Decree for America Spokespersons:
Aaron Fruh
Aaron Fruh earned an M.A. in educational ministries from Wheaton College Graduate School. He received his bachelor’s degree from Bethany University in Santa Cruz, CA. Fruh moved his family to Mobile, Alabama, in 1992 to become the lead pastor of Knollwood Church. Fruh has been a featured speaker at the National Promise Keepers Conferences nationwide. He is a weekly guest commentator on American Family Radio’s Nothing But Truth with Crane Durham, called “Afternoons With Aaron.” Fruh has authored three books: The Decree of Esther, The Forgotten Blessing, and his most recent, Two Minute Warning, which he coauthored with Coach Bill McCartney of Promise Keepers. Aaron is married with four children and resides in Mobile, Alabama.
Rabbi Aryeh Spero
Rabbi Aryeh Spero, president of Caucus For America, is author of the book, Push Back: Reclaiming the American Judeo-Christian Spirit. His articles have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Washington Times, National Review, New York Sun, Human Events Weekly, Newsmax.com, N.Y. Daily News, American Thinker, TownHall, Policy Review, American Conservative Union, Christian American, Atlanta Journal and Constitution, Fundamentalist Journal, Judaism, Tradition, Midstream, Free Congress Foundation, Response, Jewish Spectator, Post and Opinion, Sh’ma, Jewish World Review, Free Republic, Viewpoint, Jewish Press, newspapers in Hickory, NC, Beaumont, TX, Bucks County, PA, and Canton, OH. Rabbi Spero also contributed a chapter to Cultural Conservatism with William Bennett. For over ten years, Rabbi Spero was a columnist for Human Events.
On television, Rabbi Spero has appeared on FOX News: Neil Cavuto, Megyn Kelly, and Stuart Varney news programs; CBS; C-SPAN; WOR-TV; NET (American Family, Paul Weyrich, Capital Watch); MSNBC; FOX Business News; and the Glenn Beck TV program. Articles about his political activities have appeared in The Washington Times, New York Post, New York Sun, and New York Observer.
He has spoken in front of the National Press Club, testified in front of the House Judiciary Committee, has addressed The Heritage Foundation, Tea Party rallies, and is a frequent speaker and crowd-rouser for the New York State Conservative Party. He is an acclaimed public speaker, inspiring diverse audiences. He was the keynote speaker 2012 for Northwood University’s Freedom Center Conference in Detroit.
He has been invited to inform policy-makers, candidates, and elected officials in the halls of Congress, and in the Executive, regarding the moral and religious dimensions of policies and legislation under consideration. He served congregations as a pulpit rabbi in Ohio, Manhattan, and Long Island.
Dr. Mark Foley
Dr. Mark Foley has served as president of the University of Mobile since 1998 and is the third president of the university since its founding in 1961. He led the intentional integration of learning, faith, and leadership while raising academic standards and expanding enrollment. He established the University of Mobile Center for Leadership with focus on citizens of faith and their responsibilities in the revitalization of Christian faith and character in America. Dr. Foley is the author of It’s Time, published in 2011, and of weekly electronic articles under the same title.
Janet (Folger) Porter
Janet Porter is the founder and president of Faith2Action, created to win the cultural war by working together with the most effective organizations on the side of faith and family. She hosted a live daily radio program, Faith2Action with Janet Porter, from March 2003 until May 2010. She has a 60-second daily commentary that is heard on approximately 200 stations. The commentaries can also be heard anywhere on the Faith2Action website at F2A.org.
Before she started Faith2Action in 2003, Janet served as the National Director for the Center for Reclaiming America, founded by Dr. D. James Kennedy [from 1997-2002] where she launched an online effort that resulted in one of the largest pro-family grassroots armies in the nation―more than 500,000 strong .
