Board Members
John Clarkson - Church Chairman (Term ends 2015)
John Clarkson and his wife, Jan, have been members of The Orchard for more than 30 years.
John accepted Christ as a child. He describes his spiritual life as a series of plateaus followed by growth. He is involved with a Community Bible Study men’s group and is in a LIFE Group with Jan. For John, regular Scripture reading and prayer are essential in his desire to faithfully align his priorities with God’s priorities. Through overwhelming life circumstances, he has gained a deep reliance on his Heavenly Father.
John is a graduate of Taylor University and has a Certificate of Business Administration for UIC. He is the owner of J Marshall Design at the Merchandise Mart.
John and Jan are part of the Barrington Campus. They have two adult children and two grandchildren.
Keith Foley - Vice-Chairman (Term ends 2013)
Keith Foley has been a Christian for more than 20 years. At this time in his life, his faith in Jesus Christ is growing stronger than ever before. His 14 year involvement with Bible Study Fellowship has helped with the discipline needed to be in God’s Word daily.
Believing in the importance of servant leadership, he has a strong desire to serve the ministries of The Orchard.
Keith has been involved in education for 40 years. He worked at Lane Tech High School in Chicago for 27 years—seven as principal. He is currently Principal Development Officer at Marshall High School. He has a Master’s degree in Educational Administration and has done post graduate work in Education.
Keith & Joan have been members at The Orchard for twelve years and they attend the Arlington Heights Sanctuary services.
Dick Nordman - Elder Committee Chair (Term ends 2013)
Dick Nordman has been a member of The Orchard for more than 15 years.
At age 11, Dick accepted Christ after listening to a Billy Graham crusade on television. As an adult, Dick was ambivalent about his Christian walk. After marriage and the birth of their first child, Dick and his wife, Patti, began to see the need for a more diligent walk with the Lord. Although they were busy with church activities, something was missing. After the Nordmans began attending The Orchard, they discovered the blessing of learning the truths found in God’s Word.
Dick and Patti feel privileged to have their three grown children, Sarah, Matt and Angie, and their families worshipping here with them in this place where God’s Word is taught and they are being fed spiritually.
Dick earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Administration and Accounting from Iowa State and is a CPA. He is currently an Investment Advisor with Crown Financial Group, Inc. He currently serves as Chairman of the Unlocking the Bible Board of Directors.
Tim Beechick - Properties Committee Chair (Term ends 2014)
Tim Beechick grew up in the Chicago area and accepted Christ as his Savior at an Awana meeting at Midwest Bible Church. His faith grew during his junior high and high school years, but while attending college he went through a period where he did not feel close to the Lord. After college he recommitted his life to Christ and began attending The Orchard.
Tim and his wife, Donna, feel blessed to have raised their three daughters, Courtney, Allison and Talia with the positive Christian influence of this church and are thankful for the commitment of The Orchard to teach the fundamental truth of God’s Word. Tim has been encouraged and challenged through men’s Bible study and through regular study with Donna.
Tim has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Business from Westmont College. He has spent his career in real estate, most recently with Hamilton Partners.
Tim and his family worship at the Barrington Campus.
Greg Harden - Finance Committee Chair (Term ends 2012)
Greg Harden and his wife, Shelley, have been members of The Orchard since 1997.
Greg was raised in Colorado and became a Christian when he was fourteen through a pocket-sized Gideon Bible. In spite of difficult circumstances, Greg continued to grow in his understanding of God. He is grateful for the people God placed in his life who helped him with his spiritual walk.
The Hardens were drawn to The Orchard in 1996 because of the solid Biblical teaching they heard. They are thankful for Christian growth opportunities found in corporate worship and one-on-one interaction with fellow believers, especially in their couples’ Bible study.
Greg is involved in finance administration with Advocate Health Care. He has a Bachelor of Business degree in Administration/Finance; Master of Business Administration and Master of Health Administration from the University of Iowa.
Greg, Shelley and their four children worship at the Barrington Campus.
Pete Cullen - Membership Elder (Term ends 2015)
Pete Cullen was raised in New York City where he lived until attending college. His perception of himself at that time was that of a good, religious person, not understanding the difference between religion and having a relationship with Jesus Christ. Through a pastor’s instruction class at his former church, Pete was just beginning to understand personal faith when a friend invited him to attend The Orchard. Pete and his wife, Marti and their two daughters, Mandie and Emmy, began attending in 1988.
Since that first visit, his whole family has come to know Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord. Pete is very grateful for the work of Jesus Christ as they all continue to grow spiritually and serve Him.
During the past 22 years, Pete has served in many areas of the church. He has had a significant influence in the lives of many students through his faithful work with the 5th and 6th grade ministries of The Orchard.
In 2010 Pete retired from the Federal Bureau of Investigation after a 32 year career as a Special Agent. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education and recently obtained a Master of Business Administration degree with a focus on organizational behavior.
Robb Hansen - Member at Large (Term ends 2014)
Robb Hansen grew up at The Orchard and accepted Christ as his Savior in 1967. During his high school years, his faith grew significantly as he participated in a Campus Crusade for Christ Bible Study. He graduated from Wheaton College and earned an MDIV from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.
Robb served as Jr. High Pastor at The Orchard from 1981-1989; spent five years on staff at Trinity; and worked three years helping to launch Walk in the Word radio ministry. In 2003 Robb founded Next Level Insights, a marketing, communications and fund-raising consulting firm.
In recent years, when their daughter, Brooke, was born with a serious heart condition, the Hansens found Joshua 3:5 to be very meaningful. “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”
In the face of each difficulty, the family has claimed the promise of Isaiah 26:3-4, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever; for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.”
Robb, his wife, Gina, and their four children, Blake, Tyler, Alec and Brooke, worship at the Barrington Campus.
John Picchiotti - Member at Large (Term ends 2012)
John Picchiotti was raised a Catholic, and accepted Christ as his Savior at a Campus Life camp in high school. His faith continued to flourish in college through the ministry of the Navigators.
John is passionate about his faith and its centrality in his life. He has served with Northwest Suburban Young Life as a volunteer, staff member and Area Director. John has been influential in the lives of his professional peers through the Commercial Real Estate Fellowship, a ministry he helped co-found 6 years ago.
John and his family have attended The Orchard since 1996. He recently led the Double Impact Capital Campaign Committee.
John is a CPA and has a BS in Accounting from the University of Illinois. The Picchiotti family regularly worship at gym service at the Arlington Heights Campus.
Joe Steiger - Member at Large (Term ends 2015)
Joe Steiger was raised in Chicago where he attended Lutheran elementary school. He realized his need for a personal relationship with Christ while attending law school and dating his future wife, Georgette.
In 1997, Joe and his wife, Georgette, were drawn to The Orchard because of its strong Biblical preaching and active youth group. They have been members of The Orchard for four years.
The Steigers are blessed with two children, Andrew, who was recently married, and Allison, a senior at Baylor University.
Joe has served in the Middle School Ministry of The Orchard for the past eleven years. He has been a leader on several short term mission trips and several middle school BUMP trips—including the trip to Bogota, Colombia this past January.
Joe is an attorney with Travelers Insurance Co., earned a Bachelors degree in Economics from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana and a law degree from Illinois Institute of Technology/Chicago Kent College of Law.
In addition, staff members Colin Smith, Senior Pastor; Russ McCune, Church Business Administrator; Bill Bradish, Executive Pastor; and Scott Lothery, Executive Pastor also serve on the Church Board. Their biographies are available with their staff listing.