Leadership

Dean Niewolny

Chief Executive Officer
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Dean Niewolny has been a top tier manager and successful executive in the financial service industry, earning many accolades and awards for his leadership. For the past 23 years, Dean has served in various executive roles with three of the largest financial firms on Wall Street. His most recent role being that of Market Manager for Wells Fargo Advisors overseeing a $100mm market in Chicago.

Dean has been an active member of Willow Creek Community Church, along with his wife Lisa. It was through trips to Africa that they both felt a definite tug on their hearts for the orphaned and the widowed. They recently completed an orphan home outside of Durbin as well as helping support Orphan Network. In 2010 He left the marketplace to take on the role of Managing Director of Halftime. He is thrilled to utilize his gifts and talents to help more people understand their own passion and purpose in their second half of life. As one that grew up playing sports and eventually college and semi professional baseball Dean enjoys coaching youth sports, especially his son’s little league teams. Dean and his wife, Lisa, have two children, Kennedy Ann, and Caden O’Brien. They reside in Southlake, Texas.

The appetite to be significant appears to be at an all time high but most do not know where or how to identify their gifts and talent and how to connect to their passions. Halftime is the place to do that. There is no greater sense of accomplishment than to help an individual say, ‘This is what God has gifted me to do, I have found my Ephesians 2:10 calling.’

see Dean's personal halftime story...

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Lloyd Reeb

Official Spokesperson for Halftime
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Lloyd Reeb is a successful real estate developer who transitioned in 1993 by redefining success and focusing on second-half significance. He is the primary spokesperson for Halftime and dedicates most of his time to speaking and leading workshops around the world and coaching individuals through the journey. Lloyd is the author of The Second Half: Real Stories, Real Adventures, Real Significance, a coffee table book packed with stories of people who are mak­ing a difference in their second half. His first book, From Success to Sig­nificance: When the Pursuit of Success Isn’t Enough, provides a roadmap for this mid-life transition. He is co-author of Unlimited Partnership: Igniting a Marketplace Leader’s Journey to Significance, a helpful guide to partnering with non-profit leaders. Lloyd’s Success To Significance Group Curriculum addresses the needs of people who are not financially independent but desire to pursue significance in the second half of their lives. Lloyd and his wife, Linda live in Charlotte, North Carolina and have three adult children.

In my own Halftime journey, I was surprised to discover that I could use the skills, expertise and influence that enabled me to succeed in my first half, to make a significant impact in the world in my second half.” After more than a decade serving Halftimers, we’ve found that while the destination is unique to each person, the journey is remarkably similar. What seems so confusing to them at the beginning quickly becomes clear with a little guidance, a few tools and some exposure to what others are doing. We help them get clear, get free and get going.

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Greg Murtha

Director of Connections / Platinum Events
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For the past 12 years Greg has invested his life in launching and establishing the Halftime Organization.  Currently he serves as the Director of Connections using his skills and abilities to engage with individual Halftimers at the beginning of their journeys to significance. Through meaningful conversation, Greg befriends them and assesses their needs, ultimately introducing them to opportunities and individuals that will provide encouragement for them on their journey.  Greg’s Rolodex is legendary; over the years he has had the privilege to meet a number of outstanding people and as a result he has developed a robust network. He considers it a privilege to encourage others with a desire to follow Jesus in the second half of their lives. Greg will be forever thankful to his mentor, Harry Crow, who encouraged and believed in him at a young age. Harry’s introduction to Bob Buford, over a decade ago, was the catalyst for what has become an opportunity of a lifetime.

Greg and his wife of 16 years, Tracey, live in Brentwood, Tennessee with their son Jackson Cole.

What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?  (James 14:2)

 

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Jeff Spadafora

Director of Coaching and Product Development
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Jeff spent 19 years consulting with Fortune 1000 companies, guiding managers to become more efficient and equipping executives to lead in ‘high change’ environments.  Jeff’s expertise was creating change at the enterprise level by helping individuals change at a personal level. During the last three years of Jeff’s business career, a gentle whisper encouraged him to shift his focus from success to significance. Inspired by Bob Buford’s book Halftime, Jeff participated in The Halftime Institute, and worked with a personal coach. It was then he knew that God’s plan for him was to help others through their own Halftime transitions. Eventually it was clear that his calling is to help people discover their calling.  As the Director of Coaching and Product Development, Jeff now focuses on coaching individuals in Halftime and training others to be Halftime coaches and leaders of the Halftime Roundtable process in their communities.

Jeff and his wife of 20 years, Michelle, live in Evergreen, Colorado with their daughter Denika and two sons, Neal and Quinn.  Jeff enjoys skiing, horseback riding, fly fishing and coaching youth athletics.

I've seen many people spend the better part of their lives focused on the wrong things: their company’s ‘agenda,’ other peoples’ definitions of success, money, etc.  Over time, this leads to frustration and emptiness. True freedom exists when a person discovers their God-given design and pours themselves into doing that work in service to others.

