Faithful and Fruitful

 
The C12 Hero Award is the highest and most meaningful honor that the C12 Group, LLC awards to individuals.  Though it honors leadership of corporate activity, it recognizes those individuals who have demonstrated unusually faithful and fruitful Christian leadership in and through their businesses over a sustained period of 10 years or more.
 
This award was created by C12’s Founder in order to recognize those who had been inspiring examples and\or mentors to him, and is given today in that same spirit on behalf of the C12 Group’s Board of Directors, Officers and Chairs.
 
C12 Heroes are individuals who have demonstrated unwavering commitment in using their business business to model and share the love of God in Christ.  They have kept focus on the eternal perspective, through both good times and trials, and have stayed strong in their faith.  They have pushed the envelope of the meaning of  “ministry in the marketplace” and have been leaders and innovators in the use of the business relationship as a conduit for the Christian faith while building their businesses based on applied Biblical principles. They have put their hands to the plow and not looked back.  They have sought first the Kingdom of God in their business, personal, and spiritual lives.
 
C12 Heroes are fine examples of what C12 hopes to model across its entire Christian Business Owner and CEO network…lives and ‘businesses as ministries’ which truly stand the test of time.
 

PAST RECIPIENTS
 
Robert A. “Bob” Mack was the first C12 Hero gaining the award in 1997. Bob is C12 Founder Buck Jacobs’ first mentor and Hero and was a founding member of the Fellowship of Companies for Christ (FCCI).  Bob began the “great experiment” of his life, leading a Christian business for Jesus, as Chairman and CEO of the S.H. Mack Co.  Bob first committed his business to Christ in 1973 and was an inspiring leader in the early years of what today has become known as the “Marketplace Ministry Movement.”  Led by God’s sovereign Spirit to attempt to live an integrated life, where he could live from Monday to Saturday using the same Biblical principles he learned on Sunday and that he had found to be so powerful and beneficial in the other arenas of his life, Bob gave the business to Him to be used as an example.  He exposed the lie of “you can’t mix business and religion,” and that God’s ways work in all of life.  
 
Over the next 10 years the Mack Company innovated many strategies and tactics for using ordinary business relationships as opportunities to apply the principles and teachings of Jesus.  Under Bob’s leadership the business grew and prospered through many trials and marketplace challenges.  The company became the world leader in supplying synthetic drawing compounds to the two-piece beverage can manufacturing industry, marketing their products everywhere outside of the Iron Curtain.  More importantly, hundreds of individuals came to know Jesus as Lord and Savior or were encouraged to grow in their faith through contact with the Mack Company.

Bob pioneered many techniques and practices within a business to help others know God in Jesus Christ, creating a Christ honoring Mission Statement in 1974 that was amended to begin the company’s Articles of Incorporation.  That Mission Statement read “This business exists to bring honor and glory to God, and to do business in such a way that His Son, Jesus Christ, will be able to say, ‘Well done good and faithful servants.’  Every decision was weighed against that standard, and much eternal fruit resulted from its application.  After selling the business in 1983 Bob has remained active in the industry and lives in Florida.
 
 
Martin Newby, Founder and Chairman of Newby Management Incorporated, is truly a C12 Hero. C12’s founder, Buck Jacobs, has often said that “without Martin Newby there would be no C12.”
 
While attending a FCCI national conference in the mid-1980s Martin heard what was, for him, a life-changing message.  The message was that for a Christian, “your business is your platform for ministry.”  It was an epiphany and a revelation that Martin embraced wholeheartedly, committing to build a world-class business that utilized every available opportunity to share Christ with those in its circle of influence.  Martin was truly an innovator and was the first leader to utilize and apply C12’s “Action Plan for Ministry” to strategize ministry tactics in and through the business.  Martin had previously viewed his Christian business as simply a means for generating money that could be given to promote the Kingdom and found far greater satisfaction and zeal in this new “hands on” calling.
 
It may be significant to note that the very first tactic adopted by Newby Management in its ministry efforts was to share the real meaning of Christmas at the annual company Christmas party in a short presentation at the end of the party.  Present at this party was a vendor who had come just because it was “business.”  After hearing the Good News, the truth and heart of the Christmas story, the vendor gave his life to Jesus.  With tears streaming down his cheeks he told Martin of the relief and freedom that he felt.  No one at the party knew it but the vendor had an incurable cancer in his body even then and would meet his Savior face-to-face within three months.  From that fateful and fruitful start the Newby Management has consistently pushed the envelope of ministry in and through the business while attaining a national reputation as a true leader in the management of manufactured housing communities.
 
