After six years of service, Mark Lantz said goodbye to his role as athletic director at Bethel College, but that doesn’t mean he’s saying goodbye to the family he has made here.

“God has certainly blessed me and I am very grateful to Bethel  because of what this place has meant to me and my family the last six years. I have worked with a multitude of great people and my life has been enriched by the experiences we have shared together,” says Lantz.

One of the best experiences for Lantz was his development and involvement with SALT, which stands for Student Athlete Leadership Training. It’s a program designed to equip and train student athletes in the area of spiritual leadership so they can impact their teams and campus for Christ. Athletes are nominated to go on a spiritual retreat, which is held every summer. Lantz participated in six SALT retreats, helping to develop more than 200 student athletes into leaders.

“To see lives being transformed before my eyes was an awesome testament to God’s power,” says Lantz.

Transformations like these, in students, made the job rewarding for Lantz. In fact, that was the reason he chose to come to Bethel in the first place.

“Working in the environment of college athletics has been a delightful and exhilarating experience.  This opportunity to see young people grow emotionally and mature in their relationship with Christ has been something that words cannot describe,” says Lantz.

Lantz is now taking on a different role as the general manager with The Agrarian Marketing Corporation, which is a small agro-business. The corporation specializes in making products for livestock that improve health and immune functions.

“It is a great business with products that are sold world-wide. I truly believe that God wants me to move in this direction as I have the chance to fulfill some passions relating to ‘business as missions’,” says Lantz.

And even though he is moving in this direction, Lantz will still be there to support Bethel.

“Bethel College is a special place and I will certainly miss the opportunity to interact with great people and exceptional student-athletes.   I will always be a fan of the Bethel Pilots and will continue to offer my support by mentoring some athletes and attending as many athletic events as my schedule will permit.”