Peter Kristoff Lange

The First Vice-President serves in a full-time executive position. He is an elected advisor and assistant to the President, assists the President in discharging his responsibilities and represents him.

He assumes the presidency if the office is vacated and performs the

II. Report on Nominations/

Candidates for First Vice-President of the Synod Elect 1 minister of religion—ordained (3-year term)

A total of 1,759 nominating votes were cast by 1,518 congregations of the Synod (compared to 2,187 votes in 2023; 3,192 in 2019; 2,001 in 2016; 1,565 in 2013; 2,692 in 2010;

3,216 in 2007; and 4,206 in 2004). As required by Bylaw 3.12.2 (d), here following are the names and tallies of all ordained ministers who received nominating votes:

Peter K. Lange 804

Benjamin T. (Ben) Ball 163

Brady L. Finnern 163

Wally M. Arp 74

Joel D. Biermann 58

Christopher S. Esget 50

Allan R. Buss 36

Richard L. Snow 25

Jeffrey P. Cloeter 21

Scott R. Murray 19

Nabil S. Nour 19

Peter A. Lange 13

Lucas V. Woodford 13

Jamison J. Hardy 12

Timothy P. (Tim) Ahlman 10

Lawrence R. Rast Jr 9

Dien A. Taylor 9

John C. Wohlrabe Jr 9

Heath R. Curtis 8

David A. Davis 8

John E. Hill 8

David P. Ramirez 8

Matthew C. Harrison 7

Don R. (Richard) Stuckwisch Jr 7

William A. (Bill) Harmon 6

5 votes:

Robert L. (Lee) Hagan; Jeffrey J. Kloha; Eric C. Skovgaard; C. Bryan Wolfmueller

4 votes:

Mark D. Brandt; John R. Denninger; Alfonso O. Espinosa; Patrick T. (Pat) Ferry; Michael E. (Mike) Gibson; Timothy M. Klinkenberg; Jeffrey E. Skopak; Deric A. Taylor

3 votes:

Victor J. Belton; Jacob S. Gillard; Byrene K. (Keith) Haney; Mark R. Hoehner; Adam C. Koontz; Eric T. Lange; Scott C. Sailer; Leopoldo A. Sanchez; Jonathan E. Shaw; Sean A. Willman; Zachary A. Zehnder

2 votes:

Eric N. Andersen; Jon M. Braunersreuther; Terrence C. (Terry)

Chan; Jon T. Diefenthaler; Jonathan M. Dinger; Thomas J. Egger;

Gregory A. (Greg) Finke; Michael C. Larson; David P. E. Maier;

Nathan M. Meador; Michael W. (Mike) Newman; Craig D. Otto;

Brian S. Saunders; Jeffery T. (Jeff) Schrank; Michael P. Schuermann; Kevin A. Wilson

1 vote:

Steven J. Anderson; David H. Benke; John C. Biermann; Gerard I. Bolling; Gregory W. Brown; Jonah P. Burakowski; Michael H.

Regional Vice-President (West-Southwest Reg.)

Burdick; Corey J. Chang; Matthew J. Clark; Erik K. Cloeter; Dean M. Davenport; Jordan L. DeBoer; Michael A. L. Eckelkamp; Clarence H. Eisberg; Douglas K. Escue; Alfonso J. (AJ) Espinosa; John A. Flamme; David C. Fleming; Terry R. Forke; Daniel M. (Dan)

Galchutt; Stephen A. Gewecke; Randall L. Golter; Roosevelt Gray Jr.; Keith H. Grimm; Vincent R. (Vince) Harman; Andrew M. Harris; Benjamin D. Haupt; Jeffrey B. Hemmer; Kenneth M. (Ken)

Hennings; Kenneth N. Hessel; Josemon T. (Joe) Hoem; Eric C. Johnson; Todd A. Jones; Chad D. Kendall; Derek S. Klemm; Chad D. Lakies; Michael R. (Mike) Lange; Joel D. Lehenbauer; Robert R. (Reed) Lessing; Mark S. Loder; James F. Marriott; James B. Maxwell; Peter A. Meier; Yohannes A. Mengsteab; Dale A. Meyer;

Jeffrey G. Miskus; Michael W. Mohr; William M. (Max) Mons;

Herbert C. (Bert) Mueller III; Steven P. Mueller; Dean W. Nadasdy;

Edward A. Naumann; Donald O. (Don) Neuendorf; Glenn A. Nielsen; Justin A. Panzer; Leonard R. Payton; Todd A. Peperkorn;

Ryan R. Peterson; Daniel Preus; David R. Preus; Stephen K. Preus;

Matthew R. Richard; Paul L. Rieger; Kevin D. Robson; James H. Rockey; Timothy D. Runtsch; Timothy E. Saleska; Albert M. Schudde; Jeremy J.A. Schultz; Ken R. Schurb; John W. Sias; Brent D. Smith; Gregory J. (Greg) Snow; Russell L. (Russ) Sommerfeld;

Donaldo Sonntag; Randy R. Sturzenbecher; Steven D. (Steve)

Turner; Charles E. Varsogea; Waldemar R. (Wally) Vinovskis;

Michael T. (Mike) Von Behren; William R. Wangelin; Aubrey J. Watson Jr.; William C. Weedon As required by Bylaw 3.12.2.1 (a), the nominees who received the highest number of votes were notified to obtain their approval for inclusion of their names on the list of 20 nominees from which the President-elect will select five candidates to form the slate for the election of the First VicePresident (see Bylaw 3.12.2.6; two of the five candidates must rank among the top five nominees). The Bylaws of the Synod provide no opportunity for adding names to this list or slate, other than due to the death, declination, or unavailability of a candidate. These are the names of the 20 nominees who received the highest numbers of votes (with ties completely included) and have consented to serve if elected, in alphabetical order:

Timothy P. (Tim) Ahlman Victor J. Belton Allan R. Buss Jeffrey P. Cloeter David A. Davis Christopher S. Esget Alfonso O. Espinosa Jacob S. Gillard Byrene K. (Keith) Haney Jamison J. Hardy Mark R. Hoehner Jeffrey J. Kloha Eric T. Lange Peter K. Lange Lawrence R. Rast Jr. Scott C. Sailer Jeffrey E. Skopak Don R. (Richard) Stuckwisch Jr. Deric A. Taylor Dien A. Taylor Sean A. Willman

in time, some of our significant challenges: changing demographics, pastoral and commissioned minister leadership shortages, churches declining and closing, limited church plants, and an increasing gap of mistrust between various “camps” in Synod. These challenges can, and must, be solved without compromising our clear biblical and confessional Lutheran teaching. I pray our best days as a Synod are ahead.