Ray Tong has joined the Gateway Seminary executive leadership team as vice president of business services and chief financial officer. His employment begins on June 1, 2021, and he will take on the CFO role August 1, 2021.

“Mr. Tong is a proven business leader with more than 25 years of experience working in financial leadership for two Fortune 50 companies,” said Jeff Iorg, president of Gateway.

“We are amazed God has brought us such a competent person to Gateway and are eager to work with him.”

Tong was most recently CFO and vice president of Global Fanatics Brands, a market leader for licensed sports merchandise. He previously held leadership positions at Walmart and Dell Technologies and began his career as an accountant with Price Waterhouse Cooper in San Francisco.

Tong earned an MBA from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University and a BA in business economics from UCLA. He is a certified public accountant and a certified treasury professional.

“Ray is a passionate Christian and committed churchman who prioritized God’s mission while serving as a lay church leader,” said Iorg. 

“His transition from the business world to Gateway reflects God’s leading him to be more directly involved with the equipping of ministry leaders.  We are grateful to add his experience and skill set to our ministry setting.”

Tong was born in Hong Kong and moved to the San Francisco Bay Area as a child. He accepted Christ as a teenager and has served churches as a youth leader, Bible teacher and elder.

At the most recent spring trustee meeting in April, trustees also approved Alexander E. Stewart as vice president of academic affairs, effective June 1. Current VPs Michael Martin and Tom Hixson will both overlap with their respective predecessors to assist in the changeover.

“God’s provision and protection has been evident at Gateway throughout the tumult of the pandemic. We’re confident his provision will continue as we welcome two new leaders to the seminary family,” said Iorg. 

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