Rev. Ralph G. Schmidt
Vice President for Institutional Advancement
Phone: 260.452.2268
E-Mail: schmidtrg@ctsfw.edu

Rev. Ralph Schmidt serves as Vice President of Institutional Advancement. He is a 1973 graduate of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis.Following his graduation he served as a parish pastor for 18 years, spending most of that time in the Michigan area.In 1991 he joined the staff at Concordia University, Seward, Nebraska, where he served for 10 years as Director of Church Relations and Planned Giving. He accepted a call to Concordia Theological Seminary in 2001 as Director of Planned Giving and was appointed to his current position at the end of 2002.

As Vice President, Rev. Schmidt is responsible for setting the overall direction of the advancement program at the seminary. He works with the seminary’s top donors throughout the country, and is involved with the advocacy of the seminary on the part of the President’s Advisory Council. His long time work with planned giving also sees him working with donors who wish to include the seminary in an estate plan through wills, bequests, gift annuities, charitable trusts, etc. He is credentialed as a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE), is a member of the Lutheran Development Executives, and is a graduate of the National Planned Giving Institute at the College of William and Mary. He has also attended a variety of seminars at the National Fund Raising School at the University of Indiana and Crescendo Software in Camarillo, CA.

Rev. Schmidt is married to Janice nee Mackie, and they have been blessed with three children, Jonathan, Mark and Sarah.

Gary L. Nahrwold
Advancement Officer
Phone: 260-452-2277
E-mail: nahrwoldgl@ctsfw.edu

Gary joined the Concordia Theological Seminary Advancement staff in June 2001, having worked for over 20 years in the manufacturing sector. After working for 18 years for Magnavox (now Raytheon) in their Government and Industrial Electronics division in Fort Wayne, Gary was a Materials Manager for Franklin Electric Large Submersibles in Bluffton, Ind. A lifelong member of Emanuel Lutheran Church, New Haven, IN, Gary has extensive experience in congregational service.

Gary serves the Advancement team as a Field Officer. His primary responsibility is to call on active and prospective donors, building relationships, and requesting continued financial support for the Seminary. He also calls on congregations of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod to encourage direct support.

Gary received a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Supervision (Industrial Management) from Purdue University.

His wife, Renita nee Uhrick, is also serving at the seminary as Director of the Christ's Child Learning Corner. The Nahrwold's have three children Jessica, Justin, and Jenna and are proud grandparents of Alex, Drew, Tori, Justice, Mariah, and Madisyn.

R. Radcliffe Finch
Advancement Officer
Phone: 319.377.7736
E-mail: finchrr@ctsfw.edu

Rad joined the Advancement Team in 2003, serving the Seminary in a deployed capacity and is living in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. A lifelong resident of Iowa, Rad grew up in Waterloo and attended college at the University of Northern Iowa. Following college, he worked at John Deere as part of the quality audit department, while also farming part-time. After ten years at John Deere, Rad became a registered representative for Life Investors, a subsidiary of Aegon Corporation. In 1995 he began work with the LCMS Foundation as a Gift Planning Counselor and served in the Iowa-East District for nine years.

Rad serves the Advancement team as a Field Officer. His primary responsibility is to call on active and prospective donors, building relationships, and requesting continued financial support for the Seminary. He also assists in planned giving, endowments and restricted gifts.

Rad and his wife, Joyce, have been blessed with six children and one grandchild.

Matthew F. Leighty
Advancement Officer
Phone: 260-452-2196
E-mail: leightymf@ctsfw.edu

Matthew joined the Concordia Theological Seminary Advancement staff in September 2006. He served as Associate Director of Freshman Admission at Concordia University in River Forest, Illinois, before joining the advancement team.

Matthew serves the Advancement team as a Field Officer. His primary responsibility is to call on active and prospective donors, building relationships, and requesting continued financial support for the Seminary. He also calls on congregations of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod to encourage direct support.

Matthew received a Bachelor of Arts with majors in Communication and Psychology from Concordia University in River Forest, Illinois. Matthew has attended The Fund Raising School at the Indiana University Center on Philanthropy, Indianapolis, Indiana, and is a member of the Association of Lutheran Development Executives (ALDE).

His wife, Kelli nee Borchelt, teaches second grade at Holy Cross Lutheran School.

Tim Ehlerding

Phone: 260-452-2169
E-mail: ehlerdingtb@ctsfw.edu

Tim Ehlerding joined the Seminary Advancement Office as a Development Officer in June 2006. Tim served previously as a Financial Consultant and Regional Manager Associate for Thrivent Financial for Lutherans in Fort Wayne. With Thrivent he was a member of the Million Dollar Roundtable, a Registered Representative, and presented at numerous workshops and training events. He also presented leadership and management seminars nationally for Skillpath Seminars, Kansas City, before joining the seminary advancement team.

Tim serves the Advancement team as a Field Officer. His primary responsibilities with individual supporters include planned giving and estate/endowment planning, as well as to call on active and prospective donors, building relationships, and requesting continued financial support for the Seminary. He also calls on congregations of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod to encourage direct support and assist them in developing congregation endowment funds.

Tim received an Associate of Applied Science and Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering from Purdue University. He attended The Fund Raising School at the Indiana University Center on Philanthropy, Indianapolis, Indiana, and the Major Gifting School also at IU-Indianapolis.

Tim is married to Susie (Loshe) and enjoy their three wonderful children Emily, Stephanie, and Robby. They also, much to Tim’s chagrin, own one cat – Birthday, and a gerbil – Birthday Jr., (Tim would rather call the rat, I’m sorry, the gerbil Purina).