Board of Directors
Byron Bent, Vice President & Director
Byron Bent has been married to his wife, Aimee, since 2006. They moved to Glen Ellyn in 2017. They have three children who have all attended Greenhouse at various times in their education. The Bents are passionate about adoption and foster care. Byron holds a BS from Grand Canyon University and a Masters in Christian Ministry from Liberty University. The Bents attend Bethel Assembly of God of Elmhurst where Byron also serves as a Deacon. Byron is honored with the privilege to serve on the board.
Michael Johnson, President
Dr. Michael Johnson helped start Grace Redeemer Church (formerly Gospel Fellowship Church) and has served as a pastor there since 2012. In the midst of a career as a pharmacist, God called Michael to pursue pastoral ministry. Before pastoring at GRC, he served in youth ministry for five years in various roles as a volunteer, intern, and associate pastor. He is passionate about making disciples, shepherding, and preaching and teaching God’s word. Michael earned his Masters of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and his Doctor of Pharmacy from North Dakota State University. Michael and his wife Sarah have been married since 2004 and they have five children.
Alan Kersey, Director
Alan and his wife of 32 years, Linda, have five children, all of whom attended the Greenhouse for at least part their schooling, and they have seen the ins and outs of public, private and home-schooling. They live in Wayne and attend Crossroads Community Church (Aurora). Their oldest is married, and the youngest is in college. Alan earned a B.S in Physics from Wheaton College and an M.S. in Physics from Northern Illinois University. He served in the U.S. Navy as a submarine officer on active for about 5 years and then as an intelligence officer in the reserves for 20 years while he was teaching. After leaving active duty, Alan taught mostly physics at Waubonsie Valley High School for 7 years and then at Downers Grove North High School for 24 years. He is now retired from both the Navy and teaching, and he is thankful for the opportunity to serve the Greenhouse as a board member.
David Mathues, Secretary & Director
David Mathues was homeschooled K-12, starting in the mid-1980s. Today, he’s thrilled to see continued expansion of resources—such as those offered through Greenhouse—that homeschooling pioneers such as his mom could never have even imagined. He’s pleased to help grow those resources by serving on the Greenhouse Board. David graduated the University of Notre Dame Law School and is a partner at a small firm in Itasca, Illinois. He and his wife Lauren married in 2012, and they live in Bartlett with their two sons. The older has been enrolled since first grade, and the younger will be enrolling in the near future. Their family worships at Immanuel Presbyterian Church in Warrenville. David enjoys backpacking, pickleball, and reading history in his (rare) free moments.
Charlotte Purdy, Director
Charlotte Purdy enjoyed a 23+ year career working in Human Resources for the Village of Schaumburg. She is currently retired and at home with her husband, Jerry in Elgin, IL. They are blessed to have found each other after both losing their spouses to cancer. They have six grown children and twenty grandchildren between them. Charlotte’s son and his wife are Wheaton graduates and have four girls attending Greenhouse; her observations of their partnership with Greenhouse have been an inspiration. Charlotte’s greatest passions are the Gospel of Jesus Christ, God’s Word, and growing in faith to pass on the Word of God to the next generations.
Jerry Purdy, Director
Jerry Purdy holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education, Business, and Coaching from William Penn University and an Associate of Applied Sciences Degree in Computer Science from Indian Hills Community College. During Jerry’s 34+ year career in Information Technologies, he held positions at Archer Daniels Midland Corporation, Trane Corporation, and Federal Express Corporation. Jerry is now retired and makes his home with his wife Charlotte in the countryside of Elgin, IL. There they daily enjoy the beauty and majesty of God’s creation. They have 20 grandchildren, with four of them attending Greenhouse. Jerry and Charlotte hold a great passion for the ministry of Greenhouse, and both consider it an honor and a blessing to serve on the Greenhouse Board.
Tom Spacek, Executive Director
As the co-founder and first Headmaster of Greenhouse, Tom Spacek has been championing the mission and shepherding the vision since the turn of the century! Described by some as a Renaissance man, Tom has always been a self-learner, despite not having been home-schooled himself! A graduate of Emmaus Bible College, he has been serving various congregations and ministries for over 30 years. Many believe that Tom embodies the servant leadership ideal to which we call our students. He and Jennifer have worked together at Greenhouse since its launch, during which time they have also raised their four children, the youngest of whom still attends. The Spaceks live in Wheaton, four doors away from the building, and worship at Church of the Resurrection.
Kevin Weber, Treasurer & Director
Kevin has worked in financial positions throughout his 40-year career, primarily as the Controller for a mid-sized manufacturing company. He is currently the CFO of a small manufacturing firm. He is a CPA as well as a CMA and holds an MBA from DePaul University. Kevin lives in Bartlett, attends Grace Redeemer Church, loves the Lord and has served in a variety of ways including Sunday School teacher and AWANA Director at Wheaton Bible Church and as the Church Accountant for Grace Redeemer Church. He is passionate about serving on short term mission trips and has done so in a variety of locations including: the United States, Central and South America, Europe and Africa. He has 6 children, some of whom attended Greenhouse Co-School. He is grateful for the opportunity to serve the Greenhouse as a member of the board.
Ken Wolgemuth, Director
Ken Wolgemuth earned a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature with a minor in art from Taylor University. He previously held positions in Christian literature publishing with Campus Life Magazine, Zondervan Publishing House, Creative Direction for Word Records, while serving as VP, Gospel Music Association, and Urban Ministries. As a capstone of his career, for ten years, Ken was regional director of development for Taylor University.
Married to Sharon, and blessed with 4 daughters (one of whom is a Greenhouse parent) and 7 granddaughters, Ken and his wife help their daughter and husband, Molly and Michael Bornfriend homeschool her two youngest. Ken is passionate about Greenhouse and is grateful to serve as board member.
Mark Wynsma, Director
Mark Wynsma resides in Winfield with his wife Elizabeth and their four boys. He has been employed at First Trust Advisors as an ETF Portfolio Manager since graduating from Taylor University in 2013. His degree was in Finance and he holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation. Mark and his family worship at Grace Church of DuPage in Warrenville. In his spare time, he enjoys being active playing various sports with friends and supporting his sons in their various endeavors. Mark and Elizabeth are very thankful that the Lord brought their family to Greenhouse and that he now has the opportunity to make an impact as a board member.
