The Board of Directors
President and Director Rev. Paul Ernewein
Pastor Paul as he is known by most people, is the full-time Director of Forged by Fire Services now. He is also the DDRC [District Disaster Relief Coordinator] for the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod Southern District. His desire to help those in need is supported by his wife Peggy.
Both Paul and Peggy are from Louisiana and share a passion to serve a delicious plate of food to anyone! They both believe if you are going to cook something, it better taste delicious! That passion has spilled over to their work in serving those who suffer from food insecurity issues.
Barbara Crozier
Barbara and her husband Kim were instrumental in getting Forged by Fire Services off the ground and running.
Barb is retired from Shell Oil Company. Barb and Kim enjoy vacationing around the world and can often be found enjoying the sands of Cancun.
Both Barbara and Kim are passionate about serving those in need. They have actively fed those in need for many years now. Barbara is part of the original Board of Directors. Her passion for this work is a huge driving force. It has fueled the work we have been able to do over the years.
Cathy Newman
Cathy and her husband Chip enjoy volunteering in their community. Cathy has served in various leadership roles at various organizations. She was also President of Junior Auxiliary of Slidell. Additionally, she was Council President of The Village Church Lutheran in Lacombe.
Cathy has a BA from LSU in graphic design. After working 18 years as a production manager, she retired. She chose to pursue other passions, like being a full-time foster parent, since the beginning of 2020. She is currently enrolled at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis in the Deaconess program.
Her hobbies include writing, painting and self publishing her novels and devotionals. She loves being part of an active group. It allows her to fulfill her joy of helping others in their time of need.
Amanda Walker
Amanda enjoyed a successful career in the restaurant industry for many years before making the transition into finance. She is now the President & CEO of Lutheran Federal Credit Union. She feels honored to support LCMS organizations and individuals nationwide. Her role helps them pursue their missions and goals.
Amanda was born and raised in Springfield, Missouri, the heart of the Ozarks. She is a true Midwest girl at heart. Amanda spends her free time with her husband, daughter, and friends. She loves the outdoors. She finds her best way to recharge is by slowing down. She appreciates life’s little moments.
Steve Bordelon
Steve and his wife Cindy own Steve’s RV Center in Lacombe. We will get a better of picture of Mr. Steve when we get him to slow down! He is always on the move. In this photo, Mr. Steve is serving in Asheville NC with us at Immanuel Lutheran.
He and his family have been great supporters of FBF since our inception.
Steve, his wife and family all have a passion for serving their communities and those in need. We are truly blessed to have him on our Board.
Marcus Cook
Marcus Cook’s journey is defined by resilience, strategic vision, and a passion for helping others succeed. Over the course of his career, Marcus has built a reputation for setting ambitious goals. He follows through with the discipline and focus required to achieve them. His leadership style is rooted in taking complex challenges, breaking them into actionable strategies, and guiding teams toward measurable results.
Marcus has more than 30 years of experience in the energy and industrial sectors. He has a deep understanding of operations. He also has a strong grasp of market strategy. He has launched and scaled ventures from small beginnings to multi-million-dollar operations.
Marcus recently partnered with Forged by Fire. Together, they refined and elevated the organization’s messaging for the Endure Conference in New Orleans. They highlighted LERT and ensured their story connected powerfully with attendees and potential partners. Marcus is guided by the belief that challenges can be overcome through faith and teamwork. This belief is rooted in Romans 8:37. He brings his track record of transformative growth, marketing insight, and a heart for service to the board. His goal is to leverage these strengths to help Forged by Fire expand its reach. He aims to strengthen its position and create lasting impact in the communities it serves.
Administrative Assistant to the Director
Rochell Kurucar
Volunteer Team Leaders
Vice President Peggy Ernewein
The true chef in the Ernewein house, Peggy is a Flight Attendant for SWA. When not flying the friendly skies, she can be found helping FBF. She is an incredible supporter of our work. She has a clear vision for both our work with FBF and our church ministry.
On deployments, you will find her close to the vegetable pot. There, she can work her magic on 100 # 10 cans of green beans. She uses our trinity: bacon, sausage, and minced garlic.
Her hobbies include making beautiful wreaths and spending time with our children and grandchildren.
Accounting and Financial Team Leader Brenda Newman
Brenda has been a resident of Slidell since 1991 with her husband of 49 years. She is retired from Schlumberger Technology Corp. in 2009, after 31 years in accounting.
Her work included, accounts payable, auditing accounts payable, balance sheets, P&L statements, and reporting budget forecast. Towards the end of her career, she was part of the testing and training team as Schlumberger rolled out it’s new ERP software in SAP. As new challenges arose, she implemented and documented new procedures as needed, resulting in many rewards.
Working with Forged By Fire allows her to use her passion of accounting and to give back to the community and serve the Lord. She loves spending time with her family, attending a weekly intercessory prayer gathering, making beaded jewelry, traveling, and spending time caring for my koi fish. We love you Brenda!