District Staff
Dr. Calvin Swan
District Superintendent
Calvin Swan has served as the Superintendent since 1999. Prior to that he served as a youth pastor, solo pastor, and for 13 years as the senior pastor of Mulford Evangelical Free Church in Muscatine, Iowa. He received his D.Min and M.Div from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and is also a graduate of Wheaton College. He is responsible for the oversight of the district team, but is also directly available for pastors and churches—especially in the area of placement and pastoral transitions. Additionaly, he is available to preach at district churches.
Rev. Larry Austin
Director of Church Health
Larry Austin has served the district in his role of church health since the fall of 2008. Prior to that he had served for 23 years as the Pastor of Adult Ministries at First Evangelical Free Church in Ames, Iowa. Larry is recognized nationally as a superb ministry trainer and a leader in understanding and application of church health principles. Larry is responsible for helping our churches and pastors to multiply ministry by focusing on discipleship, on the mission of their church, on developing spiritual leaders, and through helping them negotiate change.
Rev. Mark Doss
Regional Associate Superintendent
Church Planting Missionary IA/SD
Mark Doss has served in the area of church planting since 1995. Prior to that Mark served as a youth pastor in Chicago and then as a solo pastor in Arkansas and Iowa. Mark is available to help your church/pastor not only understand how to take the next steps in planting a new congregation, but also to show you how to make church planting a healthy part of your church's mission. Additionally, Mark is responsible for administrative oversight of the credentialing process in our district.
Rev. Luis Martinez
Multi-Ethnic Ministry Director
Luis Martinez joined our team in July of 2007, leaving the sunny climate of California for a calling in the Midwest. Known nationally as the "Dean of EFCA Hispanics" due to his long term ministry in the Free Church, he has served in many roles including Senior Pastor. His background and personality make him an ideal fit for his current role. Luis is available to help you understand and implement ministry to a variety minorities. He is currently working with many ethnicities, including Hispanic, Asian, African, African American, and Eastern European.
Rev. Richard Schumacher
Regional Associate Superintendent
Church Planting Missionary MO/AR
Richard Schumacher joined the district team in the area of church planting in January of 2008. His background includes a successful career in International Banking. He also participated as a lay person in the planting of a church. While serving faithfully within the church, he experienced a calling to enter full time ministry. He was called as the Pastor of Global Outreach for First EFC of St. Louis for five years and now serves in the area of church planting, focusing on the states of Missouri and Arkansas.
Rhonda Nichols
District Administrative Assistant
Rhonda Nichols joined the Central District staff in 2007 with undergraduate specialties in accounting and mathematics, along with corporate experience in the areas of flex plans and COBRA administration. She is responsible for the administration of the office and will be your first point of contact when you call. Rhonda handles the large district events, our newsletters, various other communications, scheduling, and hundreds of other items that make us work efficiently. She is the first person to call if you are unsure whom to contact with your question.
Mary Lou McDowell
Director of RESOUND Womenʼs Ministry
Mary Lou McDowell joined out team in June of 2009. Mary Lou is unique in that while she is responsible for what is almost a full time job as our RESOUND Director, she is also a volunteer and serves without compensation. Mary Lou is available to serve your church and especially your women’s ministry director in the area of building a healthy women’s ministry district wide. Her experience as an executive in the corporate world is proving to be a great asset as she builds a team of dedicated networkers to bring resources to every region of the district.
John & Susan Ritland
Church Planting Volunteer
John and Susan Ritland joined our team in 2008. John had served as an engineer for Boeing and took an early retirement to help our church planting efforts. He had long served as a dedicated lay person in the EFCA and had a strong desire to join in where God was working. Serving in church planting for John is both a passion and a gift. Susan is a dedicated co-worker with John in this calling to help people accomplish their dream of developing healthy new churches. They serve alongside Richard Schumacher in their mission to plant churches.
Gary Shaw
Solid Rock Builders
Gary Shaw joined the Central District team in March of 2010. Gary’s experience as an engineer and a builder gives him exactly what is needed to help a young church take the important steps toward a first building or remodeling project. Gary has served as the building chairman of two different churches as they built new facilities, the most recent being the multi-million dollar expansion of the Ankeny Evangelical Free Church. Gary is available to assist churches in understanding the steps necessary to have a successful project as well as to help them find and utilize district volunteers.
Dr. John & Win Stanford
Leadership Encouragement Team
John and Win Stanford became a part of the district team in 2001 and serve in the area of leadership encouragement. Both have extensive church leadership backgrounds. John has been chair of elder boards in smaller as well as larger churches, while Win has been on numerous pastoral search committees and has served on the board of directors for the Boone EFC Retirement Home. Both John and Win have a great heart for pastors and a gift for mentoring. They are available for counsel and encouragement for all district pastors, wives, and laity. As part of their ministry, they maintain aonotes.com