Executive Board of CMU
Charles F. Cochran
A real estate broker and owner of Crossroads Realty Corp. of
VA, Charles has served as a community volunteer in many ministries for over
thirty years. He was associate staff for Campus Crusade for Christ, city
coordinator for "Here's Life Richmond," a co-founder of the Richmond
Affiliate of Habitat for Humanity, and a board member of Associates Resourcing
Missions and New Life for Youth, and he has been associated with Richmond's
Youth With a Mission. Charles and his wife, Brenda, attend New Life Outreach,
International Church.
Richard M. Covington, Jr.
Richard is a native of Norfolk, VA where his parents and
family still reside. He is a graduate of Old Dominion University, where he
earned a Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice and minored in African American
Studies. Richard formerly worked at Offender Aid and Restoration in downtown
Richmond as a Post-Release Case Manager. He is currently the Program
Administrator for STEP (Strategies To Elevate People), a CMU member ministry,
where he coordinates, facilitates, and runs the Jobs Partnership Training
Program. He is also a Resident Manager for Hospital Hospitality House. He is a
member of Bringing God's Word to Life Ministries on the Southside of Richmond.
Willie Lee
Willie C. Lee is the founder and President of JIREH
Construction Company, a general contracting firm that performs both site and
building construction. One of JIREH's goals is to provide teaching and
training opportunities to men and women in developing skills and trades to
support their families and bringing purpose and value to their lives.
Recently, Willie has had the opportunity to speak to students at several local
trade schools (Home Builder's Institute, Dad's Work, and the Career
Advancement & Training Center) to help toward this goal. Willie is a
recent graduate of the City of Richmond's first Chaplain's Police Academy.
Willie and his wife Juanita are Elders at The Celebration Center where they
worship. They have an eleven year-old son, Joshua.
George Morris
George Morris represents the kind of blend of ministry
interests and backgrounds that make him a unique fit for leadership with CMU.
George grew up in rural Saluda, VA, and he now also pastors First Baptist
Church of Harmony Village of Middlesex County. At the same time, George has
been deeply involved in urban life through inner city community
redevelopment. In addition to the ministry, he has spent much of his
life in the secular world as a businessman. Currently he owns and operates
Turfnet Property Management, Inc. and is the Director of Operations for the
Virginia Investment Group. With his little remaining free time he shares the
Good News about Jesus with his African American colleagues in the business
world as a part-time staff member at Needle's Eye Ministries. His education
included work at Emory and Henry College, Virginia Union University, and the
Richmond Virginia Seminary. George, his wife Mabel, and their three sons live
on the South Side of Richmond.
Eileen Nyholm
Eileen spent her early years in Minneapolis, MN followed by
two moves with her family to Northern California. She attended the University
of Minnesota and received a B.S. degree in Occupational Therapy. She and her
husband Jim Nyholm spent 33 years with Reynolds Metals Company, raising 3
children in Edina, MN; Richmond, VA; Wichita, KS; Minneapolis, MN: Anaheim,
CA; Lenexa, KS; Ballwin, MO; Clayton, CA; Bartlett, IL, returning to Richmond,
VA in 1988. Eileen has been involved in leading neighborhood Bible studies for
couples and women and has participated in mission work trips to Jamaica,
Mexico, and Panama. After two trips to South Africa, Eileen and Jim have
sustained vital, ongoing relationships with missions and friends there. Eileen
works on-call as an Occupational Therapist at Health South Rehabilitation
Hospital and serves on the Sycamore Presbyterian Church (PCA) Missions
Committee. Jim is the National Facilitator for Financial Resources for Mission
America. Eileen and Jim have 3 married children and 9 grandchildren who
live in Maine, Pennsylvania, and Northern VA.
Carolann Pacer-Ramsey
Carolann Pacer-Ramsey is the founder
and Director of Families 1st of VA, Inc., a non-profit family resource agency
and the founder of Christian Nannies & Companions Inc. With a Bachelor in
Education and a Masters in Special Education, Carolann has spent most of her
adult life in the education and preservation of children and families. As the
current President of the Mental Health Planning & Advisory Council of VA, (a
statewide council), she brings to the table vast experience in mental health
services to children and their families. She is a member of Trinity Lutheran
Church LCMS, serving as VBS Director, Christmas Pageants Director, and the
founder of their children’s drama group—Actors R Us. Carolann is married to
Joe and they have four children: Carolee, Mike, Justin, and Ashley.
Arthur Reppert
Arthur Reppert and his wife Joan have lived in Richmond for
22 years. He is a retired business owner from a company he started in 1993.
The Repperts' ministry experience includes four mission trips to Costa Rica,
prison ministry, and, before moving to Richmond, involvement in a church
renewal program sponsored by the Baptist churches in Pennsylvania. He has been
active at church, serving as an elder, Sunday School teacher, deacon, and
chairman of the mission committee. The Repperts have been married 45 years,
have four children, and six grandchildren. He is an elder and founding member
at Christ Presbyterian Church.
Paul Sachdeva
Paul Sachdeva is a native of India and
moved to the U.S. in 1980. He got his BS in electrical Engineering from the
University of Central Florida in 1990. His business ventures have included
management sales, particularly in the field of information technology. He has
founded several companies, including joint ventures and international
businesses. He received the 1993-4 President's Minority Business enterprise of
th8e Year Award. At present he sells insurance for American General. He came
to faith in 1986 while in college. He, his wife, Sharon, and their two
children currently attend Tikvat Israel and Patterson Ave. Seventh Day
Adventist Church.
Jack Smith
Born and raised in Philadelphia, he received his BS Economics
from the University of PA and an MBA in Marketing from Temple University. He
spent 15 years in marketing with Xerox Corp concluding as a branch manager in
Virginia and later as a regional manager and a director of sales for two long
distance companies. His entrepreneurial spirit led him to found several
telecommunication companies: Mid Atlantic Telecom of VA (later sold), East
Coast Communications, a telecom consulting and marketing company, Single
Source, Inc, a rebiller of telecom services, and NetConnect, an Internet
service provider. He serves as an elder and missions committee chair at Third
Presbyterian Church and on the board of Westminster Academy. He and his wife
Susan have four children: Dustin (14), Colby (28), Carol (32), Jodi (34).
Jennifer L. Spann
Jennifer was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia. She spent
several years in Philadelphia, PA, where she was married and began raising her
family. She attended the University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School of
Business Community Program. Upon returning to Richmond she has been involved
in studies at VCU, Virginia Union, and the Richmond Virginia Seminary.
Currently she works as administrative assistant for Earthtech, an
environmental firm. She has served as Youth Ministry coordinator, secretary
for the Board of Christian Education, and Sunday School teacher. She now
serves as coordinator for the Youth Praise Dance Worship Team, Bible study
teacher, and a committee member for Charity Mission International Church's
School of Urban Ministry where she attends. Jennifer has 3 children: Nysha
(28), Emmanuel (26), Jamila (22), and one grandson Eric (8).
Lyle Thomas
Lyle has degrees in Music (Duke University), Christian
Education (Presbyterian School of Christian Education), and Social Work
(VCU). His work experience includes camp counseling, family counseling, and
financial counseling. He has taught outdoor education to kids in New England,
English to Muslims in Soviet Central Asia, math and geography to delinquents
in Oregon, and Vacation Bible School in Richmond. He has ministered to the
poor at First Baptist and to the homeless at the Daily Planet. He has
organized a Christian Service Conference, written grants, and marketed
programming through Resource Guidance Services. He and his wife Diana attend
Immanuel Baptist Church with their daughter Lydia.
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