Bernie Fitzgerald was born in Westchester, New York in 1952, and graduated from Westbury Trade and Tech. Taking a year off from school, he worked as a professional photographer for Nassau county and continued his pursuit of photography at the Fashion Institute of Technology. His entrepreneurial spirit subsequently led him to work in the construction industry, where he found an outlet for his creative vision, evolving into a 30 year career. It was during this time that he came face to face with the understanding that God was real, and that he could know Him personally. As a result, he moved to Greenville, SC where he enrolled at Bob Jones University, graduating with a B.A. in pastoral studies. It was there that he met and married Gail Price, a fellow member of Faith Baptist Church. During his time in school, Bernie started his own business as a regional wood products manufacturer and developed it for 27 years. Cultivated also were management skills, vision, a dependency upon God, and a desire to see people encouraged in their walk with God. In 2006 Bernie sold the business. In 2007 he was diagnosed with cancer and really began to understand the brevity of life. He began praying that God would use the rest of his life for eternity. God has answered that prayer with healing and the invitation to join the staff of LEAD Ministries as marketing manager.
Gail Fitzgerald was raised in a Christian home. Gail enrolled in Bob Jones University where she graduated with a B.S. in elementary education. Even before graduating she was invited to join the staff at the BJU Press, working as a writer on the language arts program for the elementary school. That same year she married Bernie. She became involved in teaching children's Bible clubs, Sunday school, and working with the nursery. In recent years Gail became part of a team, writing a children's program for the church she and her family have been a part of for 30 years. It was at this church that she was introduced to LEAD Ministries, through Dr. Binney's interim pastorate.
