Board of Directors

Douglas Knorr lives in Traverse City, Michigan with Sally his wife of 45 years. We have been blessed with 5 children who are all serving the Lord in various capacities and 8 grandchildren. Doug is bi-vocational as the founder and CEO of Knorr Marketing, a full-service advertising agency as well as Lead Pastor with his son Joshua at LifePoint Bible Church.

Doug’s journey has included being founder of Traverse City Christian Schools, Board president of Good News Media Christian radio group in Northern Michigan, teaching at the Bible Institute in Guyana, South America as well as participating in several mission trips.
Today, as president of the Petra International Missions board, we are focused on taking the Great Commission (Matthew 28) into Nicaragua and Colombia and reaching those who have no hope.

Milt Jr. was born to a Navy (my father was a crew member in a dive bomber in WWII, a Supply Corps officer in the Korean War, and a Chaplain in Vietnam with the U.S. Marines) family in 1949. I joined the Navy myself at age 18 in 1968 and was trained as a Hospital Corpsman (called Medics in the Army and AF), Emergency Room Corpsman, and Operating Room Corpsman. I spent about 3 or those four years attached to the U.S. Marine Corps as a Company Corpsman. In 1978 (after going back to school and getting a B.A. in Sociology (criminology/ Pol. Science) I received a Commission as a Naval Officer (Supply Corps). I spent about 3 years on a aircraft carrier (1979-81), the U.S.S. Ranger.

After being released from active duty in 1982 I spent 20 years in Federal Law-Enforcement until I retired in 2003.

After retirement I have worked as a substitute para-educator (teacher’s helper) with pre-school and elementary special ed. kids.

Although I was raised in a Christian home I walked away from church when I entered the Navy at age 18 vowing that I would never have kids. Despite myself the Lord gave me the most wonderful, sweet hearted woman in the world in 1982. My wife and I came back to the Lord in 1999 when I began studying the Word. I am certainly a different man now than when I was as a Fed., (my wife, bless her heart can attest to that) people would not recognize me who knew me before the Lord made a heart change in me.

The Lord dragged me kicking and screaming to Nicaragua in 2004 to work another change in me. I have been involved with Petra in one way or another since then.

Jacob Vincent was born in Leitchfield, Kentucky. After high school, he received a BS in Chemistry and a minor in Religion from Georgetown College. Later in 1997, he received a MD from the University of Louisville School of Medicine. After completing residency, he and his wife Lee Ann moved to Bardstown, KY, where he continues to serve as a family physician.

In addition, Jacob serves as an elder at Parkway Baptist Church. He also leads a weekly bible study and participates in worship ministry. Jacob and Lee Ann have three children: Anna, David, and Sarah. Since 2011, his family has had the blessing of serving the Petra churches in Nicaragua including multiple mission trips and medical clinics.

Randy Ritsema was born in Grand Rapids, MI. After graduating East Christian High School he went on to receive a BS degree in accounting with a business minor from Western Michigan University. In 1977 he moved to Traverse City, MI. In 1986 he opened a branch for Home Acres Building Supply and is still employed there although it is now Foundation Building Materials a public company.

In 1986 he married Mary Ellen and they have 5 daughters Megan, Kelley, Emily, Molly, Joelle and a son Brett. Megan and Kelley are married with their two grandchildren Addy and Fynn respectively.

Also, Randy is an elder at Church of Philadelphia. The whole family is physically active enjoying running, biking and boating. Over the years there have been many mission trips with each of the girls to various countries including two trips two Petra Managua and Ometeppe.

Mark has been married for 28 years, and is very busy with 5 kids and 5 grandkids. Mark was a General Contractor and business owner prior to serving the Lord vocationally for nine years as the Director of Local and Global Missions at Canyon Bible Church in Prescott Valley, Arizona. He has had the blessing of serving and teaching all over the world in South Africa, Romania, Zambia, Philippines, Mexico, Haiti, Kenya and of course Nicaragua. Before joining the Board at Petra, he has also served on the Board of Directors for International Ministries of Hope (Haiti) and Az127.org an Arizona based foster care and adoption ministry.