OUR STORY
Welcome to McGowan Global Institute (MGI), an IRS approved 501(c)(3) non-profit ministry whose mission is: Helping Churches Thrive. Our name honors a nationally respected and beloved church pastor: Charles McGowan. Pastor McGowan is a MGI senior advisor and whose advice and knowledge continues to be made available to us.
We are committed to and exist for the purpose of partnering with the church, locally and globally, as a holistic ministry providing comprehensive support and services. For us, this is personal. We are not primarily ‘consultants’, but ministry partners with the local church. We believe this is the most vital work we have done in our lives for Christ. Abraham Kuyper said the primary role of the local church is to create disciples of Jesus Christ. We are not a replacement or supplement to the work of making disciples; we are in the business of helping the disciple-makers thrive.
OUR TEAM
Bob Bradshaw – Chief Executive Officer
As the Chief Executive Officer and Board member of McGowan Global Institute (MGI), Bob is the primary architect for its vision and mission. Bob oversees MGI’s operations, including marketing and fee based revenue, fundraising, and is the ministry’s principal consultant for revitalization, strategic planning, and organizational design and development. Bob founded MGI in 2021.
Prior to MGI, Bob served as the Executive Director for Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville, TN. Previously he served as the Executive Director for Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, AL. Before Bob began working in church ministry, he was Chairman, CEO and President of Manufacturer’s Services Limited, a multi-billion dollar international manufacturing and engineering company. Previously, he was President & COO of Fortune 500 company SCI. Prior, he was an Executive and Site General Manager for IBM. Bob was also co-founder of a small business, culinary dessert retail LLC in Charlotte, NC.
Bob graduated from Westminster College, in PA, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics, where as an athletic scholarship recipient was a member of the Westminster men’s basketball team, and also played baseball & tennis.
Dr. Charles McGowan – Senior Advisor
McGowan is a retired Senior Pastor with close to 50 years of ministerial experience. He believes God has called him to use his vast network of ecumenical contacts, his years of ministerial experience, and his love for the Kingdom of God to address one of the most important issues facing the many churches in America, finding the right Pastor. Charles McGowan is a graduate of Davidson College and served in the U.S. Army and in the Office of Naval Intelligence as a Special Agent in counterintelligence. He is a graduate of Columbia Theological Seminary and has served as a Senior Pastor for churches in Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee. He has planted churches and grown congregations significantly throughout his ministry. Dr. McGowan served as Moderator of the General Assembly for the Presbyterian Church in America.
Jimmy Hodges – Business Development
Jimmy Hodges joined McGowan Search after a successful career as National Head of Sales for several for-profit education companies that offered products to serve at-risk K12 students. In that role, he managed highly successful growth with sales teams that served areas from Massachusetts to California.
He is now a principal in an online learning company, Peer-Tree.
Jimmy is also a longstanding Elder at Christ Presbyterian Church, Nashville, with particular emphasis on impacting the city with the Gospel through outreach to business and communities. He is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of the University of Georgia. He is married to his wife Lynn, and together they have three grown children who are also in Nashville.
Lynn Hodges – Consultant, Coach
Lynn Hodges joined the McGowan Global Institute team after a highly accomplished professional career serving for over 30 years at Christ Presbyterian Church (CPC) Nashville as Worship/Arts Director. While at CPC she served a congregation of 3500 with a multigenerational choir of over 100 members.
As a key part of the MGI team, she understands church logistics, worship experiences, liturgy, and the role of music in worship. From welcome centers, to relations, to sound and the worship experience as a whole, Lynn brings extraordinary experience and giftedness to the MGI team.
Lynn is also one of the most accomplished music and worship directors in the nation. She has directed Music Programs in church and education arenas, Church Choirs, College Choirs and Mass Choirs as a guest conductor around the country. She has also been a professor of conducting, choral literature, voice and piano. Lynn has produced multiple projects in studio and live shows for major artists and concerts at venues such as the Ryman and Schermerhorn, Nashville’s Opry House and Symphony Center. Lynn also created the popular Disney Group “Jump 5.”
She is a well published author, and has written seven bestselling children’s books and multiple bestselling musicals for all ages.
Ed Norton – Consultant, Coach
Ed is a graduate of Mississippi State University and Reformed Theological Seminary. He served on the staff of First Presbyterian Church, Jackson, Mississippi. Additionally, he was the church planter for Highlands Presbyterian Church, Madison, Mississippi. Currently, Ed is an Associate Minister with Independent Presbyterian Church in Memphis, Tennessee. He has been on the staff of IPC Memphis for twenty-four years. His responsibilities are local and global church planting, as well as ministering in one of the age group demographics of IPC Memphis.
He has trained and been certified as a “Gospel Coach” with Church Multiplication Ministries.
