Lutheran Braille Workers Appoints Jay Zemke As President

Lutheran Braille Workers Appoints Jay Zemke As President

YUCAIPA, CA, May 1, 2019 – Jay Zemke, has been appointed President of Lutheran Braille Workers – the Yucaipa, California-based non-profit which provides free Braille, Specialized Large Print and Audio Bibles, Hymnals and other Christian materials to people who are Visually Impaired throughout the world.

A life-long member of congregations belonging to the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, Zemke brings to the ministry his 30 years of experience in leadership, business development, problem solving, team building, strategic planning and operations. As President of Lutheran Braille Workers, his responsibilities will now span organizational mission, operations and strategy; securing financial stability and serving as an organizational spokesperson to constituents, the media and the public.

“I’m humbled for the opportunity to lead and further develop a strategic vision for Lutheran Braille Workers. A vision which enhances brand visibility and presence on the world stage to produce high-quality, Gospel-based materials to help people with visual impairments touch the promises of Jesus and bring them into a growing relationship with Him,” said Zemke. “With 150,000 volumes distributed per year through 167 ministry centers with over 3,000 volunteers, LBW has been uniquely successful in getting the Word of God into the hands of people in 168 countries who are Blind or Visually Impaired – in over 30 different languages, at no expense to them. I’m grateful to have this role with this extraordinary organization and contribute to its sharing of the love of God.”

Zemke succeeds Rev. Dennis Stueve, who retired in January 2019 after 17 years of faithful service to Lutheran Braille Workers in roles including Pastoral Advisor to the Board, Board Member and President.

Jay’s volunteer work with non-profits and philanthropic organizations spans his serving as Senior Team Lead for Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritans Purse, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Healing Haiti and the rebranding of Lutheran Braille Workers while at a respected agency.

Lutheran Braille Workers, Inc. PO Box 5000 13471 California St. Yucaipa, CA 92399
In the for-profit sector, Zemke has served in senior leadership roles for the past three decades, building long-term executive level relationships with Fortune 100 corporations, developing and implementing how we receive brands into our lives. He has worked with such respected corporations as 3M, Colgate, General Mills, Johnson & Johnson, Hasbro, Target, Arctic Cat, CocaCola, Under Armour, Medtronic, U.S. Bank, Adidas, Coleman, Walmart and SC Johnson. “Jay’s commitment to our mission at Lutheran Braille Workers – combined with his team leadership, people-oriented philosophy and three decades of experience in business development and organizational communications – make him an exceptional choice to lead our organization into its second 75-year history,” says Ken Loeber, chairperson of the Lutheran Braille Workers Board. “His faith, enthusiasm for service to God’s Kingdom, servant leadership and innovative ideas, along with his business and communications skills, will be great assets for his new responsibilities. Our Board expresses its thanksgiving and praise for God’s guidance and wisdom throughout our search process.”

Jay, who earned his BA degree in Communications and Psychology from Concordia University in St. Paul Minnesota, has moved to Southern California to work directly from LBW’s home office as of April 2019.

Started in 1943, by Helene Loewe Koehler, who responded to a plea for Braille Bibles for a blind Pastor in Germany. Lutheran Braille Workers has become the largest Gospel based producer of free Braille and Large Print and Audio books of the Bible, and other Christian materials, in the world.

LBW offers the Bible or portions of the Bible in over 30 languages including English, Spanish, Amharic, Arabic, Kiswahili, Russian, and Malayalam. With over 3,200 volunteers at 167 ministry centers in 32 states produce over 150,000 Braille and Large Print volumes of the Bibles and Christ-centered publications annually.

For more information on Lutheran Braille Workers, visit their website, Facebook or LinkedIn page at: https://lbwinc.org | https://www.facebook.com/lutheranbrailleworkers | https://www.linkedin.com/company/lutheranbrailleworkers

MEDIA CONTACT: Michelle Jordan, 800.925.6092, LBW@LBWInc.org