Dr. Mark and Linda Cress

Dr. Mark and Linda Cress

It all began in the early ’90s when Mark and Linda Cress were entrepreneurs and business owners in Richmond, Virginia. God started to grow a burden in them to care for their employees biblically. In 1993, Mark and Linda sold their business interests and moved to Wake Forest, North Carolina, to attend Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. At the time, all they sensed was calling them to launch a workplace ministry that would help business owners steward the care of employees. Three years and a Master of Divinity degree later, Corporate Chaplains of America (CCA) was born when God gave Mark the mission statement that CCA exists to build caring relationships with the hope of gaining permission to share the Good News of Jesus Christ in a non-threatening manner. Mark served as CCA’s first chaplain while Linda handled the administrative/accounting needs of the organization. During his tenure as CEO, CCA saw remarkable growth to be in nearly 1,000 business locations. Mark retired in 2015 but continues to marvel at the story God has been writing, and the lives changed through CCA. Mark and Linda possess the Avodah spirit where work as worship is normative. Mark continues to serve as an Ex Officio Board member and serves as a mentor to leaders in both non-profit and for-profit fields. For the tens of thousands of lives touched by the Gospel since inception and in our future, Mark and Linda will have an indelible imprint on every life, through the grace of God and their acceptance of the call.