Rev. Mark E. Whitlock II, CEO and pastor of Christ Our Redeemer AME Church, has committed his life to serving God and the Church. Christ Our Redeemer started with five members on the UCI Campus and under Rev. Mark's leadership has grown to a worshiping congregation of nine hundred souls. Recently, Rev. Whitlock has completed the construction of a seven hundred seat sanctuary and community/business center in Irvine, CA.
Rev. Whitlock serves as the Director of Corporate Partnerships for AME denomination. The AME denomination has seven thousand churches with over three million members internationally.
As a minister and the economic development officer for the Fifth District of the AME Church, Rev. Mark is the Chief Executive Officer of Nehemiah Ministries, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) funding vehicle that offers mortgage loans, transportation services, health programs, training and technical assistance, and legal services.
Mark is the Executive Director for the USC Pass the Mantle Program (PTM), a summer intensive course offered by USC. PTM is designed to equip clergy and lay leaders for better mission conceptualization, proven church management methods, community organizing concepts, and how to find money lines for economic development.
Before his full-time call to the ministry, Mark served as the founder and executive director of FAME Renaissance, the economic development arm of First AME Church, Los Angeles. As the executive director Mark raised over one hundred million dollars in grants, loans, and contracted service initiatives that created over four thousand jobs with South Los Angeles. The FAME Renaissance Venture Capital Fund and Commercial Loan programs funded over one two hundred small businesses. FAME Renaissance's Home Loan Program has created over two hundred new home owners and has trained over two thousand home loan candidates.
Mark also co-founded the Richard Allen Men's Society (RAMS), an organization with over 3,500 men who exemplify positive African American images. The RAMS are best known for contributing to reclaiming the community from gangs and drug dealers and for closing thirteen rock cocaine house while leading young men away from drugs and gangs.
Mark's corporate experience amply equipped him to lead the 21st century church realm of economic development. He was a former Vice President of Wells Fargo Bank and Vice President of the Commercial/Industrial National Division, Chicago Title Insurance Company. His responsibilities included providing title insurance and financing for commercial buildings, resorts, hotels, and shopping centers. His clients included attorneys, developers, and financial institutions.
Boards, Honors, and Accomplishments: Rev. Mark is a member of several Boards of Directors including the Harvard Divinity School's Summer Leadership Institute, KOCE Television, The First American Corporation, and Genesis Los Angeles. He is a CA Commissioner for the State Film Commission and a LA City Commissioner.
He continues to lecture at the Harvard University School of Divinity, University of Kentucky, Indiana University, USC, UCLA Anderson School of Business, California State University Los Angeles, many high schools and churches. Rev. Mark has also lectured at President Clinton's and Bush's national Faith-Based Conferences. President Bush applauded the work of Rev. Mark at FAME Renaissance by visiting the historic FAME Renaissance Center.
Rev. Whitlock is a recipient of national, statewide, and local community development awards. Rev. Whitlock was honored by the City of Los Angeles for raising over two hundred million dollars for community development at his retirement from First AME Church's FAME Renaissance Project.
He is a frequent guest on television and radio shows including Night Line, Good Morning America, the Today Show, CNN News, ABC, CBS, and NBC News.
Rev. Whitlock has completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Laverne with a major in religion. He is completing a Master of Divinity at Fuller Theological Seminary. He has received an honorary doctorate from American International University. He is happily married to Attorney Hermia Shegog Whitlock for twenty years. They have two sons, Mark and Devin.
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