Administration

President John Jackson

President (2011)

• Chapman University, BA, 1981
• Fuller Theological Seminary, MA, 1983
• University of California, Santa Barbara, MA, Ph.D. 1986

John believes that God prepared him for this role through every professional experience he has ever had. The 71+ year legacy of William Jessup University is an amazing gift and John is seeking to extend and expand that legacy into a “God-sized” future for WJU. John wants to use his leadership and teaching gifts in tandem with his administrative capabilities to help galvanize and synergize our university family to greater heights than we have ever dreamed possible. John believes God that William Jessup will be a premier Christian Liberal Arts University and that we are providing Christian education for eternal impact.

Prior to becoming President of WJU, John served as the Executive Director of Thriving Churches International and as the Executive Pastor of Bayside Church. John is the Founding Pastor of LifePoint Church in Minden, Nevada and previously served as a denominational executive for over 280 churches in the Pacific Southwest. John has served on non-profit and corporate governing boards, taught at the graduate level for Tozer Theological Seminary, for John Maxwell’s EQUIP organization, for Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven Organization, has made 10 trips to Kenya, and has spoken to church and public audiences across the country.

Gene De Young

(2003), Vice President for Finance and Administration (2004)

• Pacific University, BA, 1982
• California State University, Sacramento, MBA, 1993; CIMA

Gene comes to WJU following 20 years in the private and public business sectors. He has held partner positions in both retail and real estate development entities as well as consulted in the financial services sector. Gene also served as an adjunct faculty member in the College of Business Administration at California State University, Sacramento

Paul Blezien

(2004) Vice President for Student Development

• University of Wisconsin, BS, 1980
• Ball State University, MA, 1985
• Azusa Pacific University, Ed.D, 2004

Paul sees the students at WJU as a sacred trust from their families and from God and he strives to be a faithful steward of that sacred trust. He is committed to providing the leadership necessary to foster a genuine Christian learning community at WJU. Combining out of class experiences in worship, outreach, discipleship, athletics, social activities, and leadership with the excellent classroom instruction at WJU helps students discern the call God has upon their life while simultaneously preparing them to respond to that calling.

Prior to joining the administration of WJU, Paul served in a variety of leadership positions at Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa and the University of Wisconsin System. He also serves as an adjunct instructor in graduate programs at Geneva College in Beaver Falls, PA and Azusa Pacific University in Azusa, CA. He has been a member of The Association for Christians in Student Development (ACSD) and currently sits on the Executive Committee of that organization.

Eric Hogue

(2011) Vice President for Development

Eric Hogue is a 31-year radio (talk/sports) television professional, a former pastor and current owner of the political news site HOGUE NEWS. He started his radio career as a 16-year old in Canton, Ohio. Hogue was honored with Salem Communication's 2004 "Andy Anderson Award" for excellence in broadcasting, Pacific Justice Institute’s “Media Award” both in 2006 and 2007, and he is best known for launching of the ‘historic recall’ of California in 2003.

EricHogue has been named among "The Best of Sacramento's Local Talk Hosts" in years 2003, 2004 and 2005 and mentioned as one of Sacramento’s "Most Influential People" in 2004, and named as one of  Sacramento’s most recognizable news makers for 2010 by Sacramento News and Review. He started broadcasting for Salem Communications in 1996, transferred (through Salem) to Sacramento in 2000 to become the station’s first Program Director and local morning talk show host for 1380 KTKZ. Eric is also a frequent guest opinion columnist in the Sacramento Bee. Eric Hogue currently hosts a local talk show called "The Capitol Hour" (12-1PM weekdays) on 1380 KTKZ in Sacramento, California from his WJU office each day.

Hogue is a frequent speaker for Northern California commercial events, as well as numerous ministries and charitable organizations in Northern California, as he once ran for State Assembly in 2007. Hogue was also a youth director at High Mill Christian Center (1985-88) and founding teaching pastor of Full Life Fellowship (1991-97) both in Canton, Ohio.  

