Staff
 Dr. Jerry Haag, President |
Dr. Jerry Haag is the ninth president in the history of the Children’s Homes ministry. He was previously president of the South Texas Children's Home in Beeville, Texas from 2000-2007. He also served as president of Baptist Child Care Executives, which represents Baptist Children’s Homes across the nation.
He received his bachelor's and master's degrees from Baylor University at Waco, Texas and earned a doctorate in finance and real estate in 1995 from the University of Texas at Arlington. He is also a Certified Financial Planner. He previously served on the faculty at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama and Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas. He also served as administrative pastor at Shades Mountain Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama and has corporate work experience with AT&T. He has led and participated in humanitarian aid, emergency relief, child care, and ministry to children and families in countries around the world. He actively preaches to churches across Florida and regularly teaches at family and marriage conferences. He was recently appointed by Governor Charlie Crist to a three-year term on the Florida Faith-based and Community-based Advisory Council. His term began June 5, 2009 and will end July 18, 2012. The Advisory Council serves as a formal policy council to the Governor and the Florida Legislature and is administered by the Governor’s Volunteer Florida Foundation. Dr. Haag was also recently selected to participate in a special summer seminar in Religion and US Foreign Policy at Boston University. The seminar sponsored by the Institute on Culture, Religion and World Affairs at Boston University focuses on how beliefs, values, and lifestyles affect economic and political developments world-wide, with special attention paid to the role of religion in world affairs. Participants for the seminar were selected from leaders in academia, government, religious institutions, media and nongovernmental organizations, both from the United States and foreign countries. Additionally, he has authored, presented and published academic articles relating to his business expertise and has been recognized for his achievements in his academic and business experience. Dr. Haag and his wife, Christi, live in Lakeland. They have two sons, Ben and Brady. To contact Dr. Jerry Haag: |
 Julie Boyd, Vice President for Development & Communications |
Julie Boyd oversees private and church donor engagement and fund raising, including the acquisition, growth, and servicing of all donor relationships.
She served as the Director of Development, North from 1996-2003. From 2003-2007 she led the Panhandle Region of the organization as Area Administrator supervising all ministry programs in that area. She received a BA from William Carey College and a MRE from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. In addition, she has a certificate of completion from The National Planned Giving Institute at The College of William and Mary in designing and communicating through marketing a major current and deferred gift planning program in non-profit institutions. To contact Julie Boyd: |
 Charlie Cox, Vice President for Programs |
Charlie Cox is responsible for ensuring that all Florida Baptist Children's Homes programs are of the highest quality and operate at maximum capacity.
Charlie joined Florida Baptist Children's Homes in January 1986 as a Houseparent with his wife Wanda. He has served as Area Administrator of South Florida, Vice President for Development and now as Vice President for Programs. Prior to joining Florida Baptist Children's Homes he served churches in Alabama and Florida as Pastor and Associate Pastor. He also serves as Volunteer Chaplain of Faith Riders Motorcycle ministry of First Baptist Church Plant City, FL. Charlie earned a Bachelor's degree in Theology from Baptist Bible Institute in Graceville, FL, and a Master's degree in Child Care Administration from Nova University in Ft. Lauderdale. To contact Charlie Cox: |
 Ron Gunter, Vice President for International Childcare |
Ron Gunter is responsible for developing ministry opportunities for Florida Baptist Children's Homes and Florida Baptist churches, to partner with ministries around the world who are working with children. He trains and leads teams to come alongside existing ministries which can benefit from the experience and expertise that Florida Baptist Children's Homes can offer.
Ron is a graduate of Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, TN, and has a master’s degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, TX. Prior to joining Florida Baptist Children's Homes in 2008, Ron served as a Southern Baptist pastor in Kentucky, Tennessee and Texas. He and his family served with the International Mission Board in Eastern Europe, where Ron was the Strategy Associate for the Central Europe Field, overseeing work in Romania, Hungary, Moldova, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. After returning from the mission field, Ron served with the Baptist General Convention of Texas, first as Regional Associate for the Greater Houston Area, and then as COO/Associate Executive Director. To contact Ron Gunter: |
 Steve Johnston, Vice President & CFO |
Steve Johnston directs Florida Baptist Children’s Homes’ accounting, financial, endowment, legal, risk management, human resources, information technology, estate, and annuity functions.
Steve joined Florida Baptist Children’s Homes in 1995 and holds a BA in accounting with 35 years experience in the related fields To contact Steve Johnston: |
 Eron Green, Central Florida Administrator |
Eron Green oversees all program operations for Florida Baptist Children's Homes' Central Florida area. This includes the Lakeland campus (residential programs, emergency shelter, foster care, adoptions, maternity care counseling, and adult ministries), and outlying Social Work offices. He previously served in Southern Baptist Childcare with agencies in Florida, New Mexico, and Texas. Eron earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Troy State University and a Master‘s of Communication from Eastern New Mexico University. He is married to Shelley and they have a daughter, Harper and son Deacon. Their family resides in Lakeland, FL. To contact Eron Green: |
 Randy Harrison, North Florida Administrator |
Randy Harrison oversees the ministry of the North Division of the Florida Baptist Children’s Homes which includes the 16 county area of northeast Florida. The Jacksonville campus and outlying Social Work offices compose this division.
