Concordia Elects New Members to Board of Directors (2024)

From left: Rev. Barry Keurulainen, Bryan Kress, Robert Schmidt and Mike Ressler. Not pictured: Rev. Joshua Obermann and Donald Olmstead.

Concordia Lutheran Ministries announced the election of six parent board of director members at the organization’s annual meeting on Sunday, Nov. 10, on the Concordia at Cabot campus.

Concordia’s board of directors is comprised of 15 members who represent 28 member churches – all part of the LCMS (Lutheran Church Missouri Synod). Installed by Rev. Jack Hartman, Director of Chaplaincy Services at Concordia, the newly elected members follow.

Rev. Barry Keurulainen: St. Luke Lutheran Church, Cabot, Pa. Rev. Keurulainen is the retired long-term pastor at St. Luke and is the current pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Bradford, Pa.

Bryan Kress: Zion Lutheran Church, Bridgeville, Pa. Kress is a large bank commercial credit portfolio manager at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

Rev. Joshua Obermann: Calvary Lutheran Church, Murrysville, Pa. Rev. Obermann is pastor at Calvary Lutheran Church.

Donald Olmstead: St. Luke Lutheran Church, Cabot, Pa. Olmstead is retired after working in the engineering industry for 40 years.

Michael Ressler: Good Shepherd Lutheran Church of South Hills, Pittsburgh, Pa. Ressler is a retired nuclear engineer and held roles at Beaver Valley Power Station, First Energy and Duquesne Light.

Robert Schmidt: Zion Lutheran Church, Bridgeville, Pa. Schmidt is the retired vice president of Bayer Corporation and Business Services & Information Technology.

Rev. Barry Keurulainen will serve a 2-year term, and the rest of the newly elected board members will serve 3-year terms.

Five outgoing board members were presented with thank-you plaques for their service as board members: Peter Bodnar, Rev. Ronald Breight, Rev. Dr. Daniel Hahn Jr., Paul Hoffman and James Limbaugh.

James Limbaugh was also honored with a champagne toast for being Concordia’s longest-serving board member, with 31 years of service.

Fifty-seven delegates represented a total of 22 churches at the annual meeting.

Learn more about our mission, services and career opportunities and connect with us on Facebook and Instagram.