Aubrey Malphurs, Founder

The Malphurs Group was founded by Dr. Aubrey Malphurs. Aubrey is a prolific and award-winning author of more than 20 books, with titles focusing on topics such as strategic planning, leadership development, church planting and organizational strategies. In addition to being the inspirational leader of the organization, Aubrey is a Professor of Pastoral Ministries at Dallas Theological Seminary in Dallas, Texas.

Dr. Malphurs planted his first church in 1972. He has also pastored two churches in Dallas, Texas, while teaching at Dallas Seminary. Since 1997, he has devoted his time to teaching and leadership of The Malphurs Group. Aubrey has partnered with numerous organizations, both in the US and in foreign countries such as Russia, England, Philippines, Finland, Latvia, Germany, Holland, Switzerland and France. He has been a consultant and seminar leader for a wide variety of denominational organizations across the country.

Ron Donnini, CEO & President

Ron Donnini is the Chief Executive Officer & President of The Malphurs Group. Ron is a seasoned corporate executive, with a history of effective general management experience and returning value to key stakeholders. He has held numerous executive roles, including President and CEO, in a variety of companies throughout the years. Ron’s achievements include leading a regional company with annual sales of $15-20 million and less than 100 associates to become a worldwide enterprise with sales over $120 million, over 600 associates and eighteen locations in seven countries.

Ron has been dedicated to growing leaders in industry and the local church.  He has had the role of interim Executive Pastor in a large church setting.  He was responsible for staff development, organizing staff for ministry deployment and oversight of daily church operations.

Ron attended the University of Miami, where he studied architectural engineering and played baseball as a relief pitcher. Ron has traveled extensively around the world, and been a keynote speaker at multiple conventions and industry conferences. He is a life-long learner, which contributes to his giftedness as a teacher. Ron has a passion for growing leaders. Ron currently resides in Lodi, California with his wife Shawn, where he enjoys golfing, reading and taking in an occasional baseball game.

Susan Malphurs, Senior Vice President

Susan’s role with the Malphurs Group is to assist organizations in developing the systems that will grow their most significant asset: Their associates. Susan has certification and experience in HR compliance issues, as well as knowledge of immigration laws. She combines this knowledge and experience with a genuine heart for people, a passion to see them develop and a knack for moving the people development process forward.

Susan grew up in Miami, where she met and married Aubrey while attending Florida Bible College. Susan and Aubrey remained in the Miami area to start a church. That experience then led them to Dallas where Aubrey completed his education. After many rewarding years as a homemaker and small business owner, Susan joined the staff of a leading mission agency, where she worked in recruitment, training and missionary deployment. Susan eventually became the Director of Mobilization before she left to partner in the Malphurs Group.

Susan and Aubrey have four children and six grandchildren, all of whom live near them in the Dallas area. Susan loves cooking, reading and traveling.

Damian Gerke, Senior Vice President

Damian Gerke is a certified coach with a passion for people development that comes from a broad and varied work experience. Damian is the Founder and President of Vantage Coaching Group, an executive coaching firm that specializes in developing leadership competencies at the executive level.

Damian has extensive industry experience as an aerospace design engineer, including 10 years on the B-2 Stealth Bomber program. In addition to a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Arkansas, he is also a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary. As an ordained minister, he has served in a variety of staff roles in churches in the US and Canada for the last 15 years. His experience includes both established as well as entrepreneurial church plants and consulting with church planting networks and denominational groups.

Damian lives in St. Petersburg, Florida, with his wife, Cheryl, and three children. He enjoys writing, cycling and conversations about life, leadership and faith over a good cup of coffee.

Jennifer Walters, Director of Business Development

Jennifer Walters is responsible for business development for the Malphurs Group. Jennifer is someone you’ll simply love to meet – and we assure you the feeling will be mutual! Jennifer thoroughly enjoys people, and has a zest for life. She has a skill for intuitively understanding what people need, and gets a great deal of satisfaction in assembling resources to meet that need.

Jennifer’s ability to understand and connect with people is due in large part to her background in counseling. To that end, she earned a Bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University and a Master’s degree from Dallas Theological Seminary.

While her training is in counseling, her real passion is in business development. She has been a top performer in a leading, multi-industry global recruiting firm. She also has a successful sales history with a major hospital-based health research and fitness center.

Jennifer lives in the Dallas area with her two daughters, and enjoys traveling, working out, cooking and reading.

Michael Malphurs, Associate

Michael started out his career in the advertising industry, eventually becoming an art and creative director for several different media companies. In 1997, he started his own design firm, Malphurs Interactive, where he has produced projects for such clients as FOX Sports, GTE, Pepsi, and Verizon. Today, he continues to design while also speaking and writing on such topics as “web design and usability” and “the church and the Internet”.