The following report of the Committee for Convention Nominations provides slates of candidates for many of the officer, board, and commission positions to be filled by the 2026 convention of the Synod. District membership or origin is also provided. The elections will take place during the July 18–23, 2026, convention in Phoenix, Arizona. More information on the candidates will be made available in the Biographical Synopses and Statements of Nominees, to be published along with the Convention Workbook early in May. In the following slate of candidates, an asterisk indicates incumbency:
Secretary of the Synod
Minister of Religion—Ordained (elect 1, 3-year term)
Richard C. Rudowske Jr. (MO); *John W. Sias (MO)
LCMS Board of Directors
Central Region Lay Member of LCMS Member Congregation (elect 1, 6-year term)
*Andrew N. Grams (MDS); Aaron J. Silletto (IN); Kevin W. Washburn (MDS)
West-Southwest Region Lay Member of LCMS Member Congregation (elect 1, 6-year term)
Trey Cox (PSW); Jerald L. Folkerts (RM); Stephen Reavis (TX); *Jesse L. Yow Jr. (CNH)
At-Large Lay Member of LCMS Member Congregation (elect 1, 6-year term)
Thomas J. Deadrick (SD); David C. Eastburn (IE); John W. Edson (MNS)
At-Large Minister of Religion—Commissioned (elect 1, 6-year term)
Nathan T. Domsch (NEB); Jay A. Krause (SI); *Jan W. Lohmeyer (SO)
Board for National Mission
Central Region Minister of Religion—Ordained or Commissioned (elect 1, 6-year term)
Douglas L. Rutt (MO); *Michael P. Schuermann (CI)
Great Lakes Region Minister of Religion—Ordained or Commissioned (elect 1, 6-year term)
*Peter C. Bender (SW); Miriam R. Yakimow (MI)
West-Southwest Region Minister of Religion—Ordained or Commissioned (elect 1, 6-year term)
Kevin W. Austin (PSW); Thomas E. Chryst (TX); Neil S. Vanderbush (TX)
East-Southeast Region Lay Member of LCMS Member Congregation (elect 1, 6-year term)
Rande T. Casaday (EN); David L. Daniels (SE); Karen A. Dowbnia (EN)
Great Plains Region Lay Member of LCMS Member Congregation (elect 1, 6-year term)
Vernon W. Kettelhake (NEB); Sarah Rausch (SD)
Board for International Mission
East-Southeast Region Minister of Religion—Ordained or Commissioned (elect 1, 6-year term)
*James A. Douthwaite (SELC); Gregory D. Jans (NJ); Rachel E. Jaseph (SE)
Great Plains Region Minister of Religion—Ordained or Commissioned (elect 1, 6-year term)
Richard X. Her (MNS); *Daniel Preus (MNN); Brent D. Smith (NEB)
Central Region Lay Member of LCMS Member Congregation (elect 1, 6-year term)
Adam D. Fosse (KS); Seth R. Hinz (MO)
Great Lakes Region Lay Member of LCMS Member Congregation (elect 1, 6-year term)
Kelly Bone (MI); *John L. Powers (SW)
West-Southwest Region Lay Member of LCMS Member Congregation (elect 1, 6-year term)
Richard P. Fielitz Jr. (CNH); *Terence Lung (CNH)
Commission on Theology and Church Relations
Minister of Religion—Ordained (parish pastor) (elect 1, 6-year term)
Andrew C. Kennell (MO); Martin R. Noland (CNH); Mark P. Surburg (SI)
Lay Member of LCMS Member Congregation (elect 1, 6-year term)
Keith G. Chuvala (TX); Paul P. Edmon (NE)
Concordia Historical Institute Board of Governors
Minister of Religion—Ordained (elect 2, 6-year term)
*Rodney A. Benkendorf (MO); Mark A. Loest (MI); David P. Ramirez (SW); *Robert V. Roethemeyer (IN)
Minister of Religion—Commissioned or Lay Member of LCMS Member Congregation (elect 1, 6-year term)
David Duesenberg (MO); Alessandro Meregaglia (NOW); Matthew C. Phillips (NEB)
Concordia Publishing House Board of Directors
Lay Member of LCMS Member Congregation (elect 4, 6-year term)
*Heidi K. Abegg (EN); Jeff Bull (IW); *Thomas R. Halvorson (MT); Mark Hemingway (EN); Seth R. Hinz (MO); Noreen L. Linke (RM); Sarah Rausch (SD); William M. Thompson II (MO)
The Lutheran Church Extension Fund—Missouri Synod Board of Directors
Minister of Religion—Ordained or Commissioned (elect 1, 3-year term)
Michael L. Kumm (SD); Kevin D. Robson (MO); Blaise C. Sedney (SE)
Lay Member of LCMS Member Congregation (elect 2, 3-year term)
Jason Behr (SW); Matthew W. Hurtienne (EN); *Julie A. Johnson (SI); *Jonathan H. Kramer (MO); Gretchen A. Roberts (MDS); Ryan Weir (KS)
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod Foundation Board of Trustees
