New Client Relations Staff Announced

Pension Fund of the Christian Church is pleased to announce five new Area Directors and an Assistant Vice President for Client Relations. The Area Directors and Assistant Vice President for Client Relations will join the Client Relations Team on April 17, 2017. The team is led by Emily Frische Chief Marketing Officer and will report directly to Rev. Daniel Gulden, the recently named Vice President of Client Relations. The new team members are Rod Witte, Alexis Branaman, Raquel Collazo, Michael Johnson, Dee Long, and Rev. Kyle Fauntleroy. The team will focus on our continued commitment to providing outstanding customer service as well as creating and establishing new employer relationships, promoting Pension Fund's products and services, and helping members become retirement ready.

'We are excited to be onboarding the new team in preparation for reaching out to pastors and lay employees from the Stone-Campbell Movement. We are committed to connecting with new churches, universities and other employers to help those in ministry save for their dreams and to improve their retirement readiness,' shared Emily Frische. 'The new team members bring a breadth of experience and diversity to match our member base and compliment the team we have in place today.' added Daniel Gulden.

Rod Witte, our new Assistant Vice President of Client Relations, comes to Pension Fund with a 30 plus year career in the banking industry. Most recently the CEO of Tennyson Center for Children and a former Chairman of the Board for the Christian Church Foundation, Rod brings with him a proven track record of client management and a broad network in the church. He is a member of South Broadway Christian Church in Denver. He will serve in the Pacific Southwest, Northern California/Nevada, Oregon Southwest Idaho, Central Rocky Mountain, Northwest and Montana Regions. Additionally, he will direct the work of a contract staff person who will focus on Hispanic congregations in the Pacific Southwest and Arizona Regions.

Alexis Branaman is a Phillips Legacy Scholar, former Disciples Peace Fellowship Intern and graduate of TCU and the University of North Florida. She lives in Jacksonville, FL where she currently works at a state property insurance corporation managing multi-million-dollar vendor contract relationships. She comes to Pension Fund with a background in International Student Recruitment and experience as a community board member for the Phillips University Legacy Foundation. Her parents are Disciple pastors. Alexis will be responsible for the Georgia, Alabama/NW FL., Great River, Tennessee, and Kentucky regions.

Raquel Collazo currently works as a Private Client Banker for JP Morgan Chase Bank, managing new and existing clients and has a proven track record for generating millions in new deposits. Born in Puerto Rico where she grew up in the Disciples church, her family moved to Indiana when she was a teen. Raquel will be based out of the Indianapolis office supporting Pennsylvania, the Northeastern Region, Florida, Puerto Rico and Hispanic churches and employees in Texas.

Michael Johnson is currently in sales with Ed Martin Auto Group in Indianapolis. He grew up at Southport Christian Church and has served on regional youth council, attended General Assembly and been on donor visits with staff from the Christian Church Foundation. Michael brings a philosophy of meeting customer needs and experience with sales training resources and client relationship management processes. He will be responsible for the Upper Midwest, Illinois/Wisconsin, Michigan and Mid-America regions.

Dee Long, previously with Church Extension, has been doing independent congregational consulting work. She is actively involved in National Convocation and integrally connected with the Raleigh/Goldsboro District of the Church of Christ / Disciples of Christ International, which we serve, along the Atlantic Seaboard. She lives in South Carolina and will be responsible for the South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and the Capital Area regions.

Rev. Kyle Fauntleroy is currently serving in the US Navy as a Chaplain with the rank of Captain and will retire at the end of July after 30 years of service. Kyle is an ordained Disciples pastor and Brite Divinity alumni. His wife and son are both graduates of TCU. Kyle will be based in Fort Worth and responsible for the Arizona region. He will also overlap in Oklahoma and the Southwest Regions with Connie Inglish, the current Assistant Vice President, as she transitions to retirement in 2018. Kyle brings leadership in the military, a deep Disciples relational network and knowledge of the Independent Christian Church where he was raised. Kyle will join the Pension Fund staff August 1, 2017.

In his role as Vice President for Client Relations, Rev. Gulden will be responsible for the Ohio and Indiana Regions. Rev. Aaron Smith, currently on staff, will be responsible for the West Virginia, Greater Kansas City, Kansas, and Nebraska Regions. David Nicholson will continue to serve Canadian Disciples in the separately incorporated Canadian RCA plan.

Pension Fund of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Inc. provides pension and retirement savings accounts for clergy and lay employees of congregations, regions, general ministries and church-related colleges and seminaries of the Stone-Campbell/Restoration Movement. Pension Fund manages over $2.9 billion in net assets on behalf of those serving in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and related international ministries. Pension Fund began in 1895, when then Governor and Christian Church Minister Ira J. Chase died, leaving a blind widow and four children. An offering of over $2,700 provided for a house and living expenses. This offering began our predecessor organization, the Board of Ministerial Relief.

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