Welcome, Galen!
Good morning to all,
In order for our organization to grow and expand to reach and meet the needs of more Native American, Alaskan, and Hawaiian peoples, the need to find new streams of income, fresh donors, and increased funding has never been greater. Meeting a greater number of donors face-to-face and developing personal relationships with them is the cornerstone of mid-major and major gift fund development.
With an eye toward growth and expansion, it is my extreme pleasure to welcome Galen Gritts to the Brookfield staff of Lutheran Indian Ministries. Galen joined our staff effective February 1, 2018, as a member of LIM's Development Team. Galen's official title is Amazing Gifts Officer. He will be based in St. Louis, Missouri.
Galen's involvement with LIM goes back several years. He faithfully served the organization as a member of the Board of Directors and Secretary of the Executive Committee until his resignation to take this position.
Galen is a member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma.
Galen has a background in business that includes work in the areas of Executive Search (specifically engineers and manufacturing personnel). He also was a Principal Partner and CEO of Orbit Engineering Systems a company that sold satellite phones, terminals and airtime. And Galen also worked part-time for the Kathryn M. Bruder Center for American Indian Studies at Washington University in St Louis. Most recently, Galen has worked at Lowe's in Kirkwood, MO.
Galen is very civic minded and active in a variety of community organizations in the Greater St Louis area including the Torch Division of United Way, the SAC Mounds Advisory Project of the Heartlands Conservancy, and the Program for the Elimination of Cancer Disparities at Washington University and he continues to be active in the Kathryn M. Bruder Center for American Indian Studies at Washington University in St Louis.
Galen has given a number of talks to a wide variety of groups on Native American issues and is the published author of an article which appeared in the Concord-Sappington HistoricalSociety newsletter in the spring of 2015.
Galen's and his wife Kathryn live in St Louis, MO. Kathryn recently took a new position in fund development at the LCMS Seminary. Prior to her new position, she worked for the Synod at the International Ministry Center (IMC). They have a son (Remington) who attends Haskell Indian Nationa University.
Galen has spent the past several weeks learning about development work. Fund development is a discipline that requires constant study and learning. Galen's education is just beginning, but I am confident that Galen's ability to tell our story with passion and integrity will bring him success even as he learns.
We are richly blessed to have Galen join our team. Given his passion for our ministry and Native American people and love of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, I am confident that he is the right man for the job we have entrusted to him.
Please join me in welcoming Galen and please keep him and his work in your constant prayers going forward.
May God bless Galen in his work each and every day.
In Him,
Tim Young Eagle (Pawnee)
Executive Director
Lutheran Ministries