Before that, Janet served for nine years as Legislative Director of Ohio Right to Life where she successfully lobbied for passage of the nation’s first and partial-birth abortion ban, which sparked the national debate in Congress and throughout the country. She also secured passage of the Woman’s Right to Know Law, Parental Consent, Fetal Homicide, Clinic Regulations, Adoption reform, as well as removing all state funding of abortion.
Mike Gottfried
In 2000, Mike Gottfried founded Team Focus, a comprehensive community outreach program for boys without fathers. The goal of Team Focus is to provide fatherless young men ages 10 to 18 with leadership skills, guidance, godly values, and a continual relationship with a mentor. Through teamwork with the families, teachers, and counselors, Team Focus offers support in a relaxed, cost-free atmosphere.
With 12 successful seasons as a college football coach, Mike Gottfried is known as one of television’s most respected game analysts. Since 1990, he has served as an ESPN college football analyst for ESPN’s Saturday Primetime telecasts.
A sought after motivational speaker, Gottfried travels throughout the United States speaking at colleges, high schools, and corporations. Gottfried graduated from Morehead State (KY) in 1966 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in education and in 1973 received his Master’s Degree of Education. He has written two books: Coach’s Challenge and Wisdom from Winners.
Lieutenant General William G. Boykin
Lieutenant General William G. Boykin (retired) was the United States Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence. He has played a role in almost every recent major American military operation, serving in Grenada, Somalia, and Iraq. Boykin is the author of Never Surrender, Danger Close, and Kiloton Threat.
In 1971 Boykin was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Infantry. He later held positions within the 2nd Armored Division, 101st Airborne Division, and served as a company commander in the 24th Infantry Division (Mechanized). From ’78-1993 Boykin was assigned in various capacities to Delta Force. Lt. Col. L.H. “Bucky” Burruss, recalled that Boykin “had a bad knee and I thought he would never make it…I don’t see how he can make it on this bad road wheel, but he surprised us.” In fact, a Fort Bragg psychologist almost ended Boykin’s career, wanting to exclude him from the Delta Force because he was “too religious.” However, he was finally accepted into the Delta Force at the age of 29. Burruss wrote at the time that “Jerry Boykin is a Christian gentleman of the highest order.” Boykin believed God had a hand in things: “God led me into the Delta Force…And He said to me, ‘This is where you ought to be.’”
Some time afterwards, he served at the Central Intelligence Agency as Deputy Director of Special Activities, and was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General. He was later made Deputy Director for Operations, Readiness, and Mobilization when assigned to the Army Staff. From 1998 to 2000, he served as the Commanding General, U.S. Army Special Forces Command (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. From March 2000-2003, he was the Commanding General, United States Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center, Fort Bragg, N.C. In June 2003, he was appointed Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence under Dr. Stephen Cambone, Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence. LTG Boykin retired on August 1, 2007, and currently teaches at Hampden-Sydney College.
John Waller
From his early days leading the critically acclaimed band, According to John, to his impactful ministry as a solo artist, John Waller has continually used his gifts as a singer and songwriter to inspire and encourage the body of Christ. With such powerful songs as “The Blessing” and “While I’m Waiting,” Waller articulates what it means to live a God-centered life in a turbulent world.
David Benham
David is a cofounder of the “Benham family of Companies.” He was drafted by the Boston Red Sox and played with the St. Louis Cardinals before moving to metro Charlotte, NC, in 2002 to join his brother, Jason. Once reunited with his brother, they shortly ventured out together establishing the BENHAM Real Estate Group. David is a graduate of Liberty University, married, and the father of five children.
David focuses on client relations, employee development, and global missioneering. As a follower of Christ, he believes the marketplace is a powerful venue to impact lives. In his words, “Touching a life is more important than bottom line results… this commitment has naturally allowed us to grow our business far beyond what we could’ve imagined.” Now recognized as national leaders in business innovation and franchise growth, the Benham brothers were recently named as Entrepreneur Magazine‘s Top New Franchises (2010), and Business Leader Media’s Top 50 Entrepreneurs List (2010).