Three new regents named to Concordia University, Nebraska Board of Regents

Seward, NE (10/02/2026) — Concordia University, Nebraska today announced that three new regents have been added to the Concordia University, Nebraska Board of Regents: Mr. Christopher Heins '08 of Higginsville, Missouri; Dr. Bruce Schultz of Wamego, Kansas; and Dr. Wendy McCarty '77 of Grand Island, Nebraska.

Schultz and Heins were elected to the Board of Regents at The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) Synodical Convention in mid-July in Phoenix, Arizona. McCarty was appointed by the LCMS Nebraska District to replace Preston Sunderman '17, who now serves Concordia Nebraska as director of LCMS placement and assistant professor of education.

"God continues to provide mission-aligned and gifted people to serve and lead our university as Regents, and that provision is quite evident in each of these three new board members," said Concordia Nebraska President, Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies and Director of Academic Ventures Dr. Bernard Bull. "To God be the glory!"

Heins is a fifth-generation dairy producer with a strong commitment to agriculture, church and community. After earning a bachelor's degree in business administration from Concordia Nebraska, he returned to his family's dairy farm-Heins Family Farms in Higginsville, Missouri -where he works alongside his parents and brother combining his love of agriculture with his business background to help lead and grow the operation. Today, Heins manages a team of 25 employees in the day-to-day operations of the dairy. Beyond the farm, Heins has served on a variety of dairy and agricultural boards as well in various roles in his congregation, St. Matthew in Ernestville, Missouri, where he serves as elder and Sunday School teacher. He and his wife Adriane (nee Dorr) have five young children.

Schultz is a professor and research scientist at Kansas State University and member of St. John Lutheran Church in Alma, Kansas, where he has served as an elder, school board member, Parent Teacher League officer and handbell choir member. He has a bachelor's degree in agriculture, master's degree in veterinary science from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Ph.D. in veterinary pharmacology from Cornell University. He has served on the LCMS Kansas District board of directors for more than a decade. In addition to his district board service, Schultz has served as a delegate to the synodical convention, an appointed member of the Concordia University Chicago Board of Regents and a National Youth Gathering volunteer. Active in youth development programs including 4-H and C.H.I.E.F. (Christian Homes in Educational Fellowship), he is a Wabaunsee County Fire District 8 firefighter and certified first responder. He and his wife Kathy have been married for more than 35 years and have two children, Sara, a parish musician and deaconess, and Christian, a pastor, and they have six grandchildren.

McCarty is a retired full professor from the University of Nebraska-Kearney College of Education, where she directed the Transitional Certification Program for the last 12 years of her tenure. She has a bachelor's degree in education from Concordia Nebraska, master's degree in educational administration from the University of Nebraska-Kearney and doctorate in administration, curriculum and instruction from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She currently serves as a Lutheran Hour Ministries ambassador and is the special projects coordinator for the Nebraska District Lutheran Laymen's League. Active in her community, she formerly served as board secretary for Grand Island Lutheran High School, was part of the founding committee and co-chaired the most recent capital campaign. She and her husband Dennis, who is retired from the financial services industry, have three sons and five grandchildren.

The Concordia University, Nebraska Board of Regents also includes Rev. Scott Adle '00 of Imperial, Nebraska; Rev. Benjamin Ball of Worden, Illinois; Mr. Stuart Bartruff of Omaha, Nebraska; Dr. Craig Ernstmeyer '96 of Saint Peters, Missouri; Mr. John Fraser of Omaha, Nebraska; Rev. Doug Gaunt '77 of Kearney, Nebraska; Mrs. Gail Hawkins of Omaha, Nebraska; Mr. Dick Helms of Arapahoe, Nebraska; Mr. Samuel Huebner '11 of Seward, Nebraska; Mr. Dennis Meyer '70 of Las Vegas, Nevada; Mrs. Trudy Meyer '92 of Lincoln, Nebraska; Mr. Timothy Moll '89 of Seward, Nebraska; Rev. Richard Snow of Seward, Nebraska; Ms. Melanie Standiford of Curtis, Nebraska; and Mr. Erik Vieselmeyer of Holyoke, Colorado.

Media Attachments

News_Release_Template-83.png