Julian Bell
A
little more than 13 years ago, my wife Robin, a lifelong Lutheran, was in
search of a welcoming and dynamic Lutheran church for our family, in particular
for our only child, Mackenzie, then a rising sixth grader about to begin her
Confirmation journey. After just one visit and prayerful discernment, Robin
knew that St. Paul was the perfect place for us – and she was absolutely right.
For
me, St. Paul has provided a spiritual anchor at so many levels, in the best of
times but also during the most challenging of times. Whether it was when I was
recovering from a serious hospitalization or grieving from the loss of a loved
one, Pastor Jon and Rebecca have been there for us, leading the outpouring of
prayers and support from the congregation that has been truly inspirational and
uplifting. Through all of this I have
grown as a Christian and in my faith.
I was, humbled was asked to run for council. In recent years I have participated
on 2 Church task forces on financial matters.
The first was the preparation of future financial projections to support
updating the strategic plan and the second involved assessing options to
refinance the Church’s mortgage in order to reduce our monthly payments. Both of these projects were quite enjoyable
allowing me to give back and apply my background in administration and finance
for the benefit of the Church.
For the past 23 years, I have served as Chief Financial Officer of The Ohio
State University James Cancer Hospital. Prior healthcare administration
experience included positions with Mount Carmel Health System, OhioHealth and
Mercy Health System-Greater Cincinnati. A
West Virginia native, I received my Master of Health Administration degree from
OSU and an undergraduate degree in accounting and economics from Marshall
University.
Thank
you for your consideration and I welcome the opportunity to serve on the
Council and to give back to our St. Paul community and to those we serve.