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Regent College is pleased to announce the appointment of Marv Franz as the new Chair of the Regent College Board of Governors, effective September 1, 2026. Marv previously served as the Board’s Vice-Chair.
Outgoing Board Chair Earl Phillips, KC, will continue to serve on the Board as the new Vice-Chair. This transition has been planned over the past several months to ensure a smooth succession and continuity in the life and work of the Board.
President Paul Spilsbury expressed his deep appreciation for Earl’s time in Board governance. “We are so grateful for Earl's many years of dedicated service to Regent College. It is impossible to quantify the value of his work on behalf of the College. His expertise has been invaluable, and it has been a joy to work with him.”
As Earl's term comes to a close, Regent is delighted to welcome our new Board Chair. Marv has been on the Board since October 2020 and has contributed to the flourishing of Regent College in myriad ways, including through his participation in Regent’s most recent presidential search committee.
“Marv is a real gift to the College and I am genuinely excited by the prospect of his leadership of the Board,” Earl said.
Please join us in celebrating God’s provision for the Regent community and praying for Marv, Earl, and their fellow Board members.
About Marv Franz
Marv Franz is a Regent alumnus (ThM ’01, Theology concentration). He also holds an MDiv (Tyndale Seminary), MBA (Wilfrid Laurier University School of Business and Economics), and undergraduate degrees in biology and education (BSc Hons, BEd, Brock University). He is the Founder and Principal of New Vantage, a consulting practice that serves leaders, senior management teams, and boards as they navigate change, create and execute strategy, build organizational culture, and develop leaders. Marv has engaged across corporate, government, and not-for-profit sectors globally for over twenty years. He has worked with many boards to develop governance systems and cultures that improve their impact and effectiveness. Marv has also taught on the integration of faith and work at the undergraduate level.
Before his work with New Vantage, Marv spent twelve years with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship in Canadian university campus ministry, where he led a regional ministry team.
Marv and his wife Christine live in Waterloo, Ontario, and have three adult children.
About Earl Phillips, KC
Earl has been a follower of Christ since 1961. He is married to Barbara and is a proud father and grandfather. After working in the automobile business for about three years, he attended law school and went on to practice labour and employment law from 1981 to 2013. He now is semi-retired, serving as an independent workplace consultant.
Earl describes himself as having been physically and spiritually close to Regent College since 1980. He lives just a few kilometers from campus and the churches he has attended have always benefited from the presence and contributions of Regent students and faculty. Having met Dick Richards, one of Regent’s founding Board members, through his legal work, Earl was invited to join the College’s Personnel Committee starting in 1990. He went on to serve as a Board member from 1992 to 2001 (serving as Chair from 2000 to 2001) and again from 2014 to 2017. After returning to the board a few years later, he agreed to again take on the position of Chair in 2021. The College is deeply grateful for his past, present, and future service to our community!