Dennis Jameson

(2004) Vice President for Academic Affairs

• Bethany College, BS
• Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, M.Div.
• Assemblies of God Theological Seminary M.A.
• University of Santa Clara M.A.
• Fuller Theological Seminary, D.Min.
• University of California Los Angeles, Ph.D.
• Dip. Instituto De La Lengua Espanola (Spanish Language and Culture)
• Dip. Instituto Cultural Peruano, Norteamericano (Spanish and Peruvian Culture)

Dennis has a passion for the efficacy of the Christian liberal arts university as an expression of God’s grace to current and future generations and as a place in which great ideas are birthed and formed that can have profound transformational impacts on the world. William Jessup University is postured to become a major center for Christian higher education in Northern California and beyond. Serving a student population that ranges from Boomers to Generation Z (or I) in undergraduate, continuing studies, or post-baccalaureate studies, the University’s faculty is committed to providing the highest quality educational programs that embrace the values of leadership development, foundational study/knowledge of the liberal arts, whole-student and spiritual formation, diversity, and global awareness.

Jameson, a native Californian, has served in higher educational leadership as a faculty member and administrator for more than two decades during which time he has worked in colleges and universities in California, Illinois, South America, and Canada where he served for 12 years as a vice president and provost in Canada’s largest private and Christian university. He has received more than a dozen academic awards, recognitions, and honors and is a member of several leading academic agencies, societies, and fellowships in the U.S. and Canada. His theoretical contributions are in the areas of adaptive pedagogies, organizational persistence-moral capital, experiential learning and spiritual formation in higher education where he has produced multiple volumes, scholarly papers, and conference presentations.He is married to Marlene who is a bilingual special education teacher/resource specialist.

Bryce Jessup

(1970), President (1984 - 2010)

• San Jose Bible College, BTh, 1958
• Pepperdine University, BA, 1961; MA, 1968
• Northwest Christian College, D.D., 1992

Bryce served as president of William Jessup University for 25 years. During his presidency, the University substantially improved its financial position, achieved regional accreditation, significantly increased enrollment, broadened the curriculum, and moved to Rocklin, CA. Dr. Jessup has worked as a professor, pastor, coach, and Dean of Students.

He has been a significant leader in Bay Area pastors groups, the Billy Graham Crusade, and ethnic reconciliation groups. He has published numerous articles on leadership and church issues, has served on many non-profit boards, and was named “Man of Valor” by the Racial Reconciliation Committee of Santa Clara Valley African-Americans in 1999.

Sam Heinrich

(2005) Director, School of Professional Studies(2007)

• D.B.A. Candidate, Georg Fox University- 2014
• M.B.A., University of Colorado – 1991
• B.S., Business Administration/Accounting – John Brown University - 1983

Sam has 25 years of management and financial industry experience, working in the banking industry in commercial lending and serving as the President/CEO/ CFO of a significant utility contracting firm. His experiences include working through the financial and managerial challenges for small, mid and larger business enterprises in a private and public forum both as a banker/lender/consultant and in a management role. He has led contracting initiatives with the United States Air Force and large public utilities including Pacific Gas and Electric, Southern California Edison, Sierra Pacific Power and San Diego Gas and Electric as well as smaller municipal owned entities. As a banker he has worked with hundreds of commercial enterprises and high net worth individuals in filling their lending and investment needs in the commercial, agricultural, industrial and real estate sectors.

From 1991-2001 Sam led Environmental Professional Associates “(EPA”) from sales of $500 thousand and 15 employees to annual revenues of $20 Million with approximately 300 employees becoming in the process a top 10 national specialty contractor in the Utility Line Clearance contracting sector for power based utilities. In 1998 Sam, marketed, negotiated and closed the sale of EPA, Ltd. to Quanta Services (PWR), a leading provider of utility and telecommunications contracting services and served in a continuing role as President of the acquired firm for a an additional 4 year transition period.

In 2001 Sam left EPA and Quanta to pursue his passion for teaching. During the last ten years he has served in both a private Christian secondary school as well as teaching business related courses for William Jessup University. In 2007 Sam was asked to take the role as Director of the School of Professional Studies (SPS) and put his business and investment experience to work overseeing this important department for the University. SPS is a program designed to assist working adults in completing their Bachelors degree in a contracted model. Students attend class one night a week and can complete their Bachelors in about 19 months.