VLB TEAM MEMBERS

Bill Issler
Bill Issler
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Clifton Lambreth
Clifton Lambreth
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DJ Chuang
DJ Chuang
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Klaus Issler
Klaus Issler, Th.M., Ph.D.
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Dan Merrell
Dan Merrell
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Bill Issler

A veteran software developer, Bill Issler is the founder of VLB, Industry Lift, and Virtuous VR Gaming, for which he also serves as CEO. During his 40 years in the structural steel industry, Bill developed software applications, including FabSuite, which grew into comprehensive information-management tools and became an industry standard. In 2018, Bill sold FabSuite to Trimble, an international technology corporation, which rebranded FabSuite to Tekla PowerFab.

Bill started VVRG in 2019 to create and support high-quality, family-friendly projects that are not only fun to play, but also can impact lives and society for good. Bill launched the VLB Group (Visually Linked Bible) as a non-profit organization that uses innovative technology to promote meaningful immersive, visual experiences to enhance Bible engagement.

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Clifton Lambreth

Clifton Lambreth worked over twenty-six years for the Ford Motor Company in various capacities. Post his time at Ford, Clifton authored and published three top-selling books: Ford and the American Dream, The Return to Greatness and The Ad Man. He has spoken to thousands of individuals in over 250 business and community groups on success principles. Clifton joined VLB in 2021 as COO, thrilled to finally combine both his love of new ideas and his passion for the Bible in this new business venture.

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DJ Chuang

A well-respected strategy consultant, DJ currently works both with VLB and with the American Bible Society as the Technical Registry Manager for their Bible Registry, a new top-level domain for all things Bible. DJ actively connects with leaders in the Bible and tech spaces through the Future Bible podcast and his blog at djchuang.com. He has worked with organizations like Worship Leader Magazine, Leadership Network, and the L2 Foundation developing leadership and legacy for Asian Americans. DJ is the author of MultiAsian.Church: A Future for Asian Americans in a Multiethnic World. He is a graduate of both Virginia Tech and Dallas Theological Seminary.

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Klaus Issler, Th.M., Ph.D.

After 29 years in seminary classrooms, Klaus is an Emeritus Professor of Educational Studies and Theology at the Talbot School of Theology, Biola University. Klaus’ teaching and research focuses on how we learn and grow toward human flourishing—a process of spiritual formation and Christian discipleship for life and the workplace—as exemplified in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. He has authored various academic journal articles and eight books, including Wasting Time with God and Jesus, Money and Work. Prior to becoming a seminary professor, Klaus served on the pastoral staff of churches in Ohio, Michigan, and California. During 1980s, Klaus was a seminar instructor for Walk Thru the Bible.

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Dan Merrell

A longstanding entertainment-marketing executive, Dan is a leader, entrepreneur, creative, and life-long learner. He earned a Master’s of Divinity degree while leading the marketing charge at Lyrick Studios, the distribution home at the time for beloved children’s properties including Barney, Bob the Builder, The Wiggles, and VeggieTales. Eventually, Big Idea (the creator of VeggieTales) brought in Dan to oversee all sales and marketing as Senior Vice President. After 25 years working for others in the entertainment industry, Dan founded an entertainment-marketing company and a film-distribution company. In addition to his role with VLB, Dan is working on more than a dozen of his own creative projects.

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VLB BOARD MEMBERS

Bill Issler
Bill Issler
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Klaus Issler
Klaus Issler, Th.M., Ph.D.
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Kevin J. Bassett, CPA
Kevin J. Bassett, CPA
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David L. Blain, CFA
David L. Blain, CFA
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Steve Maxwell
Steve Maxwell
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Kevin J. Bassett, CPA

Kevin is the founding partner of Bassett & Byers P.A., a full-service public accounting firm. Kevin spent most of his career with Ernst & Young, LLP before starting his own firm. He has more than 20 years of tax experience with a focus on Tax Compliance and Consulting for Corporations and High-Income Individuals. Kevin is the creator of the Tax Minimization Process™, The Business Deduction Finder™, The Tax Efficiency Grid™, and The Virtual CFO Advantage™. Kevin is the author of a tax strategies course for real-estate investors and is a speaker at business and real estate events across the United States. He resides with his wife and three children in North Carolina.

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David L. Blain, CFA

David is the Chief Executive Officer and Senior Wealth Advisor at BlueSky Wealth Advisors. Under his leadership, BlueSky has received awards and accolades for quality of advice, growth rate, and client satisfaction Kevin is a recognized speaker on investments, financial planning, and taxes. He has written for numerous trade journals and media outlets. For five years, he hosted “All Things Money with David Blain,” a weekly television and radio program. David received a Bachelor of Science from The United States Military Academy at West Point. Before his career in finance, he served with distinction for 10 years in U.S. Army Airborne, Ranger, and Special Operations units. He lives in North Carolina with his wife and five kids.

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Steve Maxwell

Steve is a successful business owner of multiple companies since leaving his high-tech corporate position at Intel more than a decade ago. He’s been featured in Readers Digest and is one of nation’s experts on helping business owners systematize their companies so they can sustainably scale. In his investing life, he moved from initially investing in dozens of single-family homes, to financing private notes as a hard money lender, to today, where Steve focuses on investing in large commercial real estate projects. Steve has a passion for helping business owners succeed financially and reach their goals. He’s been a Senior Coach with Maui Mastermind, one of the premier business coaching companies in the world, since 2010.

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