His extra-curricular activities are that he is the Founder and Coordinator of The United Kingdom Partnership (UKP). The UKP seeks to connect U.S.A. funding resources with church planting opportunities in the U.K. He also serves on the boards of Third Millennium Ministries and the Thirdmill Seminary.
One of the joys of his life was serving in the Mississippi Air National Guard for twenty-four years. He honorably discharged and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel.
Chuck Frost – Consultant, Coach
Chuck, a native of Macon Georgia, graduated from Clemson University in 1969 with a BS in Economics and Math. He spent his early adult years in active military service and commercial business before earning both a Masters and Doctorate from Reformed Theological Seminary. He later served as Special Assistant to the Chancellor of RTS.
He has planted and pastored churches for over 40 years, serving in Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Delaware. Over those years, he has served as Senior Pastor, Pastor of Teaching and Shepherding, Executive Pastor and Interim Senior Pastor.
With 31 years of military service, Chuck retired from the U S Army with the rank of Colonel.
He and Lou April have two adult sons.
Scotty Smith – Consultant, Coach
Scotty Smith is Founding Pastor of Christ Community Church, in Franklin TN—a PCA church he planted with friends in 1986. After pastoring CCC for 26 years, Scotty resigned from the staff in May, 2012, to serve the larger Church with his preaching, teaching and writing. He serves as the Teacher in Residence at West End Community Church, Nashville—a daughter church of Christ Community. Scotty also serves as an adjunct faculty member for Covenant Theological Seminary; Westminster Theological Seminary; Philadelphia, Redeemer Seminary, Dallas; and RTS, Orlando. Scotty is a graduate of the University of North Carolina (BA), Westminster Seminary (MAR) and Covenant Seminary (D Min.). Scotty has written a number of books, including Unveiled Hope, Objects of His Affection, and Everyday Prayers. Scotty and his wife, Darlene, have two adult children.
Case Thorp – Consultant, Coach
Case Thorp is a Senior Associate Pastor at First Presbyterian Church, Orlando FL, and was the 39th Moderator of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. He is also the Founder and Principal of The Collaborative for Cultural & Economic Renewal, a ministry of FPCO to restore and renew culture through vocation & enterprise. He is experienced in church planting, as well as consulting in faith & work, church growth, missional ecclesiology, strategic planning, and leadership. Case attended Emory University for undergraduate education, and holds a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry in Missional Ecclesiology from Fuller Theological Seminary. Case’s wife, Jodi, is a deacon and owns her own company specializing in philanthropic consultancy. They live in Orlando, Florida, with their three children.
Bruce O’Neil – Consultant
Bruce O’Neil is currently serving as an Associate Pastor at Redeemer Presbyterian Church, Lincoln Square in New York City. After pastoring PCA churches in Murfreesboro, TN and Fairhope, AL, Bruce became the Senior Pastor at the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Annapolis, MD for 13 years before moving to New York City with his wife, Kathy.
Bruce is part of the Redeemer Network seeking to bring the gospel to New York City. Part of Bruce’s role is to bring strategic planning to Redeemer-LSQ and the Redeemer Network.
Bruce attended Auburn University (BA and BS), Reformed Theological Seminary (MDiv), and New Geneva Theological Seminary (DMin). Bruce and Kathy have three adult children and nine grandchildren.
William (Bill) Ingram – Consultant/Coach
Bill is a graduate of Vanguard University (B.A.), Hope International University (M.A.) and Talbot School of Theology (Doctorate of Ministry.). He has served for over 40 years in ministry in both small and large churches in various roles, including youth, global outreach, senior and executive pastor. Currently, he is serving as the executive director at Pacific Crossroads Church in Santa Monica, California. He has a passion to see local churches flourish. He has published numerous articles about church leadership, growth and health.
Bill is a Southern California native, growing up in the OC (Orange County). He is married to the love of his life, Denise, and they have twin boys who keep them VERY busy!
In his free time, he hangs out with his wife and kids, plays golf with his whole family, builds Legos and reads.
John Yarborough – Director of Finance & Administration
John has over 45 years of organizational and financial management. Before joining McGowan, he was responsible for all business, operational and administrative functions of TrustCore Financial, a planning firm with over one billion dollars in managed assets. Prior to that, he held several senior management positions spanning 12 years at Gibson Guitar Corporation directing all sales and administrative functions, both in the domestic and international arena.
John earned a BS from Belhaven College in Jackson, MS. He also has earned Registered Securities and insurance licenses and the Certificate in Financial Planning at Belmont University and has been granted the RFC® designation from the International Association of Registered Financial Consultant. He has also held leadership positions in both national and community associations and his local church. John and his wife Betsy have two grown children and live in Franklin, TN.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Bruce Williams – Chairman of the Board
Bruce Williams is a Sr. Private Wealth Advisor for the Private Wealth division of Ronald Blue Trust and serves his clients out of the branch office in Nashville, Tennessee.
