FOUNDER  

                                                                                                           Pastor James W. McLain, Founder of Progressive House of Worship, Inc.           

James W. McLain brings nearly a quarter-century of management expertise, business acumen and community activism to the Progressive House of Worship. It is the combination of these talents and experience that make him uniquely qualified to direct what he believes will be a vital force of change in communities.

Born in Ozark, Alabama and raised in Newark, and surrounding cities in New Jersey. Mr. James W. McLain attended West Side High School, in Newark, NJ and graduated from Orange High School, in Orange, New Jersey “Class of 1970”, then went on to earn a B.A. in Business Administration and taken numerous psychology courses from Bloomfield College, in Bloomfield, New Jersey “Class of 1974”. Mr. McLain spent 23 years with Fort Worth, Texas-based Tandy Corporation as a General Manager for its chain of RadioShack electronics retail stores (7,000 locations nationwide with annual sales in excess of $4.5 billion). He developed creative sales management and merchandising techniques that allowed for progressive business growth, even during unstable or regressive market conditions. He is an experienced, accomplished professional with a proven track record of consistently improving business performance through innovative problem-solving techniques and strong follow-up. As a general manager, he was ultimately responsible for his store’s profit and loss, operations, and business management. He was also responsible for hiring, training, supervising, and motivating multiple staff members.

Mr. Mclain’s record of Community and Church activism speaks for itself. He was an active member and usher at St. James A.M.E. Church, Newark, New Jersey, and was a leading parishioner at Clinton Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church, Newark, New Jersey since 1976 to 1996. Here, he participates in the Men’s Day Committee, organizing fund-raisers and special events. He visits the sick, elderly and homebound on a regular basis, and participates in Bible studies. Mr. James W. McLain became an ordain Pastor in September 2000.

He is now taking the skills and knowledge he has acquired during a lifetime of successful business management and community service and applying them to establishment and operation of the Progressive House of Worship, Inc..