Pinnacle Forum Partner, John Lochner became a Servant later in life and went from being retired to active duty in. the Kingdom. After a career in retail and insurance, John had sold his insurance agency in 2009 and a few years later he and his wife, Kathy, started Legacy Group of America (https://lgofa.org) because, as John puts it, “I wanted to work for God, not myself.”
Legacy Group of America is a private foundation that exists to “build enduring relationships that enhance people’s lives and help them to leave legacies of service.” John believes, “We work to turn the management pyramid upside down, putting the leaders as servants first, and God in the center of the community. When it comes to non-profit organizations, we help them connect to other servant leaders, to identify their needs, to determine their strengths and weaknesses and develop strategies to deal effectively with both.”
John’s interest in servant leadership can be traced back to his marketplace involvement with the Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership. Founded by influential executive and author Robert K. Greenleaf, the Center was created to, “advance the awareness, understanding and practice of servant leadership by individuals and organizations.”
“That’s our mission as well,” John echoes, “ which is why we work with others committed to developing better leaders. That’s how I got involved with Pinnacle Forum. I first became aware of them in 2013 and instantly felt an affinity for their vision and mission.
“I met Steve Fedyski and he told me about what Pinnacle Forum was doing in Wisconsin and elsewhere. In 2014 we created a Wisconsin board and I got involved in starting Forum groups around the state. Our goal is 20 groups in the next three years. I’ve been able to introduce my contacts to Pinnacle Forum and its efforts to put God in the center of culture.”
John knows firsthand the benefits of being in a Forum group. “God is up front and not in the background as in other leadership groups,” he says. “I’ve met some great people locally and national who want to make a difference for God’s Kingdom. I’m humbled by their example.
“Leadership is lonely,” John admits. “In the Pinnacle Forum group I get to share with peers who have the same ups and downs and face the same challenges and struggles I do. We talk about everything from business to our personal lives. We encourage each other to do what the Spirit is calling us to do.”
For John and the Legacy Group of America this includes encouraging others working with public schools, bringing in leadership training and connecting students to church-based after school programs. “We teach young adults a different way to live rather than just for themselves,” John says.
Personally, John still mentors and invests in younger business people, using his experience and expertise to help them understand and apply servant leadership. And while he encourages them to get involved with Pinnacle Forum, he knows he can’t force someone to join a group. “The Holy Spirit has to draw people in,” John says. “I can encourage them and set an example, but I have to let the Spirit handle the timing.”
Developing the next generation of servant leaders is a legacy John works on every day and PinnacleForum has become a valued Partner in the task.
