Rev. Daniel L. West
Board President
Rev. Daniel L. West has been involved with Faith Farm Ministries for over 25 years. He became a member of the Board of Directors in 2003 and is a lifetime member. He currently serves as the Board President. Rev. West obtained his Bachelor’s degree at Marion College in Marion, Indiana, and his Masters degree in Christian Social Ministries from New Covenant International University. He is also a Board Member and Elder at Trinity Church International in Boynton Beach, Florida, since 1985. In 1999, he became involved in Turning Point Group Ministries. His pastoral efforts reach hundreds of people through classes and benevolence in half-way houses, local jail facilities and other groups in need of performing community service hours. In addition, he oversees on-going food collections and distributions throughout the community’s food banks.
Bud Read
Board Vice President
Bud Read has been involved with Faith Farm Ministries since it began in 1951. He was a member of the original Board of Directors, currently serves as the Board’s Vice President and is a lifetime member. Not only has he been on the Board since the beginning, but he also worked for Ft. Lauderdale Rescue Mission during its first 24 years. Mr. Read is a retired master electrician. Mr. Read’s wife of 58 years, Deloris, is the daughter of Rev. Garland Eastham, the founder of Ft. Lauderdale Rescue Mission and Faith Farm Ministries. They have two daughters, five grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. Mr. Read shares that, “Faith Farm is my life” but in his spare time away from Faith Farm business, Mr. Read collects stamps, postcards, coins and antiques.
Rev. Michael G. Brown
Board Member
Rev. Michael G. Brown has been around Faith Farm for most of his life. His father, Rev. Gurnade Brown, was a minister at the original Fort Lauderdale Rescue Mission when Michael was 7 years old. In June of 1974, upon completion of Bible College, Michael joined the Ft. Lauderdale campus staff. He and his wife, Theresa, have two sons, Dustin and Aaron. Aaron currently serves as the Director of the Boynton Beach Faith Farm Ministries’ campus. They also enjoy six grandchildren. Rev. Brown first joined the Board in 1978. In 1996, he left Faith Farm to become Senior Pastor of The Gathering in Okeechobee, Florida. But, in January, 2008, he was invited to return to the Board and we are blessed that he agreed. Rev. Brown enjoys membership in the International Ministerial Association and the Okeechobee Ministerial Association and his favorite pastimes are golf and music.
Jim A. Ross
Board Treasurer
Jim A. Ross has been a member of the Board of Directors at Faith Farm Ministries since 2007. Mr. Ross says, “It (Faith Farm Ministries) has great potential to advance the Kingdom of God in South Florida.” Mr. Ross is currently employed as the Controller for Robin Lewis Insurance Company and has been a member of the Cooper City Church of God since 1981. Mr. Ross is also the Board’s Treasurer. He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Math at Asbury College in Wilmore, Kentucky, in 1968, and was married the same year to his wife of 40 years, Judy. Mr. Ross shares that he had a major encounter with Christ in 1965. But, at that time, he did not know how to define it. Today, he enjoys studying and teaching the New Testament. He also enjoys observing, critiquing and challenging the church in South Florida as he encounters it.
Donna Marrah
Board Secretary
Donna Marrah is originally from Jamaica and is employed as the Director of Customer Care for Humana. She became a member of the Board of Directors at Faith Farm Ministries in February, 2007. Ms. Marrah says that she joined Faith Farm Ministries, “to serve God through serving others by contributing time and abilities in making decisions that will impact the success of Faith Farm Ministries.” She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Florida International University in Miami and her Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Nova University in Davie, Florida. Ms. Marrah also serves as a Board Member of the Missions Board at Cooper City Church of God. She is married and has two children. Her favorite pastime activities include reading, singing and playing tennis.