Martin, was the first leader of an FCCI Chapter in Sarasota, Florida, is a continuing and active member of the Sarasota C12 Group (The original C12 Group) and a member of the C12 Group, LLC Board of Directors.
 
 
Bart Azzarelli, Founder and Chairman of Dallas 1 Construction and Development Corp. is a great C12 Hero.  In addition to the normal pressures of the site construction business Bart has prayerfully pressed through numerous personal and family related challenges.  At the time that Bart first heard the Lord call him to lead Dallas 1 for Him, Bart was hearing Him pretty much alone.  With his father and brother as partners for several years, Bart learned to be patient and loving with others that were not exactly on the same page.  Over the years his top three managers left to form a competitive business.  A critical supplier failed to comply with an agreement that threatened multi-million dollar liquidated damages suit.  And there were many other trials too numerous to list.  Bart faced each challenge in faith and has seen God’s answer every time.  In addition to the personal challenges, Bart has learned leadership and organizational development based on applying God’s Word, while watching Him take Dallas1 to a position of recognized leadership in their field in Central Florida.
 
Through all the challenges Bart has never wavered, at least not for long.  He has demonstrated the Hero’s qualities of enthusiasm for, and faith in, God and His Word and now has a 20+ year treasure chest of stories of God’s faithful and Sovereign provision.
 
Bart was an early leader of a FCCI Chapter in Tampa, and is an original 1993 member of the Tampa C12 Group, where he remains a very active participant.  He is also a C12 Group Mentor who leads other C12 mentors both within his business and without, and is still as excited about his call to share Christ through his business as he was the first day he heard it!
 
 
Steve Wilson, Founder and CEO of Storage Investors, Inc. of Bradenton, Florida, a leader in the self-storage business, is a contagious C12 Hero.  Steve was an original leader of a FCCI Chapter in Bradenton (mid-1980s) and has been an early-adopter and innovator of ministry concepts in and through the business.  He was an original member of the Bradenton C12 Group (still active since 1992) and the editor of A Light Shines Bright in Babylon, Buck Jacobs’ self-published book, sub-titled A Handbook for Christian Business Owners, which has seen over 10,000 copies distributed around the world.  Without Steve’s help the book would never have been written.  If the book had never been written, it is very likely that over 200 C12 teaching segments, and C12 itself, would not have come to be either since it was only the early experience of writing the book that gave Buck Jacobs the confidence to accept that later challenge.
 
Steve typifies one of the key elements of a C12 Hero - faithfulness.  Not only has Steve been a faithful friend, but for over 20 years he has consistently looked for new ways, methods and technologies to be used to expand the ministry in the business as well as the business itself.  Hide-A-Way Storage is recognized as a leader in both dimensions, creating a “business as ministry” mentality among its managers and associates, and is a great example of doing business and ministry with enthusiasm and excellence.
 
 
In 1986, at one of the very early FCCI Chapter luncheon meetings, Jan Hasse, Owner of Sarasota Animal Hospital, heard a teaching concerning the Biblical warning against personal guarantee of loans.  At that time Jan had a balloon mortgage note coming due and needed to refinance the note.  After the meeting he approached the lender with a request, based on the Biblical principle that he had just learned, that he be given the note without providing a personal guarantee.  The banker scoffed at the idea.  By faith Jan persisted and looked for another source.  The third bank that he approached agreed to give him the loan, at a better rate, without a personal guarantee.  From that day to this Jan has seriously attempted to weave the principles and teaching of Scripture into the business with the same dedication and commitment that he demonstrates in his life as a husband, father, minister and friend.  Jan exemplifies a Hero’s quality of a humble and teachable spirit in pressing through diverse challenges over time.
 
Jan is an original member of the original C12 Group in Sarasota, Florida (1992).  He was an original member of the FCCI fellowship group, and has been a faithful member of a Council of Advisors Group with several Christian brothers for almost 20 years.
 
 
When Bill Maddox attended one of his first FCCI chapter meetings in Sarasota, Florida in 1986, Maddox & Associates consisted of him, a bookkeeper, and a partner.  At one of the early meetings Bill was challenged by a teaching on the Biblical exhortation against being “unequally yoked” with an unbeliever.  After prayer and consideration Bill realized that his partner was not a believer and that he indeed was yoked.

Although the business was not strong and the loss of his partner would weaken it further, Bill did not equivocate, but faced the issue with his partner.  The partner heard Bill out, agreed that they were not on the same page spiritually, and they parted friends.  Bill then went through several years of extreme business challenges, at times being reduced to the role of a sole proprietor, but never wavered in his faith or the commitment of the business to Christ.  God has honored Bill’s faith.  Over the years, the business has grown and multiplied many fold and into diverse business applications such as construction management and land development.  Bill has been an early adopter and practitioner of “Performance Based Compensation” based on the Biblical principle and has been an active member of the original C12 Group in Sarasota, Florida.
 
