PRESIDENT - The Rev. Dr. Philip Kuehnert

2829 Chief William Dr. Unit 7, Fairbanks, AK  99709
Pastor of Zion Lutheran Church

Dr. Kuehnert previously pastored Ascension Lutheran Church in Atlanta, GA during the period when Ascension inaugurated the first Open Arms Christian Child Development Center. Shortly thereafter, the congregation sponsored the planting of a new mission with an Open Arms ministry at Christ the Shepherd Lutheran Church in Alpharetta, Georgia.  Pastor Kuehnert then accepted a call to Zion Lutheran Church in Fairbanks, Alaska. This congregation also completed a large Open Arms center on a second site in January of 2000, and soon enrolled 200 children.  In 2005 the congregation erected a new sanctuary on the same new site and relocated the entire ministry at that time.

SECRETARY - Dr. Arthur Linnemann

1917 NE 156th Ave., Portland, OR  97230
Educational Consultant for LCMS School Ministry

A graduate of Concordia University, River Forest, IL, Dr. Linnemann served as a teacher and administrator in Lutheran schools in the Midwest for many years.  From 1974-1995, he filled the position of Associate Director of Parish Services with the Northwest District of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod.  Later Dr. Linnemann headed the original task force called Planting Churches with Child Care, which led to the formation of the Open Arms Institute in 1999.  Since that time, he has served as the secretary for the Board.

TREASURER - Mr. Gary Kounkel

5141 Clearwater Drive, Loveland, CO 80538
Business Consultant and Owner of Bighorn Resources - Loveland, CO

Mr. Kounkel has a Bachelor's Degree in Industrial Engineering from Iowa State University.  He has done graduate work in management, business and finance, and real estate at UCLA, the University of California at Riverside, the University of Colorado, and the University of Minnesota.  He has earned a real estate license in Iowa and California, and a broker's license in Colorado.

Mr. Kounkel has further training in sales supervision, business development, and time management.  His business experience includes twenty five plus years of corporate management, primarily as president and general manager of Fortune 500 start-up and growth subsidiaries.  This experience includes business development, real estate development, construction, electronics and technology, and agriculture.  He is familiar with the areas of accounting and financial planning, business planning, marketing and sales, acquisitions and mergers, negotiation, and real estate entitlements and project development.  As the owner of Big Horn Resources, Inc., he provides consulting services for investment, business and real estate development, and business management.

Mr. Steve Heemann

6315 Grovedale Drive, Alexandria, VA 22310
District Vice President for the Lutheran Church Extension Fund for the Southeastern District, LCMS

The Southeastern District has been in the forefront of the implementation of the Open Arms concept for some time. Mr. Heemann has a background in banking and finance. As the chief loan officer for the District, he has been intimately involved with the development of Open Arms centers throughout the District, which includes Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, North Carolina, and South Carolina. He has also participated as a presenter at an Open Arms Orientation Conference.

Mrs. Suzi Herbert

209 Meadow Creek Drive, Hayesville, NC 28904
Consultant in Education and Not-For-Profit Management

Mr. Ralph Klevenow

30071 Benbury, Chapel Hill, NC 27517-8494
Business and Financial consultant to the South Wisconsin and Southeastern Districts of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod

Mr. Klevenow conducted his own business for a number of years, after which he served as the business manager and LCEF Vice President for the South Wisconsin District of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. He has been closely involved with Open Arms affiliates in several locations in Wisconsin and the Southeastern District. He served as the Open Arms Institute Board treasurer from 1999 until the end of 2007.

The Rev. Dr. Yohannes Mengsteab

1333 S. Kirkwood Rd., St. Louis, MO 63122-7295
Director of New Mission Development for the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod Department of World Mission

Dr. Yohannes Mengsteab served as a church planter and parish pastor in the Washington D. C. area before assuming his present position with the LCMS. His focus is on the planting and revitalization of congregations, primarily in North America, as part of the Ablaze! movement, with the goal of seeing 2000 congregations planted by 2017.

Rev. Jeff Miller

1333 S. Kirkwood Rd., St. Louis, MO 63122-7295
Senior Vice President - Ministry Resources of the Lutheran Church Extension Fund for the Lutheran
Church - Missouri Synod

After serving as a parish pastor in Kansas and southern Minnesota, Rev. Miller successfully planted a new mission congregation near the Twin Cities in Minnesota. Subsequently he filled the position of Missions Executive for the Minnesota South District of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod for a number of years. In his current position, he resources and supports LCEF District Vice Presidents in the 28 LCEF districts. He also assists in providing demographic services to the LCMS.

Mr. Richard Weniger

1700 NE Knott St., Portland, OR 97212
Director of Education Services for the Northwest District of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod

Mr. Weniger is a graduate of Concordia University, Seward, Nebraska, with a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration from there as well. He was a teacher and administrator of Lutheran schools in Missouri, Utah, and Oregon. He also served as Director of Operations for Concordia University Foundation, Portland, OR; Executive Director of Urban Education Ministry, Bronxville, NY, and Executive Director of Portland Lutheran School. In his current position, Mr. Weniger consults and coaches ministry leaders of the congregations of the Northwest District - LCMS in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska.

Mr. Martin Barlau

2229 Scotch Pine Ct., Loveland, CO 80538
Executive Director of the Open Arms Institute

Mr. Barlau is a graduate of Concordia University – Seward, Nebraska, with a Master’s Degree in Elementary Curriculum from Wayne State College in Wayne, Nebraska. He was a teacher and administrator in Lutheran elementary schools in Nebraska and Colorado for 30 years. From 1987 to 2000 he served as the Missions Executive for the Rocky Mountain District of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. During that time he was privileged to participate in the start of 21 new ministries in Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and El Paso, Texas. He was responsible there also for the areas of Stewardship, Human Care Ministry, and Campus Ministry.

As the first Executive Director of the Open Arms Institute, he has been involved in the development of services, planning and conducting conferences, and ongoing consultations with clients and prospects. The Institute is privileged to partner with congregations for the startup of from two to five new centers each year.