The King’s College Board of Trustees Welcomes Five New Members

The King’s College is pleased to welcome five new members to the College’s Board of Trustees. In a unanimous vote on Tuesday, February 8, the Board approved Rodney Bergen, Reverend Dr. Soon Chung, Jim Cunningham, and Dr. Marvin P. Kehler as Trustees of The King’s College. Preceding the newest members in his appointment to the Board in October 2021 was the Honourable Stockwell Day, Canada-US Trade Advisor.

All new trustees have had long and distinguished records of service, each demonstrating excellence in their careers and callings. Drawn by Dr. Bill Bright’s vision for training new generations of young people for Christ, each trustee also has a strong affinity for the impact of Cru.

Rodney Bergen served for many years as Managing Director for the Tax and Financial Analysis division of the Jim Pattison Group, Canada’s second-largest private corporation. After his time in the corporate world, he served at Power to Change, formerly Campus Crusade for Christ, Canada, as both the executive director of ministry services and, for the last six years, as the president. He retired from Power to Change in 2021 and now serves as the board chairman for the Trinity Centres Foundation and as a board member for a number of institutions. You can read his full bio here.

Reverend Dr. Soon Chung is the senior pastor and co-founder of University Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles. He and his wife founded the church while he was the UCLA Presbyterian chaplain, with the purpose of ministering to college students. Soon brings significant experience in ministry, higher education, and real estate to the board. He also serves as a Trustee at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and has previously served as the Western Regional Director for the National Campus Ministers Association. You can read his full bio here.

Jim Cunningham currently serves as the Program Manager for the University of Southern California American Language Institute. He brings extensive experience in higher education and intercultural ministry, having also spent a significant portion of his early career working as the ministry director for Thailand Campus Crusade for Christ. You can read his full bio here.

Dr. Marvin P. Kehler has spent his life serving as the president or director of key companies throughout the industrial, development, and agricultural sectors. After achieving financial goals in his early thirties through businesses in oil and mining, land development, and poultry farming, Kehler served as the President of Campus Crusade for Christ, Canada (now called Power to Change) for 28 years, and as the Executive Director of Campus Crusade for Christ, Western Europe for five years. You can read his full bio here.

The Honourable Stockwell Day was elected nine times in Canada at two levels of government–provincial and national. He served as the Minister of Labour, Minister of Social Services, and Minister of Finance in the Alberta government, before becoming the leader of the Canadian Alliance, the Opposition party in Canada’s Parliament, which later merged with the Progressive Conservative Party to become Canada’s Conservative Party. While serving in the Canadian Parliament, Day was appointed to such cabinet roles as Minister of Public Safety and Minister of International Trade. He now serves as the principal of the consulting firm Stockwell Day Connex. You can read his full bio here.

Longstanding trustee Henry Morriello offered his highest praise for each of the new board members, citing several key attributes which they possess. He said that they each have shown a commitment to Christian higher education, the ability to contribute business acumen to the College’s mission, a desire to see The King’s College as a missional opportunity, an evident personal faith with Christ, an ability to succeed in their career and work, and a strong affiliation to Cru and Bill Bright’s vision.

President Tim Gibson and The King’s College staff and faculty are profoundly grateful to Tim Dunn for his many years of service to the Institution. As President Gibson expressed, “Chairman Dunn was God’s man for this season. His unflagging support of King’s, business acumen, and personal commitment were felt top to bottom at the College. He led us during the acquisition of DeVos Hall, as well as our partnership with Primacorp Ventures, setting the stage for years to come.”

Prior to his departure, then-Chairman Tim Dunn nominated Day to be the Vice-Chairman, a role for which Day was unanimously approved in November, subsequently naming him Chairman at Dunn’s departure in January.

As Chairman of the Board, Stockwell Day partners with The King’s College Board of Trustees in pursuit of the College’s mission. Citing Isaiah 43:19, (“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?”) he said, “I have learned, the hard way at times, there’s almost nothing we can’t accomplish together as long as we are not concerned with who gets the credit.”

President Tim Gibson says, “In every interaction with these five new trustees, I find myself not only challenged, but inspired to trust God’s leading even more. Their acumen and expertise are outstanding additions to the College’s Board of Trustees. I look forward to learning from each of them as we move forward with the work at King’s.”

The King’s College welcomes these new members to the Board of Trustees and looks forward to the insight, wisdom, and skill that they will each bring to the College.