Catalyst: Strengthening Your School's Operations and Finances 

Ron Blue is the founder of the Ron Blue Institute. He has also been the founder and co-founder of several organizations to include Ronald Blue and Company. That firm now Blue Trust, grew to advise on over $59 Billion in assets for its more than 10,000 clients nationwide with a staff of over 400 people in 17 offices across the country; Kingdom Advisors (KA), a ministry that trains Christian financial professionals to integrate biblical wisdom into their client advice; and the National Christian Foundation (NCF), a ministry that helps generous people create a biblically principled strategy that empowers Christians to be more faithful, generous, and full alive. Ron is the author of more than twenty books on personal finance from a Biblical perspective.

The Ron Blue Institute (RBI) serves Christian universities, churches, high schools, and financial professionals nationally and globally. RBI is dedicated to multiplying Ron’s decades of professional experience and intellectual property through publications, curriculum development, courses, and consultation in multiple outlets worldwide. Ron and his wife Judy have been married fifty-eight years. They have five adult children, thirteen grandchildren, and four great grandchildren and live in Bloomington, Indiana.

Contact: pgelatt@ronblueinstitute.com

Kurt is a startup guy–ever since he was a child. Even in his early years, Kurt envisioned what was missing from the present and worked to bring it about. These qualities grew a creative developer and entrepreneur who was on a mission to see Christ’s Kingdom play out in the here and now.

Spanning thirty-five years in vocational ministry, Kurt’s venture into Christian schooling began with supporting his wife (Jade) in the homeschooling of their five children. Trained as an attorney and while practicing law, Kurt became the founding Head of School of Valor Christian High School, serving 1200 students in grades 9-12. During that fifteen-year journey as Head of School, Kurt became immersed in learning and experiencing exceptional Christian schools throughout the world.

Sensing a growing responsibility and passion for advancing Jesus-centered education, Kurt continues to stretch for the provision, excellence, and access on a global level through Founding NextEd as a professional service company serving the Christian school sector, founding the Courage Schools brand of education in partnership with local churches, and the founding Jesus Schools global campaign to increase awareness and access to Jesus-centered education across the globe.

Contact: kurt@next-ed.com

Schuyler Lehman created Mission Advancement with the objective of helping nonprofit organizations develop the capacity for relationship-based major and principal gifts. Throughout his career spanning nearly four decades, his unwavering focus on serving the passions, interests, and needs of the donor has helped to redefine institutional fundraising. Schuyler has authored three books outlining his unique philosophy and approach, and he is also a frequent speaker and presenter at regional, national, and international conferences.

Schuyler has helped raise more than $6 billion for a wide variety of nonprofit organizations (educational, social service, youth, community, etc. - most of which have a Christian faith focus). He has provided consultation and advice to more than 1,000 nonprofits throughout the U.S. and Canada for major capital and endowment campaigns, annual funds, and general development activities.

Residing in the Dallas-Fort Worth area since 1992, he lives with his wife Jennifer in McKinney, Texas.

Contact: slehman@missionadvancement.com