ERoundtable Biographies
This ministry is led by a number of caring and committed Christian professionals, each with unique marketplace leadership skills.
Jim Butler, Spiritual Entrepreneur
William Shakespeare famously penned this verse: “The eyes are the windows to your soul.” If that’s the case, then Jim Butler has perfect 20/20 vision, having dedicated his heart and soul to sharing Christian principles in the workplace. Jim considers himself a spiritual entrepreneur, and his career path spanning nearly 30 years certainly confirms that.
It was the telecommunications industry that called Jim to its ranks back in 1986, where he worked as a Senior Corporate Sales Manager for a major long distance carrier. Over the next ten years, Jim was the top sales producer for nine years of them.
But his entrepreneurial vision led him elsewhere. In 1996, Jim started Telechoice, a telecom agency emphasizing solutions-based data and communication services to clients across the country, from a prestigious, top tier vender portfolio. With its strong market leadership position, TeleCHOICE then became one of the founding members of the telecom industry’s Agent Alliance, an organization made up of the highest producing and most successful consulting agencies formed to advocate for best industry practices.
Along the way, Jim has helped launch numerous vibrant church start-ups, including the Rock of Roseville located in Roseville, CA and Mosaic Christian Church in Rocklin, CA. Both of these churches have enjoyed profound growth and influence in their communities. He has served on leadership boards for these and other churches, and is valued for his pragmatic strategic counsel and resource development.
In October 2006, Jim relocated from Newcastle, CA to Orlando, FL to affiliate with Discovery Church – recognized as one of the top 50 churches in the U.S.
While there, he worked as Discovery’s Work Life Pastor, founding and leading several initiatives to help Christians navigate their faith in the marketplace. Chief among those was Entrepreneur’s Roundtable, a community of Christian entrepreneurs who shared the mission of growing their businesses through dynamic Christian principles aimed at improving productivity, profitability and purpose. Other pioneering programs included Discovery at Work, Change Microfund, and Life Lessons Over Lunch, all of which help affirm and equip Christian workers to have an impactful, fulfilling life in the workplace.
Recently, Jim has become active at Mosaic Community Church in Oakland, FL, where he works as a Strategic Contributor. In January, 2011 Jim plans to replicate the launch of the Entrepreneur’s Roundtable in partnership with Mosaic, making it open and available to all area business leaders.
Jim has been married to his high school sweetheart Susan for over 34 adventurous years, and they are the proud parents of two sons: Brandon, age 31 and Clayton, age 28. Both of these young men follow in Dad’s considerable footsteps, as they too are making a positive impact in the lives of others.
Brandon is in training with an international ministry and is preparing to spend time overseas working toward his program’s goals, and recently made Jim and Sue first-time grandparents to baby India. Clay is part a leadership team for Aim 4 Asia and International Justice Mission headquartered in Cambodia, which focuses on ending the abuse of underage girls sold into sexual slavery.
Jim’s personal and professional mission is to help Christians experience the joys of partnering with God’s presence and principles in the workplace; to enjoy the type of creative and fulfilling life made possible when connecting with God’s will and power. The thousands of peak performers he has positively influenced across the country are a testament to his own successful living.
With such God-given entrepreneurial talents, it’s no wonder Jim Butler has that rare ability to see opportunity – and seize it, too.
Dan Devine
Daniel J. Devine was the visionary behind the Compass Knowledge Group’s strategy of partnering with esteemed higher learning institutions to satisfy students’ demands for innovative learning options while ensuring that university standards, tradition, identity, and integrity are not only preserved, but enhanced. In response to the rapidly growing and changing market for online degree programs, Mr. Devine recently merged Compass Knowledge Group with Embanet, another leader in serving the non-for-profit online higher education market. The combined strengths of these two organizations will create the stability and agility required to meet the growing global demand for online learning. Mr. Devine will continue to strategically guide the company as Vice Chairman of the Embanet-Compass Knowledge Group Board of Directors.
Before founding Compass Knowledge Group almost two decades ago, Mr. Devine was employed by Harris Corporation where he held positions in engineering and business development.
In 2009, he was named a finalist for the Ernst & Young Florida Entrepreneur Of The Year Award, and won the prestigious award in 2010 in the technology category, evidence that others outside higher education recognize his extraordinary business acumen and entrepreneurial spirit.
Other honors include his appointment to both the University of Florida’s College of Pharmacy and the College of Public Health and Health Professions Advisory Boards. In 2008, he was the recipient of the University of Florida College of Pharmacy Outstanding Service Award.
On a personal level, Mr. Devine exhibits a strong belief in lifelong learning. Since graduating from the University of Florida with a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering, he completed Stanford University’s Executive Program for Growing Companies. He is currently enrolled in the three-year Harvard Business School’s Owner/President Management Program.
Mr. Devine currently resides in Windermere, Florida, with his wife Jacqueline and their four children.
Thom Scott
Thom Scott is a 24-year veteran of marketing and sales management. His passion is to use his powerful, results-oriented principles and systems to help entrepreneurs create significant legacies out of the “insignificance” of every day life … giving them greater peace, purposefulness and profits.
As the author of, New Marketing Safari, Thom provides guidance for those who want to successfully use today's digital marketing tools and build profitable audiences for their businesses.
In addition to his consulting work, Thom is the creator and host of the Extreme Business Makeovers seminar which is held annually right here in Orlando. Extreme Business Makeovers features a variety of renowned experts in various areas of business motivation and management - including such notables as Tamara Lowe, Simon T. Bailey, Frank McKinney and Zig Ziglar.
Thom and his wife, Jody live in Winter Garden with their 6 home schooled children.
Hilgardt Lamprecht
Life Safari isn't just the title of a favorite book found atop Hilgardt Lamprecht's desk. It's also how he lives his own life: As a great adventure in search of God's purpose and promise. It all started in South Africa, Hilgardt's native country. With his studies complete at Stellenbosch University in Capetown, South Africa, he earned both a Bachelor's and a Master's Degree in Accounting in the early 1990s. And while these were outstanding achievements, he felt called to do more.
Hilgardt doesn't doubt the power of prayer. In fact, he's seen it at work many times. Following three months of fervent dialog with the Lord, he was led to the US along with his wife and settled in Florida. He calls it "one step of faith across a very wide ocean." Hilgardt knew one thing for certain: That he wanted to combine his business pursuits with a Christian ministry. Soon after his American arrival, Hilgardt joined the internationally recognized financial services firm of AXA Equitable Financial Services in March, 1997 and within five years became the number one agent in the company.
His entrepreneurial spirit soon led him to open his own financial services company in 2002, Significant Wealth Management. In doing so, Hilgardt's focus is to assist clients in finding a specific financial clarity: To align their financial resources with their true purpose in life. In fact, it is at this intersection that Hilgardt finds God at work every day. How? Because, he reasons, if we listen to the Lord's plan for each of us, we are able to save and invest for ourselves, our families and others. And in doing so, each of us can experience significant wealth and fulfillment in life.
Hilgardt has continued with his education and professional certifications in recent years, earning both the Certified Senior Advisor and Certified Estate Planning Professional licenses. More recently he has applied for his prestigious Certified Financial Planner designation. He has also won numerous professional awards, including recognition for raising $22 million in deferred gifts among his client base in 2003. At present, Hilgardt is among the top five percent of financial advisors in his broker-dealer group.
Hilgardt and his wife Janice are the parents of three sons, and they make their home in Oakland, FL.
On the hunt for Hilgardt? Feel free to call him at 407-299-4129 or by email Hilgardt@myswm.net.