Meet the board of directors.
Our board of directors brings experience, compassion, and a shared calling to support ministries across borders.
Faires Austin
Faires Austin retired from Faulkner University, Montgomery, AL., after serving as the Student Housing Director for two years, the Dean of Students for 12 years, and in Student Recruitment and Adult Graduate Recruitment for six years. Prior to moving to Montgomery, AL, he and his wife, Margie, lived for 32 years in Charleston, SC, where he owned a tire business and also worked in the Import/Export business. An Air Force veteran, Faires served in the United States, England, and Vietnam.
He has a bachelor's degree from Faulkner University in Biblical Studies, a master's degree in counseling from Liberty University, and three Certificates of Achievement from the Mendoza College of Business at The University of Notre Dame. Faires has made six 30-day trips to Israel to excavate at Tel Beth-Shemesh, and has traveled to Jordan, Greece, and Egypt. He has made seven mission trips to Cuba with Herald of Truth. He was the first Herald of Truth board member to visit Cuba. Faires has been married to his wife, Margie, for 58 years, and the couple has two children and three grandchildren. He serves as an elder at the University Church of Christ in Montgomery, Alabama.
Bob Carris
Bob was an LPL Registered Representative and Registered Principal. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Buffalo (1969) and his Masters Degree from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor (1972). His long career includes reaching the rank of Captain in the USAF, Vietnam Era Veteran. He was then employed in health care administration field for three different hospitals over a period of 22 years. During that time he served as Board member and Secretary for two hospital Credit Unions for over 14 years. He then moved into the investment industry spending four years as the first Edward Jones representative in Livonia, MI and the next 22 years in Plymouth, Mich. with LPL Financial Services.
He specialized in working with small business owners, pre retirees and retirees. His goals were to help clients invest for retirement, lower their taxes, save for their kids’ college, and pass on more to their heirs. Bob, a resident of Livoinia since 1978, has been involved with Livonia AM Rotary for 22-plus years, a member of the Livonia Chamber for 22-plus years, Plymouth Chamber for 5-plus years and a member, deacon and elder in the Livonia Church of Christ. He has also been active in the fund raising committees for Rochester College and the Church of Christ Care Center.
Bob holds the FINRA series 7, 24 and 63 registrations, and is insurance licensed for everything except property/casualty. He has been married to Teri, an RN, since 1974. They have two children and five grandchildren.
Jim Creech
Jim received his education from Lipscomb University and Middle Tennessee State University. He began his work with Lipscomb University in May 1999 after having worked in Development with Herald of Truth ministries for eight years. Jim also served as pulpit minister for churches in Kentucky, South Carolina, and Tennessee for 29 years. He currently serves as Chaplain for the Stone Rivers Manor and retired in August of 2019 as the pulpit minister of the Vultee Church of Christ. He and his wife, Mary, live in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
Wesley Cunningham
Wes Cunningham was employed by the Sears Holdings Corporation for 43 years and is now retired.
Cunningham has been married to his wife, Joyce, for 53 years, and they live in Elgin, Illinois. They worship with the Cardinal Drive Church of Christ in Rolling Meadows, Illinois, where he has served the congregation as an Elder for 30 years and is a frequent teacher in the adult Bible education ministry.
Rick Elam
Vice Chair
Rick Elam garnered over 36 years of experience at Vanguard, culminating in his retirement from Infosys in July 2022. Presently, he serves as a consultant at Cooper Eagle, LLC on a part-time basis.
Formerly, Rick contributed as a board member at Coventry Christian Schools in Pottstown, PA, and as an elder at Chesmont Church of Christ, where he still attends. Alongside his wife, Kathy, he actively facilitates a Grace Marriage ministry, teaches children’s Bible classes, and co-leads the Legacy Builders small group.
Residing in Pottstown, PA, Rick and Kathy are proud parents to three grown children scattered across Texas, Pennsylvania, and Delaware.
Autumn Richardson
Autumn Richardson joined the Herald of Truth Board of Directors in October 2023.
Richardson is the Director of Distance Learning and an Instructor of Ministry at Heritage Christian University. Richardson is a regular speaker at Ladies' Day events in churches across the Southeast. She teaches adult Bible classes and has also edited three women's study books. She is currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry in Leadership and Spiritual Formation from Portland Seminary.
In her work in online learning, Richardson works with ministers across the United States and around the world. She has also participated in numerous mission trips, both foreign and domestic.
Richardson and her husband, Adam, live in Florence, AL, and attend Petersville Church of Christ, where Adam is the preaching minister. They have three adult children. Their favorite pastimes include traveling and spending time with their grandchildren. They are also active in the work of Palmetto Bible Camp and Lads to Leaders.
Diego Rojas
Diego Rojas joined the Herald of Truth Board of Directors in October of 2023.