Minister of Religion—Ordained (elect 1, 3-year term)
Mark L. Huff (MI); *Todd C. Riordan (IN)
Lay Member of LCMS Member Congregation (elect 1, 3-year term)
Glenn R. Pittsford (TX); Franklin E. Simek Jr. (SI); Mark O. Swenson (MNS)
Concordia University System Board of Directors
Minister of Religion—Ordained (elect 1, 6-year term)
Jacob C. Bobby (SD); Matthew E. Borrasso (SE); *Mark S. Nuckols (SW)
Concordia Theological Seminary (Fort Wayne, Ind.) Board of Regents
Minister of Religion—Ordained (elect 2, 6-year term)
Randall L. Golter (IE); Timothy M. Klinkenberg (PSW); *Korey D. Maas (MI); Jeffrey E. Skopak (SE)
Minister of Religion—Commissioned (elect 1, 6-year term)
Matthew C. Janssen (MO); *Mark W. Meehl (NEB)
Lay Member of LCMS Member Congregation (elect 1, 6-year term)
Elizabeth R. Killinger (TX); Michael D. Lange (PSW); Christian A. Preus (MNS)
Concordia Seminary (St. Louis, Mo.) Board of Regents
Minister of Religion—Ordained (elect 2, 6-year term)
*Joel A. Brondos (CI); Warren W. Graff (RM); *Bruce E. Keseman (SI); Richard C. Rudowske Jr. (MO)
Minister of Religion—Commissioned (elect 1, 6-year term)
Sarah E. Gaffney (SI); *Michael S. Staub (TX)
Lay Member of LCMS Member Congregation (elect 1, 6-year term)
Michelle M. Kazmierczak (IN); Noreen L. Linke (RM); *Mark O. Stern (NI)
Concordia University Chicago (River Forest, Ill.) Board of Regents
Minister of Religion—Ordained (elect 1, 3-year term)
Matthew D. Bean (SE); Rene G. Castillero (SI); *Lawrence R. Rast Jr. (IN)
Minister of Religion—Commissioned (elect 1, 3-year term)
Jeremy T. Geidel (NEB); Nathanael Hahn (WY); Paul R. Steinhaus (NW)
Lay Member of LCMS Member Congregation (elect 2, 3-year term)
Alicia K. Dietrich (SI); *David Walz (NI); *Alison C. Witte (OH); Mark D. Wolfrum (NI)
Concordia University, Irvine (Calif.) Board of Regents
Minister of Religion—Ordained (elect 1, 3-year term)
Brian L. Kachelmeier (TX); Elroi Reimnitz (PSW); Muluneh Taye (CNH)
Minister of Religion—Commissioned (elect 1, 3-year term)
Robert S. Fogo (TX); Sarah E. Gaffney (SI)
Lay Member of LCMS Member Congregation (elect 2, 3-year term)
Harry Edmon (NOW); *Laura G. Hemminger (NOW); Gary C. Nelson (CNH); Brian T. Yamabe (CNH)
Concordia University, Nebraska (Seward, Neb.) Board of Regents
Minister of Religion—Ordained (elect 1, 3-year term)
*Scott T. Adle (NEB); Luther C. Biggs (NEB); John David K. Zischke (MDS)
Minister of Religion—Commissioned (elect 1, 3-year term)
*Craig A. Ernstmeyer (MO); Jay A. Krause (SI); Alan P. Runge (NI)
Lay Member of LCMS Member Congregation (elect 2, 3-year term)
Dan Buman (NEB); Christopher P. Heins (MO); Bruce D. Schultz (KS); *Douglas Tewes (NEB); Stan Ullerich (IW)
Concordia University, St. Paul (Minn.) Board of Regents
Minister of Religion—Ordained (elect 1, 3-year term)
Jeffrey P. Cloeter (MO); Adam T. Filipek (ND); *Donald J. Fondow (MNN)
Minister of Religion—Commissioned (elect 1, 3-year term)
John Chilman III (PSW); Tia M. Esser (SD); Gary L. Volberding (MNS)
Lay Member of LCMS Member Congregation (elect 2, 3-year term)
*Karl Abbott (SE); *Paul C. Hinz (TX); Richard A. Rolf (MI); Rosa Summers (MNS)
Concordia University Texas (Austin, Texas) Board of Regents
Minister of Religion—Ordained (elect 1, 3-year term)
Keith W. Schweitzer (IW); Neil S. Vanderbush (TX); Richard A. Zeile (MI)
Minister of Religion—Commissioned (elect 1, 3-year term)
Christopher R. Marshall (SW); *Miguel A. Ruiz (TX)
Lay Member of LCMS Member Congregation (elect 2, 3-year term)
Jon Allen (EA); *William Brandt (TX); *Bob L. Ssekyanzi (TX)
Concordia University Wisconsin (Mequon, Wis.) Board of Regents
Minister of Religion—Ordained (elect 1, 3-year term)
Jonathan E. Conner (IW); Dwayne M. Lueck (NW); Lance A. ODonnell (SW)
Minister of Religion—Commissioned (elect 1, 3-year term)
*Jennifer Knox (SW); Paul R. Steinhaus (NW)
Lay Member of LCMS Member Congregation (elect 2, 3-year term)
Jon Allen (EA); Rande T. Casaday (EN); *David Lambert (EN); *Stephen M. Saunders (SW)
The Committee for Convention Nominations expresses its appreciation to all who submitted names and all nominees who allowed their names to be considered for elective positions.
Rev. Dr. John W. Sias
Secretary
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Posted March 4, 2026