Bill exemplifies a Hero’s persistence and faith that God will fulfill His promises and keep His Word.  After 20 years Bill presses on in influencing both his industry and community for Christ.
 
How does a stockbroker end up, and even prosper, in the custom home-building business?  Brian Pruett, CEO of Pruett Builders, will tell you that God put him in the business and that the growth and prosperity that Pruett Builders has experienced has been the direct result of His provision and blessing.  Brian is a soul-winner who early on saw the potential for business to provide opportunities for sharing the life-changing Good News of Jesus Christ.  When a friend invited Brian to an early meeting (1986) of the Sarasota FCCI Chapter, Brian attended and he has never looked back!  He is an original (and still active) member of the Sarasota C12 Group and nothing gets Brian as excited as seeing lost souls come to Christ.
 
Brian exemplifies the C12 Hero’s heart for evangelism and has been willing again and again, over many years, to risk and to pay a personal cost to see it happen.  One of Brian’s early tests, after putting a Christ-honoring Mission Statement on the back of his business card, involved a potentially very profitable Muslim client.  The client asked Brian for his business card.  Thinking that it might well quash the deal Brian handed him a card.  The man looked at it, flipped it over, and said, “I like to do business with a man who stands for what he believes.”  Brian built his house and developed a friendship of mutual respect as well.

Brian and his firm have won many “Aurora” awards for the innovative design and quality of their homes and are one of the most respected custom design/build firms in South-Central Florida.


Bill King is a C12 Hero for many reasons.  He has guided the family business from his teen years and led it through the stormiest of business and personal conditions.  The business was a wholesale florist business when Bill took over from his father.  The industry changed dramatically when the large grocery and discount chains began to handle flowers.  Bill transformed the company to a retail/wholesale business with many innovative features designed to help the retail florists survive.  The process included buying his brother’s interest in the business while keeping the family relationships intact and thriving.

Bill has been guiding King’s Wholesale Florist effectively in ministry to his employees, customers, suppliers, and neighbors for over 20 years.  The business has given away hundreds of Bibles and included tracts in every shipment.  Much fruit has been produced through his faithful witness.

Brent Whitehead, like the rest of our Heroes, has been walking faithfully with Jesus in his leadership of Whitehead Construction Company for over 20 years.  He is a soul winner and passionate disciple.  His firm’s quality product reputation has kept the company busy through the ups and downs of the high-end, waterfront custom home business where they are recognized as the leader in their market niche.

One of Brent’s favorite stories goes back a few years to a time when he was leading a Bible study for the construction team on the job site.  The group would stop for a time of study during a morning break time.  It was optional and not every worker attended.  After the session one day one of the workers came up to Brent and sheepishly told him that he had been sitting outside of the window listening to the study but hadn’t the nerve to join in.  He told Brent that he had prayed to receive Jesus because of what he heard.

Brent is co-founder, with fellow C12 Hero Martin Newby, of AAVI, a ministry to the church in the Dominican Republic that is touching thousands of lives there.

Recently Brent has blessed and encouraged his C12 brothers and countless others who have watched him face down cancer.  The cheerful faith of this man as he went through difficult treatment, and his testimony to God’s faithfulness during trial, has been (and continues to be) a blessing.  Brent says that he wouldn’t choose the trial but wouldn’t trade it for anything!


Jay Fechtel is an original member of the Tampa C12 Group started by Buck Jacobs in 1993. He is, like Brent Whitehead of the Bradenton Group and Brian Pruett of the Sarasota Group (also original C12 members), a builder of high-end custom homes primarily in the north Tampa market.  The three have met together once a quarter for over 15 years and, since they don’t directly compete but sell in completely different markets, demonstrate the value-added that C12 membership can offer.  Sharing “best practices” and prayer has truly been a blessing to each of them.  All three have won numerous awards for excellence in design and quality.

Jay is a CPA by training but really found his passion in creating home designs for the most demanding clients.  Ministry in and through the Fechtel Company has been a priority from the very beginning of the business over 20 years ago.  Jay first met Buck at an executive prayer breakfast and has been a constant encouragement through his life and witness for Christ.  Scores have come to know Jesus and been blessed by the generosity of the Fechtel Company.

Jay has also been a great example of a godly husband and father who has kept his family first.  Jay and Terri have six children.