United Ministries announces new executive board members
July 7, 2020
United Ministries announced new leadership for the 2020-2021 term. Jim Akerhielm, former CEO of TekLinks, Inc., NuVox and Triton Cellular, has been elected Board Chairman. Jim previously served as the Vice Chair and is a long-time community volunteer. In addition to United Ministries, Jim currently also serves on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the Peace Center and as Vice Chair for the Southeast Advisory Council for Lafayette College.
“I am both honored and excited to serve as Chair for United Ministries. I look forward to working with an incredibly talented team led by Lizzie Bebber and Ethan Friddle as well as a dedicated, engaged Board to further deepen and expand our integrated, programmatic approach to serve and empower those on the transformative journey to self-sufficiency,” shares Jim. “Currently, many of United Ministries’ programs are being accessed by the community at a rapidly increasing rate and we expect that all of our programs will be in a similar position in the coming months. The staff and Board are passionately committed to the community we serve and, thus, equally committed to ensuring we have the financial resources to do so.”
Paul Johnson, retired Vice President and Chief Operating Officer with Prisma Health – Central Region, will serve as Board Vice Chair, Debbie Cooper, Director of Donor Services with Community Foundation of Greenville, will serve as Treasurer, and Myra Morant, Human Relations Systems and Processes Manager with Greenville County Schools will serve as Secretary.
United Ministries also announces the appointment of four new members to its Board of Directors: Isaiah Dunlap, Tammi Hart, Kevin Shinn, and Mike Shain.
“Each of our newest board members comes with different expertise and experiences that will energize and strengthen the advancement of United Ministries’ mission. We look forward to working with these community leaders toward a Greenville where everyone has the opportunity to thrive,” stated Lizzie Bebber, Executive Director of United Ministries.
Isaiah Dunlap is owner of DesignEDGE, LLC, a local architectural company. He comes with 19 years of experience in the architecture field and holds credentials with the American Institute of Architects, Green Building Council Institute, and Center of Health Design.
Tammi Hart has a decade of experience in engineering and nuclear fields but is now an active community volunteer. She serves on the Guest Advisory Council for Family Promise National and the Rotary Club of the Reedy River Greenville. The board will benefit from her personal experience of overcoming homelessness with the help of the Greenville Area Interfaith Hospitality Network (GAIHN), now operating as United Ministries’ Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN) program. Tammi is committed to bringing awareness to the plight of families experiencing homelessness and those who are disenfranchised.
Kevin Shinn is a Senior Manager at Ernst & Young, LLP. He holds degrees from the University of Georgia and Georgia State and is licensed as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).
Mike Shain is Senior Vice President at UBS Financial. He has 29 years of experience in finance and is dedicated to serving the local community. He has worked with United Way of Greenville County, the Canterbury Counseling Center, Friends of the Zoo, the Mental Health Association, and the YMCA.
The Board of Directors supports United Ministries’ mission of serving and empowering those on the transformative journey to self-sufficiency.
A full list of board members can be found by visiting www.united-ministries.org.
ABOUT UNITED MINISTRIES
Located in the West End of downtown Greenville, United Ministries has been working for 50 years to create a community where everyone can thrive. Originally established by local congregations to meet the crisis needs of people living in poverty, the agency has evolved to focus on developing the potential each family possesses to become self-sufficient and financially independent. The agency’s integrated service model discourages dependency on charity and promotes the dignity of work. For more information on United Ministries please visit www.united-ministries.org or call 864-335-2613.
