missiology.
During their tour in Poland Michael served as a missions strategist for northwest Poland. During that time they were also doing work with an orphanage that was about an hour outside of Poznan. They participated in a program called "Friend Family" in which sponsors brought kids into their home during holidays so the kids could spend that time in a family environment. After they met their three little bunnies (the meaning of their last names) they fell in love with then and ended up adopting all three 1.5 years later! They are Rachel, Ben, and Matt. The adoption was finalized in 2007 after which they returned for stateside assignment.
After much prayer, they felt led to forgo another overseas assignment and remain in the US so the kids could assimilate into American culture and into their extended family in St. Louis. That led to a long job hunt that God used to connect Michael with New Balance (shoe company). He miraculously landed a job as a photographer for the company in 2009 and God has continued to bless him with three promotions. He is currently a manager on the Global Brand Marketing team and loves his job.
Most recently Michael and Vicki are leading Kaleo Church St. Louis which they planted in October 2013. Their vision statement for the church is "Called to connecting people to the gospel of Jesus Christ through worship, community, and Mission."
Michael and Vicki are an amazing ministry team! Here's how Michael describes Vicki in his own words:
"Vicki has continued to be involved in children's ministry since when we met and she's amazing! I couldn't say enough about her to paint an accurate picture. She is a talented, beautiful, and highly valuable woman who astounds me on many levels. She hasn't met a stranger, ever, and is sometimes concerned that people get annoyed that she smiles too much! (That should paint a pretty good picture!) She was working as children's minister at the church we were attending a year and a half ago until we left in order to begin working on a church plant here in the area. She is an incredibly faithful servant and my best friend."
Phil is originally from Ashburn, GA and attended college at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College and Georgia Southern University. He earned Associate degrees in Agri-business and General Business, and a Bachelors of Science Degree in Finance, respectively. He has been married for 26 years and has two children who are now in college.
Phil's work in the ministry is extensive and has afforded him a great deal of experience. Over the years he has served as a Youth Sunday School leader for Middle School and High School students, a Youth Group leader on four international mission trips, an Adult Team Leader on a Men's Mission Trip to Mexico, and as a Deacon in his church. He is also active in the North Georgia Tres Dias organization.
Phil serves on the Board of Directors for a non-profit organization, VOICE Today, Inc, that offers faith based programs for prevention, protection and healing materials for Child Sexual Abuse. His wife, Angela Williams, is the Founder and CEO of this organization.
Phil is also a partner in a health and wellness company that provides an aftercare recovery program for individuals coming out of addiction and alcohol abuse programs. Called Aftercare Recovery Centers of America, LLC, Phil worked hard to develop this program and bring it to fruition. As you can see by the work Phil continues to do, his faith and walk are centered on Christ's reconciliation to righteousness with God.
Phil understands that Christ is our ideal. His faith and belief is that Christ is first our Savior, and through us dying to self, He becomes our Lord. Phil also believes that through our walk, discipleship, and experiencing God's work in and around us, Christ then becomes our Treasure.
Dick Fretty grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin but spent his adult life in Atlanta, Georgia. He served in the Air Force for two years and then went on to have a distinguished 30+ year career in sales and sales management.
After accepting Christ in 1973, Dick has been passionate about evangelizing the lost and discipling believers. Since 1988 he has utilized his spiritual gifts of exhortation and teaching to actively pursue his calling. Dick has a huge heart for sharing Christ and discipling those in prison or jail. He is active in several prison ministries.
Dick's journey to Completing The Call began in 1993 when he joined the board of The Jackson Institute, an international discipleship ministry. This is where they both served on that ministry's board. Dick continues to serve on the board of The Jackson Institute where he is a key ministry leader.
During his years of ministry service, he has also personally discipled many men to spiritual maturity by leading small groups and utilizing the principles and tools provided by the Institute. Dick was married for 50 years before his wife went to be with the Lord in 2008. Since then, he spends his time in ministry, evangelism, and being entertained by his four children and seven grandchildren.