What is the Purpose of Business?

Jeff Van Duzer is the Provost of Seattle Pacific University and author of Why Business Matters to God (And What Still Needs To Be Fixed). Previously he was Dean of the School of Business and Economics at Seattle Pacific University and served as Professor of Business Law and Ethics. Prior to his tenure at SPU, Van Duzer practiced law in Seattle with an emphasis on finance and natural resources. He writes and speaks frequently in both church and professional settings. He is married to Margie, his wife of over thirty years. They have two adult sons, Andrew and Nate.

Laura McGuire is the chief executive officer of VineaGroup, a lead management company based in Colorado Springs. She is a successful entrepreneur, having founded four other service and technology businesses. Laura is a nationally-recognized expert, and was voted one of the three most influential people in sales lead management in 2013 by the Sales Lead Management Association. She is a life-long resident of Colorado, mother of three, and has served on the boards of state and local civic, non-profit and faith-based organizations.

Wes Gardner is the founder and owner of Prime Trailer Leasing, a company that rents and sells semi-trailers in Denver, Colorado. He believes that “building relationships on the values of honesty, trust and integrity will help our business grow and contribute to our customers’ success.” Wes is an active partner with Hope House of Colorado, Outside the Bowl, and Convoy of Hope, a ministry to impoverished children in Haiti, and enjoys spending time outdoors with his family.

Jim Howey is the director of business development at Blender Products, Inc. He has provided senior-level leadership to companies ranging from a niche metal products manufacturer (his current company) to a national franchisor of retail children’s apparel stores.

Rev. Chris Ditzenberger is the pastor of St. Gabriel's Episcopal Church in Cherry Hills Village, where he has served since 2005. A Littleton, Colorado native, he is a graduate of Gordon College, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and the Protestant Episcopal Theological Seminary in Virginia. Prior to ordination, he worked in Washington, DC at the intersection of ethics and public policy.

Chris Horst is the chief advancement officer at HOPE International, an international microfinance organization that helps people escape poverty. His development staff raise $16 million annually to support HOPE’s mission. He loves to write, having been published in The Denver Post and Christianity Today and co-authored Mission Drift, Entrepreneurship for Human Flourishing, and Rooting for Rivals with Peter Greer. In addition to his role at HOPE, he serves on the board of the Mile High WorkShop.