Marketplace Chaplains from Diverse Backgrounds Handle Diverse Workplace Problems

With diversity and out-of-the-box thinking among the hottest buzzwords in the corporate workplace, Marketplace Chaplains, America’s largest and original workplace chaplaincy organization, is continually dipping into a diverse pool of potential applicants for its rapidly growing service.

While most people know of chaplains from the military, or perhaps hospitals or even colleges, many of Marketplace Chaplains’ 1,400 trained caregivers come from a wide variety of backgrounds and experience.

Dallas Division Director Charlotte Turner was a police detective prior to coming to Marketplace, and also spent time as a missionary in one of the poorest countries in the world. California chaplain Wes Sullivan was an air traffic controller, a high school principal, and a wedding photographer. Dallas’ Terry Nettleton worked at a fashion department store, while chaplain Rick Cooper was an F-16 fighter test pilot, and national account manager Don Smith served as a textile company executive.  What they all have in common is serving workplace employees and their family members in today’s increasingly hectic and uncertain workplace.

“My empathy for daily struggles in the workplace comes from years of working in the corporate world, but the years in law enforcement, being in people’s lives at times of intense trauma, are what have uniquely prepared me to help people going through their most difficult situations,” said Turner, who observed many of life’s most tragic situations up close before becoming a Marketplace Chaplain.

Sullivan, who spent time in the military where he served as an air traffic controller, later became a high school principal in California, also worked as a wedding photographer and was on the board of directors for the chamber of commerce in his hometown.  He oversaw Marketplace Chaplains in Long Beach, California, where he met the many needs for company employees in today’s corporate workplace.  “Working as an air traffic controller taught me to handle various high priorities often at the same time,” Sullivan said. “I see that in the workplace as well.”

“Sully [Sullivan] comes into the shop and employees are drawn to him because they know his work background and he has been through many things in his career, like they have,” said EME, Inc., Chairman Randy Turnbow. “Hiring Marketplace Chaplains was one of the best things we have done for our company and having Wes as our chaplain has been a real help.”

“While the workplace needs are varied and diverse, the backgrounds of our trained and caring Marketplace Chaplains are just as varied and diverse as well,” said Marketplace Chaplains Executive President and CEO Doug Fagerstrom.

For more information on this unique employee benefit which has been featured with Marketplace Chaplains on CNN, NBC Nightly News, and in the Washington Post, the New York Times and Bloomberg BusinessWeek, visit https://mchapusa.com.

About Marketplace Chaplains

To arrange an interview with a Marketplace Chaplain contact Art Stricklin, Vice President Public Relations, at artstricklin@mchapusa.com or call 1-800-775-7657