Officers

Officers

President

Karen Hartz, CCA *
Plymouth Congregational Church
1900 Nicollet Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55403-3746
(612) 977-1266
KarenH@plymouth.org

Ms. Karen Hartz, CCA has been a Church Business Administrator for 20 years. She has served Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church in Excelsior, MN, Colonial Church of Edina, MN, and presently Plymouth Congregational Church in downtown Minneapolis. She has been a member of NACBA since 1993 and the North Central Chapter since 1992. Karen has worked in the local chapter in a variety of ways: Vice President of Programs, Chapter President, and Church Support Staff and Custodial Seminar Chair. On a national level, Karen has served as Central Area 1 Regional Director, 2002 General Chair for the National Conference in San Diego, CA., Central Area Vice President, Senior Vice President for Conference Planning and Vice President on the NACBA Board of Directors. Karen has two adult children; Jessica (35) a graduate of Pacific Lutheran University, and Joshua (31) a graduate of Trinity University in San Antonio, TX. She is also a proud new Oma (Grandma in German) of Sofia Belen born January 25, 2012. She is happy to show you pictures!

President’s Job Description

* So what is a CCA anyway? Find out here.

Vice President - Programs

Laurel Gaard
All Saints Lutheran Church
All Saints Lutheran Church
15915 Excelsior Boulevard
Minnetonka, MN 55345-5628
(952) 934-3550

Laurel Gaard serves as Director of Administration at Easter Lutheran Church, a 2-site ministry, in Eagan. She has 20 years of experience in church business administration, following work in the corporate sector in personnel, foundation operation, and other administrative roles. She has served the chapter in the past as secretary and as part of the planning team for past winter conferences.

Vice President’s Job Description

Membership

Craig Wiester, CCA *
(612) 986-8790
c.wiester@pcosp.net

Craig looks after membership records for the North Central Chapter.

Craig started his work in church administration at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Columbia Heights in 1997. In 2000, he started his ten-year-plus-a-day career at University Lutheran Church of Hope in Dinkytown, near the University of Minnesota. After retirement in 2010, Craig did some part-time work at Richfield Lutheran Church in south Minneapolis, but left working entirely in the late summer of 2011.

Craig is a CCA, a Certified Church Administrator, having received his certificate in 2003. Upon retirement, he became an emeritus member of both the North Central Chapter and of NACBA’s national organization.

Craig lives in south Minneapolis.

* So what is a CCA anyway? Find out here.

Past President

Bill Conlin
Incarnation Lutheran Church
4880 Hodgson Road
Shoreview, MN 55126-2037
(651) 484-7213

Bill is Past President of the North Central Chapter.

Past President’s Job Description

Secretary

Sherry Wittenberg
Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church
Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church
5005 Northwest Blvd
Plymouth, MN 55442-3503
(763) 550-1000

Sherry is Secretary of the North Central Chapter.

Secretary’s Job Description

Treasurer

Andrew Tomasko
Saint Stephen Lutheran Church
8400 France Ave. S.
Bloomington, MN 55431-1519
(952) 831-4746
atomasko@ststephen.net

Andy has been in Church Administration for over 25 years. After graduating from the U of M (Business Administration) he worked at Target Stores for three years, and left to attend Lutheran Bible Institute of Seattle (Biblical Studies). During the last quarter at LBI he realized his degrees could be combined in a career in Church Business Administration. He first served at Christ Presbyterian Church in Edina, which is still his home church. He has also served at St. John's of Little Canada (Catholic), House of Hope Presbyterian in St. Paul, Colonial Church of Edina (Congregational), and currently serves at St. Stephen Lutheran Church in Bloomington.

Andy lives in Minnetonka with Sue, his spouse of 30+ years, and Jamba and Ellie, their 4-footed furkids. Their 2-footed kids, Dana and Becca, live in New York and California. Andy loves fishing and softball, canoeing in the Boundary Waters, and volunteering with Midwest Animal Rescue & Services (MARS). Woof!

Treasurer’s Job Description