Edwin Quintana
Founder/President/CEO
Reverend Edwin Quintana’s professional and ministerial journey is one marked by excellence, humility, grace, and compassion. He is the Founder and presently the President and CEO of Inter-America’s Chaplain’s Association, “A Ministry of Presence!” Under Chaplain Quintana’s leadership, this organization promotes quality chaplaincy care through advocacy, education, professional standards and service to its members.
Vaulting his ministerial calling and professional career in New York, he has always displayed the virtues of integrity, charity, prudence, and faithfulness in all of his endeavors. Chaplain Quintana began his professional career in the telecom industry in 1989 as an account executive with MCI where he created the first vertical market for Hispanic accounts and implemented the first point-to-point services to Mexico.
Within the telecom industry, he executed the office of Executive Vice President of CaribeSat, Inc., a leading Puerto Rican telecommunications company. In 2002 he served as the CEO of Uniquest Communications, which is an OTC publicly traded company. He was also the national director of Corporate Relations for MAD DADS, a non-profit organization designed to promote and demonstrate positive images of fathers engaging and protecting community youth and families.
Reverend Quintana’s ministerial commitment is just as stellar. He is an ordained Minister and Chaplain through which many have received the Lord Jesus Christ as personal Savior and many more have been comforted in time of crisis. He sits on the board of directors of LACA, “Latin/African American Chaplains Association”, which currently has over 22,000 members. In this capacity he serves as their Executive Vice President. Chaplain Quintana is an active Chaplain for the Ocala Police Department, Marion County Sheriff’s Department and the former Weekend Chaplain for Munroe Regional Medical Center.
Most recently, Reverend Quintana’s company, “Quintana Communications Group, Inc.”, was retained by Alternative Unlimited Schools to be the Enrollment Administrator for their DBI, “Drop Back in Program”, for students who dropped out from high school and would attend DBI and receive an Academic Diploma for free.
Chaplain Quintana’s temperament and undying dedication towards his fellow man makes him a highly sought after speaker in many community and church functions.
Rev. William Bender
VP of Outreach
Born: September 24, 1949 in Philadelphia, PA. Oldest of 7 children, raised in Public Housing Project.
• Attended Red Lion Road Bible Baptist Church 1957 – 1060.
• Accepted Chris as Savior at age 12 during a Billy Graham crusade in Philadelphia.
• Moved to Warminster PA in 1961 into Lacey Park, low rent housing development.
• Attended Warminster Presbyterian Church and met my future wife there.
• Married Dawn (nee Wurst) on May 31, 1969 while serving in the US Army Security Agency.(1968 –1972) then discharged from active duty to Active US Army Reserves (1972- 1993).
• Fathered three children, Michelle, Michael, Christopher.
• I was commissioned a Deacon in the Warminster Presbyterian Church, president of the Warminster Kiwanis Club , President of St. John Bosco Soccer Club.
• We moved to Chalfont in 1993 and we then attended Doylestown Presbyterian Church. I served on the Mission Committee ( $ 100,000 budget) and was a Greeter.
• In 2003 we moved to Ocala and joined the Countryside Presbyterian Church. In 2005 I was commissioned as an Elder and again in 2008.
• I was a frequent Liturgist leading the service and participated in an outreach Ministry to Timber Ridge Nursing home through preaching the Word four times a year.
• During this time I began my theological studies to be ordained as a Certified Lay Pastor in accordance with the rules of the Presbyterian Church.
I attended the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary and completed my Lay Pastor Courses for ordination as a Presbyterian Pastor.
• It was during that time that I was advised I had Prostate Cancer and had to undergo treatment. During this time I grew dissatisfied with the policies of the church and decided to look elsewhere for ordination.
• I was ordained shortly thereafter by the National Christian Church as an Ordained Christian Minister (Oct 8, 2014).
• Chaplain with Interfaith Emergency Services
• Appointed to the Board of Directors Interfaith Emergency Services
• In 2005 in joined the Gideon s International and within one year was elected as President of the Camp. I served for the three year term . Built the Camp’s membership by ten members and now serve as a Friend of the Gideon’s .
• I have had the opportunity to preach the Word to many different denominations of Christian Churches throughout Marion County including Oakwood Baptist Church, Church in the Garden Ocala, Assembly of God Church, Hebron Evangelical Church, and Presbyterian Church (USA) in Perkasie PA.
• I am also VP of Outreach of Inter-America’s Chaplain Association, Chaplain for the Marion County Homeless Council.