Prior to joining Florida Baptist Children’s Homes in 1997, Randy served as Vice President of various hospitals in Florida and Texas. He holds a Bachelors degree from Furman University in Greenville, SC. To contact Randy Harrison: |
 Kyle Luke, Panhandle Area Administrator |
Kyle Luke serves as Area Administrator for the Panhandle Division based in Tallahassee. He oversees operations from Escambia County east to Hamilton County and south through Lafayette County. Programs include Residential Care in both Cantonment and Tallahassee, and Foster Care in Panama City.
Kyle served as the Director of Development for the panhandle area before assuming the responsibities of Area Administrator. Before coming to Florida Baptist Children's Homes, he served as Director of Development at The Baptist College of Florida for six years. Kyle received his BA from The Baptist College of Florida in Church Music and his Master of Public Administration specializing in Nonprofit Management from The Florida State University. To contact Kyle Luke: |
 Dr. Randy Rankin, South Florida Administrator |
Dr. Randy Rankin serves as Area Administrator for the South Division based in Miami. He oversees operations from Fort Myers to West Palm and south through Miami and the Keys. Programs include Residential Care in both Fort Myers and Miami, and Foster Care in Broward, Lee, and Miami-Dade counties.
Randy joined the Florida Baptist Children's Homes ministry with 30 years experience in Southern Baptist Childcare, serving agencies in Texas and New Mexico. Randy holds a bachelor's degree from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, TX. He also has a master's degree in Religious Education and a doctorate in Ministry from Trinity Evangelical Seminary of Florida in Naples, FL. To contact Dr. Randy Rankin: |
 Willie Garcia, Director of Development, South Florida |
Willie Garcia oversees private donor engagement and fundraising for the southern region of the state from
Charlotte County to Miami-Dade and the Keys.
Prior to joining Florida Baptist Children's Homes in 2006, Willie worked in the travel and transportation industry for more than 38 years. During that time, he was with several major cruise lines and Greyhound Lines, and was president of Miami Bus & Limo. He has been associated with the Florida Baptist Children's Homes since 1988 and served a three-year term on the Board of Trustees beginning in 1990. Willie and his wife, Liana, are natives of Cuba and live in Miami. To contact Willie Garcia: |
 Stephen Robert, Director of Development, Central Florida |
Stephen oversees private donor engagements and fundraising for the central region of Florida including 20 counties from Citrus, to Brevard, to Martin, to Sarasota.
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 Jessica Throckmorton, Director of Development, North Florida |
Jessica oversees private donor engagements and fundraising for the northern region of Florida including 16 counties from Jacksonville, to Dixie County, to Volusia County. To contact Jessica Throckmorton: |
 Sorrell Fields, Director of Development, Panhandle Division |
Sorrell is responsible for covering the panhandle of Florida in meeting with private donors, planning fundraising events and speaking at churches and organizations on behalf of the Children’s Homes. Prior to joining Florida Baptist Children’s Homes in 2009, Sorrell worked with the Florida Farm Bureau Federation as their Assistant Director of Field Services. She also taught high school in the public school system as an agriculture teacher and FFA advisor. Sorrell received her Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Communication and Leadership Development from the University of Florida. She also received her Master’s degree in Theology from Liberty University. She currently resides in Tallahassee with her husband Garret. To contact Sorrell Fields: |
 Andrea Shirey, Director of Foundation and Advancement Relations |
Andrea is responsible for overseeing all foundation & corporation relations, as well as agency-wide donor research, analysis and reporting. Prior to joining Florida Baptist Children's Homes in April of 2008, Andrea was the Director of Development at Oak Hall School in Gainesville, FL. Andrea has also held fund raising positions as the Director of Annual Fund & Stewardship Programs with the University of Florida Levin College of Law and as Assistant Director of Annual Giving with West Virginia University. She graduated from West Virginia University in 2001 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Marketing. She and her husband Scott reside in Lakeland with their son, Connor. To contact Andrea Shirey: |
 Mary Lou Hendry, Director of Sanctity of Human Life |
As Sanctity of Human Life director,
Mary Lou Hendry works with pastors, community groups, lobbyists, Pregnancy Resource Centers (PRCs), and others to save lives both physically and spiritually.
She joined Florida Baptist Children’s Homes in September 2008; during the previous nine years, she was Director of Life Choice Care Center in Inverness, Fla. Mary Lou earned a bachelor’s degree in Religious Education and Church Music from the Baptist Bible Institute in Graceville, Fla., and is certified in Focus on the Heart Biblical counseling. She is currently enrolled in Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va., for a training program known as Caring for People God’s Way. To contact Mary Lou Hendry: |