Kendra Miller: Wray, GA
Kendra was born and raised in a small rural town in Southern Illinois where she proudly says she graduated from high school in the top 10 in her class of 16!!!
In 1978, Kendra married Rodney Miller who grew up in the same town as Kendra. They started their married life as farmers and Kendra worked for the Farm Bureau, and then a local bank until she had their first child, Lindsey in 1984. Along with her regular duties and jobs Kendra has always done the books for their farm! Later, she helped in their construction company and tractor dealership that they owned. After selling both companies, she worked as an office manager for Blue Cross Blue Shield.
Kendra eventually moved to Atlanta, where she worked in the marketing department of McCormick Tractor. While living in the Atlanta area the Millers started an Agritourism Business and that became another occupation for 15 years. Later they moved to southern Georgia where they have a small farm, 2 vacation rentals, old fashioned sawmill, lots of antique tractors, animal’s, Miller Family Farm Beef Sales, 7 grandchildren and an excavating company.
In early 2024, Rodney and Kendra became involved with GoServ to help start the GoServ Southeast Chapter!! In 2024, hurricane Helene came right over their farm, and they immediately began to personally serve and help many people that were devastated by this hurricane. GoServ Global’s Domestic Disaster Relief team responded to Georgia. Kendra and Rodney have been able to host many volunteers in their home and property in 2024 and into 2025. The teams have been able to clear over 70 properties so far. They didn’t know that when GoServ Global came to the Southeast that it would be literally in their home, but the people that have come to serve have been such a blessing to their lives and the community they live in.
Kendra serves on the leadership team for the Southeast Chapter as the Secretary/Treasurer where she utilizes her many God given skills and talents.
Rodney Miller: Wray, GA
Rodney Miller and Kendra Miller (his wife since 1978) live on a farm in the Ocilla, Georgia area (South GA). They both grew up in Southern Illinois near Benton, IL. They have three children (Lindsey, Mallory, and Reid) and seven grandchildren. Rodney is an avid collector of antique tractors and equipment and has been a former leader of the Ag industry. His farm in south Ga has two cabins and an antique working sawmill as well as other agritourism attractions. Rodney maintains a 350-acre row crop operation in the Benton, Illinois area, as well as the founder of a large Corn Maze/Agritourism destination, Buford Corn Maze, in the Atlanta metro area.
However, his main occupation is as the Co-Host, along with Jann Carl, formerly of Entertainment Tonight, of the National TV Show, Small Town Big Deal, that “Celebrates the Great Stories from across America”. Small Town Big Deal has a weekly audience of over 500,000 each week and is shown on over 300 local stations each week. He is the creator and Pres. of the show, which also airs on RFD-TV each week and on Amazon Prime as well as other streaming venues. STBD is also shown each week on the American Forces Network around the world to our US servicemen and women.
South Georgia Excavation, Inc. is an Excavation company in South Ga that Rodney founded. SGE builds roads and does land clearing as well as many other excavation related projects.
Rodney previously served as the CEO of McCormick International, USA in Duluth, Georgia which builds farm tractors for a worldwide market, and was CEO of Montana Tractors in Springdale, AR before that.
The late J.B. Hunt was the majority owner of Montana. Rodney led a team that took Montana Tractors from $2 million in annual revenue to over $80 million in annual revenue in just three years.
Before his stints as a CEO, Rodney helped Valtra Tractors set up USA operations. In the 90’s, he was a territory manager for both Long and Mahindra Tractor companies, managing dealers in several states. His career experience extends to ownership in a tractor dealership that he operated for more than 10 years in Illinois, as well as majority owner of a lawn mower manufacturing facility in Wichita, KS.
Rodney served as a member of the Board of Directors for the Association of Equipment Manufactures.
He supports agriculture around the country by serving on several boards and promoting it wherever possible. He has been regularly featured in various trade magazines and publications and has written regular articles for some.
He coached basketball in IL for many years and was “coach of the year” in IL district 21 in 1984. In 2009, Rodney was named “Alumnus of the Year” for Benton High School in Benton, Illinois.
He recently has formed a strong working relationship with GoServ Global, a faith-based non-profit based in Iowa and currently serves on their national board. He is helping form a new SE USA chapter and is committed long term to the spread of the gospel and helping the underprivileged.
