Smart Church Solutions’ team has grown in size and skillsets. We recently welcomed two new additions to our team, and we want to introduce them to you.
Kim Simmons, our Customer Success Specialist, has spent about 28 years managing projects in the financial services industry. She has led a multi-site church's guest services team for about seven years. In her free time, Kim enjoys spending time with her husband and two adult sons. She also appreciates crafting, antiquing, and DIY projects.
Our newest Facility Stewardship Specialist, Patrick Hart, has served in church facilities ministry roles in the Pacific Northwest for the past 18 years. He is an active member of the NACFM and has served on their board as executive director and, more recently, as director of development. Previously, Patrick was in ministry as a director of Christian education in the Lutheran Church, worked as National Account Manager for a large telecommunications company, and has owned his own business.
To learn more about Kim and Patrick, we asked them a few questions. Below are their answers.
Where Do You Live?
Kim: I live in Bartlett, Illinois, about 45 minutes northwest of Chicago.
Patrick: I live in Kirkland, Washington (near Seattle). If you've seen Kirkland branded items at Costco. Yes, it's that Kirkland — the original Costco is just a few miles down the road from me.
What Do You Like To Do For Fun?
Kim: I enjoy spending time with family, friends, and all of our dogs. I'm relaxed by crafting and doing upcycling projects.
Patrick: I really enjoy traveling and spending time with family, especially when those two are combined!
Why Did You Join The Smart Church Solutions Team?
Kim: I joined eSPACE so I could use my experience and skills in a way that further promotes Kingdom work. As a former church client, I am impressed with the product as well as the people I now call my teammates.
Patrick: I felt God calling me to do something a little different than what I had been doing for over 18 years. My role at Smart Church Solutions really allows me to share my gifts and experience in facilities stewardship with a wider audience.
What Most Excites You About Working With Churches?
Kim: The opportunity to help churches improve efficiency so they can focus on their mission.
Patrick: I love being able to help people utilize their God-given talents to make a difference in the lives of others through their stewarding of the church facilities with which they are entrusted.
Ok, Now Brag About Yourself A Little
Kim: I spent 28 years in the financial services industry, where I focused much of my career on project management, business development, and quality assurance. After a prayerful, year-long hiatus, I became the guest services manager at a large, five-campus church where my responsibilities spanned calendar management, bookstore and coffee shop oversight, developing safety and security standards, and event/work order management.
On a personal level, I volunteered with the Boy Scouts of America for 20 years and was awarded the distinguished Silver Beaver award. I am a second-degree blackbelt.
Patrick: I love a good story — to meet people and hear their stories and to share my own as well. I guess it's just part of my relational orientation. It drives my family bonkers, but I have never met a stranger; they're just someone I'm not acquainted with yet.
I met an old waiter, Franco, in Florence, Italy, that had previously waited on a friend of mine (and his mother) almost 20 years earlier. Oh, and I got the selfie with Franco to prove it. I believe that once you've established a relationship with someone, you have opened the door to share Christ with them, which leads to more great stories.
Join us in welcoming both Kim and Patrick. We are blessed to have passionate people committed to helping churches be stewards of what God has entrusted to them. We continue to grow and will introduce you to a couple more new team members in the next several weeks.