Janice Beeker
Board Member
Janice Beeker is an attorney who is employed as Corporate Counsel for Aetna Life Insurance Company. She received her Bachelor’s Degree from Queens, College of the City University of New York. Her Juris Doctor Degree was earned at the University of Miami’s School of Law and she is a member of the Florida Bar. Ms. Beeker joined the Board of Directors at Faith Farm Ministries in February, 2008, and says, “As I continue to serve Christ faithfully, I feel God will use my gifts and talents to assist this Christ-centered organization with its goals and mission.” Ms. Beeker has many additional roles, as well. She is married and has two children. She also serves is the head of the Women’s Ministry, with the Convalescent Ministry and His Hands Ministry, all located at Calvary Chapel Ft. Lauderdale’s Plantation Campus. She still finds time to enjoy reading, fellowship and studying the Bible, as well as preparing Bible study materials for her small group.
Faith Bolton
Board Member
Faith Bolton became a Board Member in January, 2007, following in her late husband’s footsteps. Jack Bolton was a former President of the Board and a Pastor at Faith Farm Ministries for 25 years. They have three children and two grandchildren. Mrs. Bolton is a teacher at Wellington Christian School and received her Bachelor of Arts Degree at Florida Atlantic University. She also attended International Bible College and received a Christian Worker’s Certification. She is a member of the Reading Literacy Council and teaches adults to read. “They (Faith Farm Ministries) have given so much to the community and to me personally. I’ve seen so many lives changed through this ministry.” Mrs. Bolton brings 21 years of teaching experience to the Board, including having taught children of missionaries in Indonesia and in Ecuador. She enjoys reading and traveling.
Bennetto Harriott
Board Member
Mr. Bennetto Harriott is a Lifetime Board Member and has been on the Board for over twenty years. Born in Jamaica, Mr. Harriott came to the United States in December, 1960. He was self-employed for many years, but is also a retired employee of Broward County. In addition to being a mechanic by trade and training men for long distance truck driving, he also served several years in the Prison Ministry. He and his wife, Carmen, are members of Fort Lauderdale Rescue Tabernacle, the parent entity of Faith Farm Ministries.
Amanda Schumacher
Board Member
Amanda Schumacher joined the Board of Directors in March, 2009. She also serves on the Boards of Palm Beach Theater Guild and Hospice Guild of Palm Beach. She is founder of Tree of Life Foundation International, Inc., serving as President on the Board for Tree of Life Center, Inc., and Tree of Life Enterprise Services in West Palm Beach, Florida. Amanda transforms nonprofit entities globally through the consolidation of gifts, talents and resources throughout the world, combining marketing and fundraising efforts for twenty two initiatives, or branches, of the Tree of Life. She is also the founder of CEO, which is a select group of CEO’s from prominent organizations that have united to further individual visions through joining their gifts, talents and resources. Amanda spear-headed the Haiti Heard from the Heart campaign, founded Global Media, Inc., The Women’s Faith Forum and The United Global Youth Leaders, which is an organization designed to encourage the youth to become active volunteers in the world around them. Amanda is married to Charles Schumacher, a very successful businessman, and they have five children. She is dedicated and compassionate and strives to make a difference in the lives of people, animals, and the environment throughout global communities
James P. LaRose
Board Member
James P. LaRose, affectionately known as ‘Jimmy’, joined the Board in July, 2009. Jimmy is a Certified Fundraising Executive (CRFE) with a passion for the international nonprofit sector. His heroes are those of the charitable world who lay down their lives daily for the hurting and hopeless. He has spent the last twenty years supporting leaders who spend themselves in service to others. During his career, he has helped over 350 non profit institutions and thousands of development professionals. He specializes in major gift cultivation, special events, capital campaigns and board development among other things. Jimmy is a founder, officer and board member of multiple companies and wears many hats including conference speaker, development officer, and agency director. When not traveling around the world, Jimmy and his wife, Dianne, reside in Columbia, South Carolina. One of Jimmy’s interests has been the continuous additions to his vocabulary, reading the dictionary and using new words that stump us all again and again.