OUR MENTORS
Our mentors dedicate their lives to helping and teaching.
Our mentors primarily enter our program through our relationship with local business partners (employee interest). They are also coached / mentored, which helps them serve a young adult with great confidence. This equips them to have healthy relationships at home and work.
Michael Garland
My name is Michael Garland and I am a son of Christ, a husband of 20 years, a father of 4 amazing kids, and a coach of my small business team; in that order. I grew up in a little Southern Baptist church is southeastern Indiana. My father was a deacon and my Granddad was an active Gideon. I gave my life to Christ when I was about 10 years old, and I’ve been active in church ever since, in youth groups, music ministry, mission trips, service projects, and as an elder. I married my high school best friend, Heather Kirkpatrick, and we are celebrating 20 years this May. We have 4 amazing children, 2 biological and 2 adopted from China. My wife and I are very active with our children’s activities including dance, basketball, snow skiing, marching band, and soccer. I personally have coached all three of my sons’ soccer teams for 13 years now and I love every minute of it. I have been in insurance for 15 years now and I’ve owned my own agency with State Farm for the last 10 years in Fairfield, Ohio. I have an outstanding team of 4 agents, enjoy coaching and mentoring them, and helping them become successful. One of my team members is an Agent Aspirant, she is an agent that is training and preparing to take over her own State Farm agency one day. I found myself interested in the mentoring program with Mentoring Partners of Cincinnati because I love people and I enjoy helping, coaching people, and watching them find their passion in their work and in life. I pray daily that God gives me opportunities to love my neighbor as he loves us, and I believe that this mentoring program is an excellent opportunity to do just that.
Lura Beth
I earned my BSN, and with the help of my husband, we raised 8 successful children. What inspired me was being asked and having an interest in the life of my student. My hope is that she aims to reach her full potential with the encouragement from others in her life. Going into a mentoring role, I thought "How can I bless someone?" "Am I adequate?" Then I realized that I, too, will receive a huge blessing. The Lord equips those who are willing, and makes them able!
Matthew Marcum
My childhood was mostly about survival, as my parent's formerly unhealthy marriage evoked fear and doubt into every fiber of my being. I graduated high school a year early at 17 years old. It was my desire to live a life that would powerfully impact others, so I explored any opportunity I could try, but had no grasp of my vocational or academic gifts. Something powerful happened: imperfect but intentional men began to invest in my life. They planted seeds of hope and helped me build an unbreakable vision to guide me in faith, relationships, academic, and career pursuits. After serving as a community advocate in hospice nursing for 15 years, I now am honored to lead this mission that invests in the foundation and future of young men and women, through the heart-to-heart, life-to-life power of mentoring. We are able to offer this free to students because of our financial business partners in Cincinnati and beyond.
Ron Wenzel
My name is Ron Wenzel. I am the Pastor of Trenton Mennonite Church in Trenton, OH. My wife and I are the parents of 3 grown children and are now enjoying the blessing of grandchildren. My inspiration for serving as a mentor comes from a desire to help young men grow into the mature and responsible adults that our society needs them to be. If you like the feeling of making a difference in the life of a young person, then becoming a mentor might be for you!
Harvey Thurmer
I am an Associate Professor at Miami University, teaching violin in the Music Department. I mentor young students, as I was myself mentored, by many different teachers along the way. With that in my background, I have personally experienced the power of a good mentor, and sometimes conversely, the power of a bad mentor. I am also a father of two wonderful people who I am blessed to call my children-both now in college. The opportunity to influence another young life is a privilege and a sobering challenge. It challenges me to think purposefully about how I interact with young people who are in their formative years. We all have something to offer from our own journeys through life. What I offer will be different from what anyone else offers, but it is what I CAN OFFER. I would encourage anyone with a heart for the next generation, to seriously investing in this mentorship opportunity.
John Allbrittin
John Allbrittin was born in Tallassee, AL and grew up there while being raised by his great grandparents. After graduating high school, he went to Alabama State University and graduated with a BS in Computer Information Systems.
Shortly after graduation from Alabama State, John moved to Cincinnati, OH with Procter & Gamble and worked in Information Technology and Sales. While working for P&G in Greensboro, NC, he went on to earn his MBA from Wake Forest University. After working for over 28 years, he retired from Procter & Gamble. For the last five and one-half years, he is now working as a Director of Whiz Kids for City Gospel Mission in Cincinnati. Whiz Kids goal is to help churches have a tutoring ministry for under-served and disadvantaged kids.
John and his wife, Lisa, have two adult children, Deanna and Bryant. They have their home in Mason, Ohio, a suburb of Cincinnati. His interests are sports, especially college football (i.e., Roll Tide) and NBA basketball. Another passion is racial reconciliation as he continues to facilitate and participate in “Undivided” sessions at work and his church, Crossroads.