Rodney is a “born again” Christian and attends Ocilla Baptist Church.
Paul van Gorkom: Santee, SC
Paul was born in western Pennsylvania. His father was a pastor, so he grew up in several different locations, all in the Midwest. He attended Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he met his wife, Joanie, and they were married in 1975. Paul graduated from Bethel University with a degree in Business Administration and a minor in Economics. Paul and Joanie have 5 adopted children and 6 grandchildren.
After graduation, Paul and Joanie moved to the Chicago area where they lived for 38 years. While in Illinois, they were licensed foster parents for 25 years and 10 years worked with the Pregnancy Support Services division of a faith-based nonprofit by opening their home to young women who found themselves homeless and pregnant. At the time, they did not realize that God was preparing them for work with orphans internationally with GoServ Global.
Through a series of God-ordained events, Paul became the Executive Director of GoServ Global in March of 2015 and stepped down from that position in March of 2024, to retire and move closer to family. However, he took his new and current position with GoServ Global as a Regional Director for the Southeastern United States. In this role, he is responsible for promoting GoServ Global and facilitating fundraising for GoServ Global, working closely with Rodney Miller, one of the stars of the TV show, Small Town Big Deal.
Paul has a passion for the core focus and mission of GoServ Global, sharing God’s love by delivering hope globally. He has been thrilled to finish his career as the Executive Director of such a wonderful faith-based nonprofit and is looking forward to continuing to serve the Lord through his new Regional Director position. Paul is responsible for raising 100% of his support.
Christi Paulk: Fiztgerald, Ga
Christi Paulk was born in Kinston, NC and was a proud Carolina girl until the age of seven when her parents uprooted the family to join a non-denominational religious commune near Copper Center, Alaska. There, Christi lived in the wilderness without running water or electricity, learning to work hard and live off the land. Two years later, her family moved to south Georgia where she has remained ever since. Christi is now married to Ray Paulk and together they have a blended family of five children and six grandchildren. She has a furry best friend, a papillon who responds to “Frou.”
Professionally, Christi has held several notable leadership positions including Executive Director of the Fitzgerald-Ben Hill Arts Council and Executive Director of the Fitzgerald-Ben Hill Chamber of Commerce. She also briefly worked as a radio personality on WRDO’s Morning Show. Currently, she is a licensed life insurance agent and a real estate professional with Keller Williams Realty.
In her free time, Christi enjoys playing the piano at her church, hunting for Native American artifacts, being in nature, painting and drawing and attending live music events. Her passion for creativity and connection is evident both in her career and personal pursuits.
Joe Mayo: Jacksonville, FL
Joe Mayo was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, but eventually moved to Rockmart, Georgia, during his childhood. He spent his high school and college years working alongside his parents in the family business.
He earned a degree in Business Management from Kennesaw State University, laying the foundation for a successful career.
Joe has been happily married to his wife, Tabitha, for 30 years. Together, they have built a loving family with three children—Austin, Jadie, and Ellie—and a cherished grandson, Hunter.
Throughout their journey, Joe and Tabitha have lived in several places, including Rome, GA, Eastman, GA, and, for the past 24 years, Jacksonville, Florida, which they now call home.
Professionally, Joe started his career with BellSouth, spending 10 years there and excelling as a branch manager in Eastman, GA. In 2003, he transitioned to becoming a Chick-fil-A franchise owner/operator in Jacksonville, a role that has been both fulfilling and transformative.
Joe is excited to join GoServ Global and is eager to see how God will use him in this new mission-focused chapter of his life.
John Dixon: Alapaha, Ga
John is a farmer from south Georgia where he and his family operate a six generation family farm consisting of peanuts, corn, cotton and pecan trees. He and his wife Robin celebrated their 30th anniversary recently and are expecting their first grandchild this year. They have 3 sons and two daughter in laws.
John, along with his pastor planted The Bridge Church in Nashville, Ga. in 2012 where he serves as missions pastor and director of men’s ministry. He developed a love for missions at an early age of 13 after his dad took him on his first mission trip to Mexico. Since then he has led multiple mission trips to Cieneguilla, Peru and organized and oversaw a well drilling project in Kijabe, Kenya.
Currently He is excited about partnering with GoServ Global in the Southeast region and is looking forward to see how God uses him in this great ministry.
