FRED GARMON, PhD
Fred Garmon, the president and founder of LeaderLabs, holds a bachelor’s degree in Biblical Studies, and a master of divinity with an emphasis in Ministerial Ethics and a PhD in Organizational Leadership from Regent University, Virginia Beach, Virginia. His doctoral dissertation research examined leadership and conflict in the ministerial context.
Garmon was born and reared in Charlotte, NC. He was the youngest of eight children, and following a childhood of tragic events, became the first of his family to graduate from high school. He shares his personal testimony and transformational story in one of LeaderLabs session called “Sabotaged To Fail: Grace Enough to Succeed," and also in his book, Lucky Number 8.
A university-level lecturer and instructor— Fred speaks from experience, but he also understands theory and research. He is involved daily in the life of the church. During his 45 years in the ministry, he has served as Senior Pastor for over 25 years; as superintendent of Southeast Asia for the Church of God World Missions; as Executive Director of PCL (People for Care and Learning), a humanitarian arm of the denomination; a professor in the doctoral program at Regent University and the Pentecostal Theological Seminary; as board member of SOW (Serving Orphans Worldwide); and as consultant to administrative bishops and pastors across the country and around the world.
Dr. Garmon has presented his “Ten Essential Skills” material all across the United States in conferences and workshops as well as internationally in over 42 countries.
Fred is a marathon runner and was honored as an Olympic Torchbearer in 2002. Fred and his wife, Shirley, have two daughters, two sons-in-law, two granddaughters, and one grandson.
For more information about Fred's transformational life-story, get his book "Lucky Number 8," from Amazon.com.
OUR TEAM
Fred Garmon, PhD
Founder and Executive Director
BILL GEORGE, Dmin
Dr. Bill George was a very special mentor and father-figure to Dr. Garmon. He served as Vice-President of LeaderLabs until his death in January of 2017. He was a graduate of Lee University, the University of Alabama, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and Fuller Theological Seminary. He was on the faculty of Lee University for 13 years as associate professor of Intercultural Studies, and established the curriculum for a new college major in that academic discipline. At Fuller, he was teaching assistant to Dr. J. Robert Clinton, who led the leadership classes there. His final position was serving as research and editorial assistant in the office of Dr. Mark L. Williams, General Overseer of the Church of God in Cleveland, Tennessee and subsequently to Dr. Tim Hill, the incoming General Overseer in 2016.
He was a pastor and pastoral staff member at four churches, ranging in size from 27 members to more than 2,000 members. He was a missionary in Latin America—overseer of the Dominican Republic and president of the Mexican Bible Seminary in Hermosillo, Mexico.
In Cleveland, Dr. George was a member of the denomination’s International Board of Education. He was a member of the North Cleveland Church of God, where he served on the Church Council and was a member of the Finance Committee. He was a member of the Cleveland Rotary Club, where he served as president. He was active on the boards of directors of United Way, People for Care and Learning, New Hope Pregnancy Care Center, The Cleveland Rotary Foundation, the Lowery Global Foundation, Compleo Advance, and Serving Orphans Worldwide.
Bill wrote twelve books, including the monumental centennial history of Church of God World Missions. He and his wife, Nelda, have two sons, Michael and David and several beautiful grandchildren.