Bruce joined Ronald Blue & Co. (the predecessor company to Ronald Blue Trust) in 1986 and was responsible for establishing the Nashville branch in 1994. He led the branch as Managing Director for 23 years before transitioning into his role as a Sr. Private Wealth Advisor.
After receiving his B.S. in Accounting from the University of Alabama, Bruce worked in public accounting for four years with Arthur Andersen & Co.
He has served as an elder at his church for over 20 years, served on the Board of Covenant College, chaired the Board of the Covenant College Foundation, and chaired the Board of Christ Presbyterian Academy. He currently serves on the Middle Tennessee Advisory Board of The Signatry, a national public foundation promoting generosity through donor advised funds.
Bruce and his wife, Mary, have three adult children and live in Brentwood, Tennessee.
Kimberley Mattoon – Secretary of the Board
Kimberly S. Mattoon, CPA is a commercially-oriented senior executive with more than 25 years of experience generating shareholder value for leading companies. Ms. Mattoon is known for her ability to build and transform teams, businesses, and financial operations to create strong platforms for growth. Under her leadership, enterprises achieve lasting, positive change that paves the way to long-term excellence.
A problem solver and forger of strategic alignment and cross-functional partnerships, Ms. Mattoon most recently served as Chief Financial Officer of Gibson Brands, Inc. Appointed as Gibson emerged from bankruptcy, Ms. Mattoon rebuilt teams, processes, and relationships with external parties in the finance, HR, IT, legal, facilities, and customer service functions. Ms. Mattoon’s accomplishments include significant growth in EBITDA, the implementation of a comprehensive new IT infrastructure including a new ERP system, clean audit opinions on the pre-and post-emergence and year-end financial statements, and the design and building of new headquarters offices for the company.
Prior to Gibson, Ms. Mattoon was Chief Operating Officer at Richemont North America, Inc. As COO, Ms. Mattoon managed and directed the business to ensure RNA had the proper processes, controls, administrative and reporting procedures, and people systems in place to support Richemont’s Maisons operating in the US and Canada. During her tenure, Ms. Mattoon was able to mitigate 3% cost increases through implementing zero-based budgeting, decrease inbound and outbound parcel processing time by 13% and 23%, respectively, and identify >$4M non-stock purchasing savings via freight and real estate lease compliance audits.
Ms. Mattoon double majored in Accountancy and German at Wake Forest University graduating magna cum laude and as a member of Phi Beta Kappa; she started her career in the audit team of Price Waterhouse LLP. Ms. Mattoon’s language skills include English (mother tongue), German (fluent), and French (beginner).
Ms. Mattoon lives in Nashville, TN, with her husband Dean. They have a daughter (15) and son (13).
Matt King – Treasurer of the Board
As Managing Partner, Matt oversees the Fund’s operations and investment process, including fundraising; investment identification, due diligence, and structuring; portfolio management; and asset disposition. Matt joined FCA in 2001.
Prior to joining FCA, Matt co-founded MyOfficeProducts, Inc., and served as Chairman, President, and CEO until its acquisition. Previously, he served as the Chairman, President, and CEO of Radar Business Systems, Inc. and a Regional Vice President of Radar’s successor company, U.S. Office Products, Inc. Prior, he was a Vice President of Third National Bank and its successor, SunTrust Bank.
Matt currently serves on the Board of Trustees for Wake Forest University, on the Board of Directors of Wake Forest University Health Sciences and on the Board of Directors of Truxton Trust. He is also an Elder of Christ Presbyterian Church. Previously, he has served on the board of trustees of Christ Presbyterian Academy and the board of directors for Studio Tenn, Inc., Salama Urban Ministries, Inc. and Landmark Journey Ministries, Inc.
Matt graduated from Wake Forest University with a Bachelor of Arts in History, where he was a four-year member of the Wake Forest Men’s Golf team.
Bob Bradshaw – President, CEO
As the Chief Executive Officer and Board member of McGowan Global Institute (MGI), Bob is the primary architect for its vision and mission. Bob oversees MGI’s operations, including marketing and fee based revenue, fundraising, and is the ministry’s principal consultant for revitalization, strategic planning, and organizational design and development. Bob founded MGI in 2021.
Prior to MGI, Bob served as the Executive Director for Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville, TN. Previously he served as the Executive Director for Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, AL. Before Bob began working in church ministry, he was Chairman, CEO and President of Manufacturer’s Services Limited, a multi-billion dollar international manufacturing and engineering company. Previously, he was President & COO of Fortune 500 company SCI. Prior, he was an Executive and Site General Manager for IBM. Bob was also co-founder of a small business, culinary dessert retail LLC in Charlotte, NC.
Bob graduated from Westminster College, in PA, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics, where as an athletic scholarship recipient was a member of the Westminster men’s basketball team, and also played baseball & tennis.
Our Story
Our Team
Board of Directors
Resourcing
Revitalization
Coaching
Annual Report
Testimonials