Mark de Naray, Executive

At St. Philip since: My wife Carol and I have been at St. Philip since 1996.

Our faith background: Carol grew up in the Episcopal church. I was raised as a Catholic and went to parochial school through elementary school. We were married in college in an Episcopal congregation, but then stopped attending church – until our first child asked “Who is Jesus?” We knew at that point that we were not providing a faith foundation for our child to make an adult decision about faith later. That realization led us to join a small Episcopal Church where I became very active on the Vestry. We eventually moved to Canada, where we joined a high Anglican Church, where I became active again with the Church Council and capital appeals. When we moved back to Minnesota, we initially rejoined the church we had left, but felt like that congregation had stagnated and wasn’t working to expand its membership or outreach. So we went looking for a new faith family. It was our daughter who eventually led us to St. Philip when she went to Confirmation with a friend who was a member here. We went to a few services, and ended up staying. Among other forms of involvement, Carol and I taught Confirmation for a number of years here – long after our own kids were done. I also served on the council for six years, including four years as president.

Professional background and experience: I’ve served as the CEO or president of seven companies in my career, ranging from public Fortune 100 corporations to private businesses.

What is something that you love about St. Philip the Deacon? I love the leadership, the energy, and the positive influence on peoples’ lives.

Have you ever been surprised by God? No; I believe in his unconditional love and take responsibility for my failings.

If you could meet God face-to-face, what would you want to ask? How do you want me to serve your children?

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