MEET OUR TEAM

ELDERS

Aaron Buss

buy dapoxetine australia Aaron Buss and his bride, Vicky, have been married 29 years and have attended Wildwood since 2018. They have three young adult children.  He enjoys the outdoors along with spending time with family and friends. Aaron is a big believer in prayer and is excited in what is ahead for Wildwood Church.

Brian Cewe

Elder

Brian and his wife, Shannon, have attended and served at Wildwood since 2004. They enjoy playing sports and traveling together with their four children. Brian works at the Rock Island Arsenal as a Program Analyst. 

Claudio Francisco

Elder

Claudio and Janet have been attending Wildwood since 2021. They are originally from Brazil but have lived in the Quad Cities since 2001 after Claudio was transferred as a chemical engineer. Claudio and Janet have been blessed with two daughters, one son-in-law, and two grandchildren. They both appreciate spending time with their family, traveling, studying the Bible, and enjoying a great Brazilian barbecue. 

Mikhail Giza

Elder

Mikhail and Elizabeth Giza live in Bettendorf and have been married for almost 25 years. The proud parents of four children and active in ministries at Wildwood since 2022, they stay busy balancing life in the Quad Cities—Mikhail works for the US Army at the Rock Island Arsenal and Liz as a Registered Nurse for the Moline school district.

Bob Graf

Elder Board Vice Chairman

Bob and Nancy have been serving in Wildwood ministries since 2015.  Originally from Oregon, they settled in the Quad Cities after Bob retired from the Army and John Deere.  They both enjoy study and fellowship with others and seeing lives changed through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Al Knott

Elder

Al and Cindy have been serving Wildwood together since 1988. They have four married sons, 14 grandchildren and one great-grandson. Al is a retired middle-school teacher and enjoys a little golf!

Andrew Robinson

Executive & Worship Pastor / Elder

Andrew was born and raised in the Quad Cities and has been on staff at Wildwood since 2014. He is blessed to have his wife, Gretchen, and loves being a father to their four kids. Andrew enjoys watching and participating in sports (go Bears!), and has performed vocally all over the nation.

Cecil Rudd

Elder

Cecil and Margie have been blessed with 4 children and 9 grandkids! We rejoice with the wonder of God’s love and mercy in our lives.

His favorite verse is:
“Search me, Oh God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there be any wicked way in me; And lead me in the way everlasting.”
(Psalm 139:23-24 NKJ)

Jim Sallows

Elder

Jim has been an Elder for almost 9 years. He has 5 children and 11 grandkids with Sharon in almost 49 years of marriage. He also has a couple hundred more grandkids thru Treehouse, a children’s program at church. He has been known by those kids as Grandpa Henry for about 9 years. 

Troy Simpson

Elder

Troy Simpson and his wife Deena have been attending Wildwood since 2017. They have 4 children and 1 son-in-law. Troy loves fishing and his wife is a workout nut. He has worked at Gabrilson Indoor Climate solutions in sales for 23 yrs.

Brian Smith

Lead Pastor / Elder

Brian and his wife, Kellye, have five children, one of whom is with the Lord. He has served at Wildwood since April 2017. His family has a small hobby farm complete with Great Pyrenees dogs, chickens, goats, and a couple of cows! Brian is a retired Lieutenant Colonel from the US Army, commissioned from West Point in 2001.   

 

Andy Thomaston

Missions Pastor / Elder

Andy grew up in Birmingham, Alabama. His wife, Dana, is from Transylvania, Romania, and they have one son named Lucas. Andy’s favorite Bible story is Elijah and the Prophets of Baal, favorite book of the bible is Acts, and bucket list item is to travel Paul’s missionary routes through Türkiye, Cyprus, Greece, and Italy. His goal is that at the end of his life it can be said, as with the apostle Paul in Galatians 1:24, “And they glorified God because of me.”

Matt Winquist

Discipleship Pastor / Elder

Matt and his wife, Kelly, have two children. He has been on staff since February 2018. Matt enjoys all things sports; especially playing them. He holds rank in several martial arts, including TKD, Karate, Jiu Jitsu, and Hapkido. If you visit his home or office he’ll be happy to show you his tropical fish!

MINISTRY DIRECTORS AND STAFF

Amber Blaser

Executive Assistant (Worship Ministries)

Amber has served on staff in a variety of roles over the past several years and is grateful for the opportunity to serve her church alongside such a wonderful team. She and her husband, Trent, have three beautiful children and have been attending and serving at Wildwood since October 2017. As a family, they enjoy spending time outdoors and hosting game nights with friends and family.

Shannon Cewe

Nursery Coordinator

Shannon and her husband, Brian, have attended and served at Wildwood since 2004. They have four children who keep them busy with sports and different activities. Shannon loves to read, play board games, and spend time with family and friends.

 

Stacey Cotty

Admin Assistant (SMT & Assimilation)

Stacey and her husband, Ray, are from the Geneseo area. They have attended Wildwood since fall 2017 becoming members in 2020. They have 4 active children ranging in age from high school to college. Stacey enjoys spending time outside in hiking, running, gardening, and raising chickens.

Katie Rusch

Katie Rusch

Children’s Ministry Director

Katie and her husband Bob grew up in the Quad Cities and have been together since they were seventeen. They are thankful for all the Lord has done in their lives, including giving them two amazing kids (Lucy + Oliver) that they are having a blast raising. They’re always filling up their days with things like fun homeschool lessons, PBJ buffet movie nights, going for walks in the woods, and playing increasingly competitive games of Monopoly or Clue. You can usually find Katie playing violin or piano, baking cookies, reading and writing, or making up elaborate stories and pretend games for her kids.

Melissa Mix

Administrative Assistant (Missions)

Melissa and her husband Colin live in Port Byron. They enjoy spending time outdoors with their two young children. Melissa loves playing card games with friends, listening to audiobooks, and spending time with her family. 

Kathy Posey

Office Administrator

Kathy and her husband Alan both grew up in Bettendorf.  They met at First Baptist Church in Bettendorf in high school and have been married for 38 years.  Both have attended Wildwood since 2017.  The Poseys have been blessed with 3 children and 4 grandchildren (so far!)  Kathy enjoys camping, decorating and loves spending time with those grandbabies!  

Lynsey Kaufman

Marketing/Communications Assistant

Lynsey and her husband, Isaac, have been attending Wildwood Church since November 2023 and are expecting their first child. She enjoys playing pickleball, baking sourdough, spending time with her golden retriever, going on long drives, and making memories with family and friends.

Julie Suchanek

Executive Assistant

Julie joined Wildwood Church in 2013.  She has 2 sons in the military (1 active; 1 retired).  She loves worshiping Jesus with her whole heart (not a lukewarm heart!), visiting her grandchildren (California & Virginia), downhill snow skiing, gardening, reading, traveling, enjoying fresh flowers, and attending air shows.  She testifies to “prayers that move mountains” by Wildwood Pastors, Elders, and fellow church members.  She came out of retirement to serve at Wildwood, and is honored to serve God’s children of all ages. 

Addison Smith

Interim Children’s Ministry Assistant

Addison has been attending Wildwood Church with her family since March 2017. She is a senior in high school and plans to attend Liberty University this fall. She loves sports, especially basketball. Addison is excited to serve as the Children’s Ministry Assistant because she loves the church and wants to support Wildwood’s mission through the children’s ministry.

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