All of our board members are required to be “members-in-good-standing” with a Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS) member congregation. Each director’s “member-in-good-standing status” is verified annually. Most of our board members have had prior board and/or business experience and all bring a wealth of knowledge, faith, and integrity to the organization.
Thomas Farruggia, President
Mr. Farruggia has a passion for spreading the Gospel. To that end, in 2023 he acted on his vision to create an organization to help spread the good news of Jesus through the Lutheran Church in Norway. Mr. Farruggia has over 40 years experience owning and operating various businesses throughout his career. He is a life-long Missouri Synod Lutheran and for the last three decades has worshiped at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Carol Stream, Illinois. Mr. Farruggia is married and has two children and four grandchildren.
David Crosby, Secretary
Mr. Crosby is a lifelong LCMS member, spending the last 39 years at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Carol Stream, IL. During those years he has served as Assistant Treasurer, a member of the Office of Ministry and Care, Chairman of the Elders, and has participated on various other committees. Mr. Crosby has also enjoyed being a member of the choir and an instrumentalist. Mr. Crosby is married with three children and one granddaughter.
Dawn Franz, Treasurer
Ms. Franz was at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Carol Stream, IL for 25 years. With a move to Tennessee, she is now an LCMS member at Christ Our Savior in Loudon, TN. At church she has served as Secretary to the Board, Usher, and positions on other various committees. Outside of church, Ms. Franz was part of the Citizens Advisory Council to the school district, a case appointed special advocate (CASA) for neglected children and a member of CERT (Citizens Emergency Response Team). Ms. Franz is married with two children.
Pete Blackwell, Assistant to the Treasurer
Pete Blackwell was, is, and always will be a fallen sinner, but also has peace through the grace, mercy, and forgiveness provided through Jesus Christ! He sins, yet he is saved! This is the amazing message of the Lutheran Church to the people of Norway, and FOLCIN has given Pete an opportunity to support those who spread this message to the Norwegians!
In his personal life, Pete is now retired from 35 years in the software field, predominately working for a small software company in the reinsurance sector filling roles such as programmer, designer, manager, customer relations & contracting, accounting/finance, COO, and CTO, and apparently mastering none. His career was in a software company specializing in reinsurance. He is married with three children, one of which was given through the gift of an adoption from China. This adoption has given Pete an appreciation of the great blessing of being adopted by God, as HIS child – and this adoption comes with the unfailing love of our Heavenly Father, and the inheritance of eternal life with Him! Thanks be to God for using fallen sinners to support those who plant and water the gospel, and for His sending of the Holy Spirit to accomplish the miracle of making the gospel germinate and grow in Norway!