Administration &
Board of Trustees
Dr. William H. Jones
President
Dr. Bill Jones currently serves as the eighth president of Columbia International University, having previously held the position as its sixth president. During his first term, CIU experienced remarkable growth and transformation. Under his leadership, CIU launched its first fully online degree program, established the Kepha (Chinese Initiative) program, and secured full accreditation for the Prison Initiative. Dr. Jones was also instrumental in founding CIU’s intercollegiate athletics program, building the Pine View apartments, and founding the School of Business.
A milestone in the history of CIU’s K–12 school, Ben Lippen, was achieved during Dr. Jones’ leadership with the appointment of the first Ben Lippen parent as the board chair, a historic move after 80 years. Additionally, his strategic leadership resulted in a significant increase in CIU’s endowment, growing from $12 million to $43 million.
Beyond his work at CIU, Dr. Jones is passionate about spreading God’s love and forgiveness. In 1987, he co-founded Crossover Global, a mission organization that has planted over 4,000 churches among unreached populations worldwide. He also has a strong ministry presence with marketplace leaders, including state and federal government officials. His dedication to service was recognized in 2019 when he received the Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina’s highest honor, and the Key to the City of Columbia from Mayor Steve Benjamin in 2017.
Dr. Jones holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a Certificate in Theology from Western Conservative Baptist Seminary. He earned dual Doctor of Ministry degrees from Columbia Biblical Seminary & Graduate School of Missions and Gordon-Conwell Seminary.
He and his wife, Debby, who holds a master’s in Christian Education from CIU, have four married children. Together, they continue to serve in ministry and contribute to the vision of CIU.
Administration
Dr. James Lanpher
Executive Vice President and Provost
Biography
Dr. James Lanpher is a leader in biblical higher education. He has served in a variety of capacities with the Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE), taught overseas at the Alliance Biblical Seminary (now the Alliance Graduate School) in Manila, The Philippines, and has also taught at the University of Notre Dame and Crown College. He is also former Vice President for Academic Affairs at Trinity College of Florida.
Dr. Lanpher graduated cum laude from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Washington, D.C. with a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service degree majoring in international economics and obtaining language proficiency in Chinese. He received his Master of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary in Nyack, New York, and his Doctor of Philosophy degree in Christianity and Judaism in Antiquity from the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. His dissertation, “The Miraculous in Mark: Its Eschatological Background and Christological Function,” focused on the role of miracles in Mark’s portrayal and understanding of Jesus.
Dr. Rick Christman
Executive Vice President for Student & Online Services
Biography
Dr. Rick Christman has extensive experience as a professor and administrator in traditional and nontraditional settings. As CIU’s executive vice president he oversees CIU Global, Kepha Program, Traditional and Online Admissions/Enrollment, Student Services, CIU Athletics, IT Services, and Campus Security.
He has also served as academic dean and associate vice president for the School of Graduate and Continuing Studies (SGCS) at Trevecca Nazarene University, and assistant provost for Academics and Student Services at Ohio Christian University.
Dr. Christman is a graduate of God’s Bible School and College in Cincinnati, earning a Bachelor of Religious Education (B.R.E.), and a graduate of Indiana Wesleyan University, earning two master’s degrees; an M.A. in Advanced Leadership Studies and an M.A. in Ministry. Additionally, he earned his doctorate (Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership) from Indiana Wesleyan University. His dissertation title: “Examining the Relationship That Spiritual Well-Being and Gender have with the Leadership Practices of College Student Leaders.”
Additionally, he has served over 23 years of ministry in the Wesleyan Church, both as a pastor and educator. He was also in the printing industry as the plant manager of Foster Business Forms and Foster Commercial Press in Columbus, Ohio.
Diane Mull
Vice President for Institutional Advancement
Biography
(Biography)
Dr. David Sayers
Chief Financial Officer
Biography
Dr. David Sayers has served over 14 years as a “CFO for hire” assisting mostly nonprofit organizations with CFO expertise. He also served for nearly a decade at five colleges as Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Chief Development Officer (CDO), and Chief Operating Officer (COO). In addition, he has held positions as a university foundation president and a department chair and professor in university Business Departments.
For 10 years, Dr. Sayers worked in the banking industry in the area of real estate and business lending. He also developed and operated commercial and construction lending programs where he gained experience in every facet of the bank from teller to branch manager to assistant controller to mortgage lender.
Dr. Sayers earned a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership from Columbia International University, a Master of Accountancy from Gardner-Webb University, an MBA from East Tennessee State University, and a Bachelor of Business Administration from Radford University. He is a graduate of the Collegiate Business Management Institute of the Southern Association of College and University Business Officers (SACUBO), as well as the certificate training program of the Association of Business Administrators of Christian Colleges (ABACC).
He has a Bank Leadership Certificate from Stonier Graduate School of Banking, and holds several banking, accounting and finance-related certificates from programs designed specifically for roles as CFO or in commercial banking.
Dr. Jennifer Booth
Vice President for Academic & Enrollment Services
Biography
Tirrell Howell
Vice President of Corporate Communications & IT
Biography
Tirrell Howell has over two decades of experience as a leader in higher education and local state
government. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he served as the deputy chief information officer
at the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. In this role, he worked
with other leaders to direct the technical response efforts, ensuring the safety of South
Carolinians.
Tirrell is the founder and president of a nonprofit organization, the Ron Howell Foundation,
focused on preparing the next generation of technology leaders. He has also presented at the
Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE) and other EdTech conferences, sharing his
expertise in effective IT governance.
At CIU, Tirrell oversees the Information Technology and Campus Security departments, and he
chairs several strategic committees. He holds an MBA in Project Management from Amberton
University and a Bachelor of Business Administration with a focus on Computer Information
Systems from Winthrop University. His professional credentials include certifications in the
Governance of Enterprise Information Technology (CGEIT, ISACA), COBIT 2019 (ISACA),
and Project+ (CompTIA).
Tirrell is also an ordained minister and has served as a pastor, ministry leader, and musician for
various ministries throughout South Carolina.
Board of Trustees
Dr. Bryan Beyer
Former CIU Academic Dean & Provost
Mike Bolton
Speaker, Author, Executive Coach, Business Owner
Renee Brooks
Chief Operating Officer of South State Bank
Dr. Lyn Cook
Co-owner of Cook's Pest Control Inc., Cook Museum of Natural Science
Dr. Marion Davis
Retired Former President of Bilt Rite Corporation Overhead Door Company,
Vice President of the Marwin Company
Adrian Despres
Vice President of Forge: Kingdom Building Ministries
Dr. Hans Finzel
President of HDLeaders
Dr. Gary Harlow
Professor & Department Chair at Lehigh University
Heather Hoopes-Matthews
Cofounder of NP Strategy
Ken Katayama
President of Crossover Global
Edith Parks
Community Volunteer
Jeff Philpott
Teaching Pastor at Sandhills Community Church
Rev. Doug Rutt
Teaching Pastor at Christian Family Chapel
Marquis Ryan
President of Ryan, Greer, Field & Rhodes, PLLC
William Schafer
President of Master Automotive
Todd Schuster
Chairman & CEO of Schuster Enterprises
Chikong Shue
Entrepreneur & Philanthropist
Kevin Survance
Investor
Gary Uber
Businessman
Dr. Sandra Young
CIU Professor Emeritus