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Bob Durfey

Director of Strategic Consulting
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Bob spent over 30 years as a Commissioned Officer in the U.S. Coast Guard, piloting ships, flying helicopter rescue missions, mentoring and equipping leaders to meet urgent national level challenges. Bob is a highly decorated, successful servant-leader who is known for his ability to integrate his faith into all aspects of work & leadership. Although a graduate of Harvard who had held two major commands, overseeing thousands of people and hundreds of millions of dollars in assets, Bob began to sense what he had experienced and learned through his life was for a much higher purpose than just being a senior military officer. Approaching “retirement” he sought out ways to use his skills and strengths, founding a Leadership Consulting Company. The Lord had other ideas and used a neighbor to get the book HALFTIME into Bob’s hands. Excited and greatly encouraged by the book and the Halftime staff, Bob became passionate about communicating the life principles contained in the Halftime message. Helping international and U.S. city leaders create teams to help those in Halftime has now become the key focus of his consulting work.

Bob and his wife of 30 years, Carolyn, live near Boston, Massachusetts. Their family continues in the “rescue” business. Carolyn and their daughter Sarah are passionate in the fight against Human Trafficking. Their son Joe is an officer in training at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.

I've spent the last dozen years or more working with those who anyone would define as VERY “successful.” They have done everything right by the world’s standards. Many have even sacrificed personal financial gain to serve their country and humanity. Their epitaphs will indeed be impressive.The problem is, many of these“successful” people often already feel DEAD inside. Something vital is missing. In all their great DOING, they have a nagging suspicion that somehow they “missed it.”

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Greg James

Director of Strategic Partners
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Greg worked for 34 years in the pharmaceutical industry in sales, marketing and general management with a majority of that time spent in managing and coaching people to meet their potential in a Fortune100 business. While considering what was next in his second half, Greg read Halftime, spent time with a personal coach, and attended a Halftime Institute. God started to move in his heart and life to guide him toward making a change. Greg began to see a clearer picture of His plan to enlist the strengths/skills he used in the corporate setting. He believes God’s plan for him is to equip others in their second half as they serve the Kingdom of God.

Greg now has responsibilities for developing and serving new and existing Halftime affiliates and marketing partners. He is also active in establishing a Halftime Affiliate in the greater Kansas City area and provides group facilitation and individual coaching. Greg and his wife of 35+ years, Jenn, live in Leawood, KS. They have 2 grown children and a daughter-in-law. Greg enjoys cooking, fly fishing and being involved in their local church.

Several years ago, a pastor friend of mine challenged me with this comment, ‘God has a plan to use the skills that you have developed in the marketplace to serve Him in a greater way.’ It took me a long time to believe that and to discover the time had come to think deeper about that challenge. Once I spent the time and engaged a Halftime coach to help me work through the decision making process, it started to become clear. Today I have the pleasure of helping others work through the same fulfilling process!

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Tim Dukes

Director of Strategic Development
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Tim spent 24 years in media, mostly radio where he grew from a college intern to air talent and later, regional Vice-President when he managed successful stations in Cincinnati, San Diego, Atlanta, and Chicago. He also worked in television and interactive media. While overseeing some of the country’s most legendary stations, Tim managed high-profile radio hosts and was responsible for music, talk and online content, brand management, and ultimately ratings performance.

His role with Halftime has him overseeing the group’s marketing and digital media efforts, and he uses his marketplace skills not just daily, but minute-to-minute as he works with the team to increase Halftime’s audience.

Tim is a graduate of Lipscomb University in Nashville, has served as a deacon and small group leader in his church, and with wife Susan and daughter Macy has led short-term mission trips to Mexico. They live in suburban Dallas.

I’ve never worked a day in my life. My first-half was fun, fulfilling, and didn’t feel like a job. But with most careers, the longer you are in it, the further you get from what brought you into it. God’s timing for drawing me toward Halftime as a life stage and group was perfect. Bob Buford’s book said what I was feeling but didn’t have a vocabulary for. It’s exciting to now do something significant while using my marketplace experience and passions, which is an honor and privilege. And this certainly doesn’t feel like work either...

Jason Simmons

Manager, New Media and Technology
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Jason joins the Halftime team with experience in both corporate and nonprofit organizations. He spent 7 years in Finance with UPS in various roles including Analyst and Management positions.  Working for a UPS-SCS brought great experience in both domestic and international operations.

Jason's corporate experience was invaluable as he entered the nonprofit area.  He served as Executive Director and then General Manager for 2 ministries with a global impact where he moved into strategic and leadership development, media broadcast, donor relations and daily operations.

Jason's passion is to help organizations realize and then reach their full potential through creativity, simplicity and implementation.

He and his wife, Megan have three children and live in the DFW area

Jan Hopwood

Executive Administrator
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Jan Hopwood joined our Halftime team in May 2007. She has a degree in Elementary Education from University of Oklahoma. Prior to starting their family Jan & her husband lived and traveled in Europe and South America. While living in southern California and rearing twin sons she served as a Commissioner for the City of Mission Viejo. She and her husband, Tom, moved to Las Colinas in June 2006 and attend Irving Bible Church.

Diane Hayes

Coordinator, Affiliates and Marketing Partners
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Diane Hayes joined Halftime in 2010 and brought a diverse background that included ministry, interior design, retail management, and property management. These career experiences strengthened her skills in servant leadership, project management, and problem solving. Her raison d’être is simply to serve others through Christ’s love. She views each day at Halftime a divine opportunity to fulfill this calling.

Outside of work Diane embraces her roles as wife, mother, grandmother,and friend with passion and excitement. She enjoys travel, outdoor activities, and using her creative gifts.

Diane and her husband, Darwin, live in Las Colinas, Texas, and attend Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, where they actively serve in Gateway’s Volunteer Ministry.