Mayors' Prayer Breakfast 2022

Description

Keynote Speaker: Mark Foley, Ph.D.

Dr. Mark Foley is an active Christian speaker, teacher, and consultant in the arena of spiritual development and organizational effectiveness. Specific focus is upon guiding organizations and their leaders to effective purpose-driven presence in changing environments; incorporation of faith principles with strategy and operations; and establishing a culture of mission effectiveness in organizational systems.

His website, effectivesolutions.today, provides access to a variety of materials and a devotional message delivered daily to over a thousand subscribers.

Dr. Foley served as president of the University of Mobile from 1998 to 2016 and was the third president of the university since its founding in 1961. Dr. Foley led the move to intentionally integrate learning, faith and leadership in all areas of university life, while raising academic standards, conducting significant capital expansion, establishing outstanding programs such as the Center for Performing Arts, and leading the university to national rankings. Upon his retirement he was named President Emeritus of the University of Mobile.

His emphasis on the core values of faith, learning, conviction, integrity, stewardship and leadership extended to all operations of the university, from the classroom to the administrative offices. With these core values in place, the university committed to graduating confident Christian men and women who mastered the body of knowledge required by the degree they earned; who know how to think; who know what they believe and why they believe it; who possess the courage to live and work according to those beliefs; who accept responsibility as caretakers of that with which God has entrusted them; and who possess the willingness and skill to use their influence in appropriate and effective ways to change the world around them.

He served in leadership at national and regional levels in a variety of educational and charitable organizations, including the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the Alabama Association of Independent Colleges and Schools, the Council of Presidents of the Southern States Athletic Conference, and the Board of Directors of Volunteers of America, Southeast, Inc.

Before his service at the University of Mobile, Dr. Foley was executive vice president of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas; a Master of Divinity and a Doctor of Philosophy in psychology and counseling from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary; and conducted post-doctoral studies at Harvard University. He is an ordained minister, a former business owner, and has practiced as a professional counselor.

His wife, Marilyn, is an active ceramic artist and is involved in many community activities. She holds a Bachelor of Science in education from Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas, and is a former classroom educator. The Foleys have two children and six grandchildren.