Bio

Jay has a background in Islamic Studies and has worked throughout the 10/40 Islamic world for over 25 years, from Morocco to Indonesia and from Azerbaijan to Nigeria.  He has lived in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Colon, Panama (Republic of); Port-Au-Prince, Haiti; Ganga, Azerbaijan; Tbilisi, Georgia (Republic of);  Herzliya/Tel Aviv, Israel; Amman, Jordan; Kuwait City, Kuwait;  Baghdad (Green Zone), Iraq; Harare, Zimbabwe; and Beijing, China – as a missionary, a Foreign Service Officer, and in early childhood.  In addition, he has worked and/or traveled to Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt, Greece, Turkey, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, and other locales for a total of 68 countries.

Jay is a retired Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State; during his career he has worked for General Electric and AT&T; Youth for Christ (YFC) and Young Life; even finding time to have been self-employed as an independent contractor.  He was the founder and CEO of the non-profit organization, Global Reach (c. 1981), whose mission was to help identify and then come along side and train young Christian business entrepreneurs. Training involved using sound business principles which were also supported by sound biblical principles from authors such as David, Solomon, Paul and other biblical authors. These locally owned and run businesses provided employment in their communities and financial support to their places of worship.  Jay has worked under contract, identifying and training entrepreneurs, for such organizations as Young Life (YL), Operation Mobilisation (OM), Youth With A Mission (YWAM), Presbyterian Church in America/Mission to the World (PCA/MTW), Partners International (PI), World Vision International (WVI), Scripture Union, World Concern (WC), and others.  World Concern published the second edition of his book, Values In The Marketplace, and still use the principles put forth in his book in some of their overseas ministries.  Jay also led seminars for YWAM and taught a class at the YWAM University of the Nations in Hawaii on the island of Kona.

His education includes an honorary degree from the School Of Hard Knocks, a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies (English, Bible, Business, and History – Medieval History and The Crusades) from Covenant College – 1973; an MBA in Third World Economic Development – 1986; and a Ph.D., in Islamic Studies (Oil & Gas, and Money & Banking – Business Practices), Oxford, UK – 1988.

He and his wife, Lynn, now live in Oklahoma.  They have three grown children and eight grand-children.  Jay became a Christian in 1969; he is of the Covenant and Reformed Faith, and is currently an inactive elder of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA).