Prof. Charles J. Emmerich, J.D., LL.M. (Founder and President)
Charles J. Emmerich is Professor of Legal Studies and Legal Scholar in Residence at Olivet Nazarene University. He is also the founder of the Center for Law and Culture, a non-profit organization housed at Olivet that inspires virtuous leadership in public life by providing worldview education in the Judeo-Christian tradition. In particular, the Center’s programs educate future public leaders how to glorify God, serve their neighbors, and care for creation. Under a partnership titled “Restoring Our Noble Legal Heritage,” the Center has launched the 1215 Project at Olivet, a unique legal studies program honoring the legacy of Magna Carta that consists of seven courses tracing the Anglo- American tradition of “higher law.”
After earning a B.A. (theology and archeology) from Wheaton College, Emmerich completed a law degree (J.D.) at the University of Idaho and an advanced law degree (LL.M.) in constitutional law and history at the University of Pennsylvania. While at Penn he studied under esteemed federal appellate judge Arlin M. Adams. Prior to accepting the position at Olivet, Emmerich served as national director of law student ministries of the Christian Legal Society, as pre-law director at Wheaton College and at Trinity International University, and as executive director of the Center for Church/State Studies at DePaul University College of Law. Between 2002- 2012, Emmerich implemented and taught a rigorous politics and law curriculum at Trinity Christian College, which partnered with the Center for Law and Culture during its first decade.
He has published extensively on worldview formation and, along with his mentor Judge Adams, has co- authored articles and a book on the historical development of religious liberty. Published by the University of Pennsylvania Press and graced with a foreword by former Chief Justice Warren E. Burger, A Nation Dedicated to Religious Liberty has been praised by prominent legal scholars and cited frequently by state and federal courts, including the United States Supreme Court.
Emmerich resides with his wife, Susan, and their daughter, Lydia, in Bourbonnais, Illinois.
Prof. Morse Tan, Esq. (Board Chairman)
A Supreme Court Fellowship Finalist, Professor Tan currently serves as a Full Professor of Law at the Northern Illinois University College of Law. He has published in leading law journals in his fields, including as one of the leading legal scholars on North Korea in the Western Hemisphere. Professor Tan has served as a peer reviewer for the Human Rights Journal and the International Negotiation Journal.
He has worked in major law firms, the American Medical Association’s Institute of Ethics, as a certified mediator, and for organizations such as the UN Development Programme as well as the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. Professor Tan has enjoyed speaking at various universities and conferences, both in North America as well as abroad. He has contributed to a number of media outlets, including UPI (United Press International), and has consulted on legal as well as ethical matters. Professor Tan is a member of the American Society of International Law and has served on a number of boards.
Mr. Jonathan D. Penner (Treasurer)
Mr. Penner owns Capital Access Corporation, a company that pairs worthy projects with investment capital. He is also a residential and commercial lender, serving in this profession for more than 20 years. Mr. Penner attended Calvin College, double-majoring in business and political science. He serves on the board of directors for the Penner Foundation, which sponsors lectures and debates on university campuses that feature expert scholars tackling controversial ethical issues.
Mr. Penner is an active member of College Church in Wheaton, Illinois, currently serving in the STARS disability ministry. Mr. Penner lives in Wheaton, Illinois, with his wife, Terri, and their three children.
Dr. Don Daake
Dr. Daake joined the Olivet Nazarene University faculty as a professor of business in 1995. He teaches strategic management, marketing research, advertising, MIS, global marketing, computer applications for business and entrepreneurship. In addition to his teaching responsibilities, in 2001, he was named as the first director of the Donald H. Weber Entrepreneurship and Leadership Center. In 2003, he spent seven weeks teaching in the International Business Institute and was in 10 European countries.
He is not new to the field of education, having spent more than 15 years of his career developing, designing and marketing continuing education programs. He served six years as an assistant director of community education at Eastern Iowa Community College District where he was in charge of developing programs for a wide spectrum of organizations including banking, real estate, insurance and manufacturing. Under his leadership EICCD developed one of the largest continuing education computer training programming among community colleges in the United States.
Dr. Daake has served as vice-chairman of the Kankakee Chapter of SCORE, and on the board of directors for the Kankakee River Valley Chamber of Commerce. He makes regular presentations to community groups including Rotary Club, Kiwanis and Chamber of Commerce organizations. He has served on the national Christian Business Faculty Association Board and was chairman from 2001 to 2002.
