A native of rural North Texas, Gil Stricklin was born September 11, 1934. He worked his way through high school and college in the railroad yards around his hometown of Denison.

He received a degree in business from Baylor University in 1957, and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force through Baylor ROTC.

After active duty in the Air Force, Gil returned to Texas to earn a journalism degree from Texas Christian University in 1963. He served as Religion Editor of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and also attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, earning a Bachelor and Master of Divinity degrees. He moved to the Army as a Chaplain in 1973 and served 22 years before retiring.

The Founder, President and CEO of Marketplace Ministries Inc. has held many positions, secular and religious, giving him a unique understanding of today's pressure-filled workplace. Marketplace Ministries, with National Headquarters in Dallas, provides a faith-based contracted chaplain care service to secular businesses nationwide.

Since founding Marketplace Ministries in 1984, with one client company and himself the lone chaplain, Gil now oversees more than 1,200 chaplains in Ministry at Work and speaks for all types of conventions, schools, and businesses as his time permits.

A successful businessman, well-known humorous speaker, and ordained clergyman, Gil has both feet firmly planted in the world of commerce with Christian caring and compassion.

As a noted humorist, Gil has entertained thousands of people, giving his audiences "laughter with a lift." He has been the keynote speaker at more than 3,000 banquets and conventions. Also, he has spoken to more than 100,000 school teachers and hundreds of businesses, along with preaching in pulpits across the nation.

Gil retired in 1994 as a Colonel in the U.S. Army Chaplain Corps, after spending 37 years as a commissioned officer. He was graduated from the Strategic Studies Institute, the Army's highest education and the Command and General Staff College. He spent six years traveling the globe with Dr. Billy Graham, serving as his special assistant, responsible for media relations.

He married his college sweetheart Ann March (Baylor '58), of Fort Worth, on May 23, 1958. They have two grown sons, Art, married to Belinda, and Cliff, married to Robin, and four grandchildren. Gil is a recreational golfer, an instrument rated and multi-engine commercial pilot, and a long-time jogger.

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