Kerrick & Connie Tweedy

Kerrick and Connie Tweedy founded SOAR in October 2011. After a 26-year career in insurance software development, the Lord provided a clear plan to Kerrick and Connie to begin a new ministry preparing missionary candidates to serve full-time in missionary aviation. This plan implemented a new financial model to avoid debt which was taking time out of missionary candidates progressing from training to the mission field. Kerrick serves as the Executive Director of SOAR and is the Secretary of the IAMA Board of Directors where he has served for 7 years. Connie serves on the Executive Staff of SOAR and is responsible for media, event planning, marketing and various other responsibilities. Kerrick and Connie have three grown children and five grandsons.

Seth & Deb Whittington

Seth and Deb Whittington have lived in the Ozarks for most of their lives. They have two daughters, Isabella and Jordis. They serve regularly at their home church and have a heart to see and encourage people to live sent. They joined SOAR in January 2021 as full-time staff members. Seth’s primary role will be in the flight training department and Deb will be assisting and supporting with her marketing and graphic design knowledge wherever needed.
Seth’s passion for aviation started at a young age when flying with his father and mother who are both pilots. They, along with his grandfather, gave him a love for all things aviation. God has given Seth a passion for teaching combined with his love of aviation and fueled by a desire to see unreached peoples reached.

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Rex Smith

Rex Smith first heard the term “Missionary Aviation” when discussing with the preacher who led him to the Lord in 1979, how God might use him in the future. He moved his family to Springfield, Missouri and attended Baptist Bible College for two years once he learned he needed Bible training to be a better “soldier for Christ.” While there, he joined a flying club, began earning his pilot’s license and became a mechanics helper logging time towards an Airframe and Powerplant mechanics rating. Rex became a private pilot in 1986 and a year later an A&P Mechanic; however, by this time, the flying club had disbanded and sadly, he experienced the “death of a vision” losing his intended vehicle for service. Some years of “adjustment” followed as Rex then sought employment as, and became, a full-time mechanic with various employers.  He did not realize that God was preparing him for a future mission. The day came when Rex was approached by a man who told him God was moving him to do something special and he asked Rex to be a part of this new mission…which involved airplanes.  Rex smiled. The man was Kerrick Tweedy, now Executive Director of the organization known as SOAR.  Rex is both humbled and proud to be a part of the mission and thanks to God for the return of the “vision.” He is now helping to get missionary pilots and mechanics to the mission field and maintain the aircraft used in their training. Rex and his wife Linda enjoy spending time with their children and three grandchildren.