Strengthening Christian Leaders for Impact in the Marketplace
Vantage Leadership Initiative exists to support leaders who want to live out their values with confidence and clarity in the marketplace.
In a world where many feel the pressure to separate faith from influence, we provide tools, community, and a trusted place to grow as leaders committed to honoring God through their work and relationships.
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We believe leadership is more than responsibility - it’s stewardship. When leaders grow in character, wisdom, and connection, they strengthen the people, organizations, families, and communities they serve.
WHO WE ARE
Vantage Leadership Initiative is a nonprofit ministry dedicated to developing Christian leaders in the marketplace.
Through free Professional Forums, citywide leadership events, and a biblical leadership framework,
we help leaders grow spiritually and professionally so their influence reflects Christ in every area of life.
OUR MISSION
Our Mission is simple: Equip • Engage • Expand
To Equip leaders with a biblical framework for guidance,
Engage them in Christ-centered community for growth, and
Expand Christ’s Kingdom by making disciples for God’s glory.
Why Vantage Exists
Many Christian leaders feel isolated in their roles, unsure how to integrate their faith with the pressures and decisions they face at work. Vantage provides a trusted community and a Christ-centered framework so leaders don’t have to navigate these challenges alone.
How We Serve
Free Professional Forums
Weekly small groups where leaders grow through Scripture, accountability, and real conversation.
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Leadership Events
Gatherings with local and national speakers offering biblical wisdom and practical tools for life and leadership.
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Approved Partners
Seasoned leaders trained and supported to launch and lead forums across our city.
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Marketplace Mission
Encouraging leaders to live out their faith where they work-bringing the light of Christ into the organizations and communities they influence.
Our Vision
Shaping Cities Through Christ-Centered Leaders
We envision a growing network of Christian leaders influencing the marketplace with wisdom, excellence, and faith.
Our long-term goal is to establish 100 free Professional Forums equipping 600 leaders by 2029, expanding a movement of Marketplace Missionaries who reflect Christ in their leadership.
Meet our Board of Directors
Vantage is guided by a team of servant-hearted leaders committed to integrity, accountability, and wise stewardship. Our Board of Directors provides oversight, prayer support, and governance to ensure every program reflects our mission and values.
ANDY COLE
Chair
Andy grew up in Naples, Florida, and graduated from the University of Florida with both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in civil engineering. After a decade in the water and wastewater engineering field, he discovered a deeper calling to walk more closely with people in their financial and life decisions. He transitioned into financial advising in 2020 and has served families and leaders in that capacity ever since.
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Andy’s involvement with Vantage began in 2019 when he joined a weekly men’s group-a community he credits with significant personal, professional, and spiritual growth. The consistency, encouragement, and brotherhood he found there inspired his desire to help Vantage reach more leaders across the marketplace. He is passionate about seeing lives strengthened through the Gospel and through authentic Christian community.
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Andy lives in Huntsville with his wife and two daughters. He is an active member of Willowbrook Baptist Church and serves on several ministry boards. Outside of work and church, he can often be found at the softball field with his daughters or enjoying backpacking and photography when time allows.​
Steve brings a lifetime of leadership experience shaped by military service, ministry, and decades of mentoring others in their faith. A 24-year veteran of the U.S. Army, he served as an Army Aviator and later in roles focused on developing and fielding advanced weapon systems. He was commanding an attack helicopter company in the former West Germany when the Iron Curtain and Berlin Wall fell-an experience that profoundly shaped his understanding of global leadership and responsibility. Following his military career, Steve transitioned to the defense industry, where he has spent many years leading teams in the development of training simulators.
Alongside his professional work, Steve has invested deeply in ministry. He served as an associate pastor during graduate school and spent 25 years with The Navigators in local, national, and international leadership roles. Steve has also served as an elder in multiple churches and is currently a member of Valley Presbyterian Church.
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Steve has been married to his high school sweetheart, Ramona, for 41 years. They have three grown children, each married with families of their own, and they are joyfully blessed with eight grandchildren.
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Favorite Leadership Quote:
“The authority by which the Christian leader leads is not power but love, not force but example, not coercion but reasoned persuasion. Leaders have power, but power is safe only in the hands of those who humble themselves to serve.” - John Stott
STEVE KREIPE
Past Chair
TOM ADAMS
Deputy​​​​
Tom Adams brings more than 40 years of technical, organizational, and leadership experience to the Vantage Board.
A graduate of the University of Alabama in Huntsville (BS, Physics and Mathematics) and Florida Institute of Technology (MBA), Tom spent his career serving in both government and industry within the Defense sector. He began as a physicist and engineer with the U.S. Army Metrology and Calibration Center (now USATA), and later advanced into senior systems engineering, program management, and technical leadership roles supporting missile defense programs.
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Throughout his career, Tom led multi-company teams, managed large-scale test programs, and contributed to some of the nation’s most complex defense initiatives. After retiring from industry, he served as Director of Strategic Advancement for a Christian school, supporting fundraising and facility expansion.
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Tom and his wife, Ellise, have been married for 45 years. They have two sons and four granddaughters, and enjoy being deeply rooted in their family and faith community.
Stephen’s journey with Vantage began shortly after moving to Huntsville in 2017, when he joined a YBL Bible study that played a defining role in shaping his faith, character, and relationships. He often reflects on how the community he found during that season strengthened his walk with the Lord and helped form the leader he is today.
When the opportunity arose to serve on the Vantage Board, he saw it as a meaningful way to help others experience the same kind of support, friendship, and spiritual growth that impacted his own life.
Stephen counts it a privilege to help advance the mission of Vantage and is grateful to serve alongside leaders committed to building Christ-centered community in the marketplace.
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Favorite Leadership Quote
“The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing.” - Henry Ford
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Favorite Leadership Verse
“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” - Mark 10:45
STEPHEN GUNTER
Secretary
KELLIE ANDREWS
Treasurer
Kellie Andrews serves as the Treasurer of Vantage Leadership Initiative, offering decades of entrepreneurial experience, financial wisdom, and a heart for Christ-centered leadership.
As the Founder and President of Huntsville Hub, she has built a thriving community where business owners and professionals can connect, collaborate, and grow. Kellie’s work has always reflected her belief that leadership flourishes when grounded in purpose, integrity, and strong relationships.
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At Vantage, Kellie brings her operational insight and financial stewardship to support the organization’s mission of equipping Christian leaders across the marketplace.
She is passionate about creating environments that encourage wisdom, accountability, and authentic community, ensuring Vantage remains healthy, sustainable, and positioned to serve well for years to come.
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Favorite Leadership Verse
“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.” -Proverbs 25:11
