Staff Highlight

Meet Wayne and Candy Kuna

Welcome to our new Director of Marketplace Ministry, Wayne Kuna and his wife, Candy!

Wayne and Candy are not new to Chicago as they both grew up in Chicago neighborhoods.  Wayne and Candy have been happily married since 1973 and they have two adult married children, one grandchild and one on the way!

Candy taught for almost 10 years in the Austin area of Chicago's west side at the Louis Armstrong Branch.  She was chosen by the CPS to launch one of the pilot Head-Start Programs back in the early 80's.  She also taught for 4 years at Oak Park Christian Academy.  Candy holds her Masters in early childhood development and leadership and has taught an education class at Triton College.  Candy directed the reading enrichment program at Grace Lutheran School in River Forest as a volunteer and volunteered in a tutoring program at Oak Park, River Forest High School.  She has hosted and taught neighborhood Bible studies for women in Oak Park, River Forest and Clarendon Hills for 17 of the past 20 years.  Candy is a trusted counselor and discipler for many women.

Wayne had a 26 year career in the global toy industry.  During his career in the toy industry, he served God as a partner at the world's largest toy inventing firm, Marvin Glass and Associates, before opening his own independent toy inventing firm, Wayne Kuna and Associates in Oak Park.  He holds over 40 patents and his innovative toy concepts have been sold all over the world.  In 1999, Wayne enrolled at The Moody Graduate School where he received his Master's of Arts in Biblical Studies and served as the Men's Chaplain.  From 2003-2010, he served as the senior pastor of Oak Community Church in Hinsdale.

Wayne is the founder of Soul Priority, designed to teach business leaders the biblical best practices that will give them fulfillment, transform their workplace and change the world.  Soul Priority organizes and facilitates local groups of business leaders who meet once a week for 30 minutes, at or near train stations leading into Chicago to discuss priority and business challenges in light of faith.  Let's pray for this new ministry!

Wayne and Candy enjoy eating with friends, sailing, bicycling, reading together, writing, their growing relationship with Jesus and the spiritual practices.  If you would like to learn more about Soul Priority or ways you can partner in the Kuna's ministry, contact Wayne at wayne.kuna@soul-priority.org