Rojas is the preaching minister at the Green Bay Church of Christ in Green Bay, Wisconsin. He also volunteers and works as a soccer coach. A graduate of Freed-Hardeman University with a master’s degree in pastoral care and a bachelor’s degree in graphic design, Rojas brings many skills to the HTM Board of Directors.
Rojas is known for his passion for evangelism, and he has spent many years in Costa Rica doing mission work. His primary work is reaching out to Spanish speakers in Green Bay; however, he also ministers to the English speakers as well and is known as a true servant.
Rojas and his wife, Katherine, have two sons, Noah and Franco.
Lynn Watson
Chair
A native of Rutherford County, Tenn., Lynn Watson earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Vanderbilt University and his doctor of jurisprudence degree from the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law at the University of Memphis.
Lynn practiced law in Murfreesboro for nine years and served five years on the Board of Trustees of Middle Tennessee Christian School. In 1992, Lynn became the President of MTCS, where he served for twenty years. In 2012, he returned to the practice of law, focusing on wills, trusts, estates, and charitable gift planning.
Lynn is a member of the Tennessee Bar Association and a graduate of Leadership Rutherford. He was one of the founders of Youth Leadership Rutherford, a program that each year provides more than thirty outstanding high school students from across Rutherford County opportunities for leadership development while learning more about their county. He has served on the board of Leadership Rutherford and the National Christian School Association, and he currently serves on the board of The Journey Home, Inc.
Andy Starck
Andy Starck is a graduate of Abilene Christian University and now works as President/CEO of Starck Real Estate. He served in the Texas National Guard for six years. Andy volunteers as a Cubmaster for Boy Scouts and also serves on the Hershy High School Booster Club and the High School District 214 Foundation. He was named an ACU Distinguished Alumni in 1997-98.
He and his wife Sharon attend the Cardinal Church of Christ in Rolling Meadows, Illinois. They have two children and six grandchildren.
Doug Edwards
Doug Edwards spent about 42 years of his career serving on the administration of small Christian colleges and universities, having served as Vice President on three different campuses. In his “retirement years,” he did the fundraising at Camp Manatawny, a Christian camp in Pennsylvania, for six years. He is currently employed as Executive Vice President-Philanthropy at the Church of Christ Care Community, a Christian senior care facility in Clinton Township, Michigan. This campus has an 83-year history and has about 230 senior residents, nearly 250 employees, and offers a variety of services and levels of care. Doug received his bachelor’s degree from Pepperdine in Art Education and a master’s degree from Villanova University in Educational Leadership.
Doug is currently serving as an elder at the Metro Church of Christ in Sterling Heights, Michigan. This is the fourth congregation in which Doug has served as elder in the last 34 years.
Doug is married to Janet (Huffard) Edwards, and they have two married children and five grandchildren. Their son, Phillip, is married to Terri Perry Edwards, and their daughter, Laura, is married to James Hodges. Both families live in Texas near Austin.
Tom Conklin
Tom joined the MRCC ministry staff following a 40+ year career as a business owner and financial advisor. Previous ministry experience includes serving as an elder at the Crosstown Church of Christ in Tulsa for more than 10 years. In Tulsa, Tom championed a Neighborhood Ministry for more than 25 years where he brought many children, parents and families into the church fellowship.
Tom and his wife Lisa became members at Memorial Road church of Christ after relocating from Tulsa to Edmond in March 2020 to semi-retire close to family and to passionately indulge their four adorable grandboys and the most recent additions to the family, granddaughter Riley Grace Campbell and grandson Banks Anthony Henson.
In May 2022 Tom began a new avocation as the Senior Adults Minister at Memorial Road where he applies his talents to serve senior members by encouraging them to grow, fellowship and be included in ministry. Another goal of the senior adult ministry is to bridge relationships with senior members and other MRCC members of all ages. At this stage in life Tom is enjoying ministering to this vibrant and vital part of our church community.
Tom enjoys reading, cooking, eating, coffee, bad dad jokes, teaching Bible class, traveling and RV camping in the great outdoors.
Chrys Howard
Chrys Howard, a former teacher turned book editor, is the host of a podcast titled Rocking It Grand. She has authored fourteen books, continues to write and teach about Jesus and living life God’s way, directs Camp Ch-Yo-Ca in the summer months, and loves being 2-mama to 14 grandkids and 8 great-grands. She and her husband, John, live in West Monroe, LA.
Hayden Hall
Hayden Hall is a native of Nashville, Tennessee and earned a degree in Kinesiology from Lipscomb University, where he was a J.S. Ward Scholar. During his undergraduate studies, he participated in cheerleading and medical mission work in Jinotega, Nicaragua. He also met his wife Carmen who he later married. He went on to work at Aegis Sciences Corporation during the COVID-19 pandemic before earning his medical degree from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Medicine.
Hayden currently resides in San Antonio, Texas with his wife and is completing his Emergency Medicine residency. He has a strong interest in international medical outreach and ministry.