Executive Committee
Officers and Executive Committee of the Board of Directors
John Shepherd III
Harris, GA
Board Chair
John Shepherd (John) serves as a shepherd to pastors with Standing Stone Ministry. He received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Tennessee Technological University and began his career as an aeromechanical engineer in Huntsville, Alabama. At the age of 24, he surrendered his life to Jesus Christ, and within a year, he sensed that God was calling him into full-time vocational ministry.
To prepare for ministry, he received his Master of Divinity from Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary in Memphis, Tennessee, and a Doctor of Ministry in Missions Leadership from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.
John has served in full-time ministry for more than three decades in a variety of ministry settings: Church Planter, Executive Pastor, Lead Pastor, Church Consultant, and Denomination Leader. Each of these settings has given him a deep understanding of the pressures and complex challenges that pastors and ministry leaders face today.
John and his wife Joy have been married for over thirty years. They live near Blairsville, Georgia, and have three grown sons and two grandchildren whom they adore.
When not spending time with his grandchildren, John loves University of Tennessee athletics, Atlanta Braves baseball, movies, and CrossFit.
David Crane
Cherryville, NC
President
Richard L. Coffman
Houston, TX
Vice President
Richard L. Coffman (Richard) is a trial lawyer based in Houston, Texas. He received a B.A. in Accounting from Texas Lutheran University (19780, and both his master’s in professional accountancy (1980) and law degree (1989) from the University of Texas at Austin.
Prior to attending law school, Richard, who also is a Certified Public Accountant, worked for two international Big 8 public accounting firms. He also taught courses in accounting as an adjunct professor at the University of Washington and University of Texas business schools.
As a trial lawyer, Richard principally represents individuals and businesses throughout the United States in complex commercial litigation, class actions, and mass actions. His litigation practice is focused in the areas of antitrust, agriculture, consumer, and other commercial disputes. He also represents individuals injured in ski accidents.
In addition to CRM, Richard has been active in several other civic and charitable organizations, having recently concluded a ten-year term on the Board of Trustees of the American Society of Overseas Research (ASOR), first as its Treasurer, and for the last six years, as the Board Chair. Richard also was a charter member of the Westchase Rotary Club in Houston, where he served as its first Treasurer, and later, was a member of the Downtown Houston Rotary Club, where he served on the Lombardi Trophy Committee for several years.
Richard and his wife and (retired) law partner, Sonya, live in Houston, Texas, and are members of Second Baptist Church. They have been married for over 35 years and have one daughter. Richard and Sonya are long-time supporters of CRM through giving, going, and prayer.
Betsy Dellinger
Cherryville, NC
Secretary
Betsy Dellinger (Betsy) graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2000 with degrees in Journalism and Political Science. She is the CEO of Precise Power Service Corporation, an independent provider of critical industrial backup power systems, based in Belmont, North Carolina.
Betsy joined the CRM Board in 2020 following several years of participating in CRM short-term mission trips in East Africa. CRM’s goals and vision align with her mission mindset focused on taking the Gospel to unreached people groups with little or no access to the Bible. Betsy has also advanced her passion by creating a mission team at Venture Church, her home church, with the twin goals of extending love for the lost in western church culture and inspiring and preparing Christians to carry out the Great Commission.
Betsy has been married to her husband, Travis, since 2003. They are blessed with two sons, Jack and Ned. Jack attends the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Ned passed on to be with the Lord at age 9. Betsy and her family reside in Cherryville, North Carolina.
Sonya B. Coffman
Houston, TX
Treasurer
Family law was the focus of Sonya’s law practice. She was Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, AV peer-review rated by Martindale-Hubbell, and designated a Texas Super Lawyer (Family Law), from 2017-2023.
Upon retiring from the practice of law in June 2023, Sonya enrolled at the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, where she is currently taking remote classes in pursuit of her Master of Divinity degree.
Sonya also is active in civic and charitable organizations, having served as an officer (including Treasurer), director, and/or event chair for the Symphony League of Beaumont, Julie Rogers Gift of Life, Neches River Festival, Beaumont Community Partners for Children, Beaumont Rainbow Room, and the Hope Women’s Resource Clinic. She is currently on the Board of the Junior League Houston Sustainer Transfer Club.
Sonya and her husband, Richard, are long time CRM supporters and short-term mission trip participants. They attend Second Baptist Church in Houston.
