Nate Gibson is a versatile individual deeply embedded in the Lexington community. His journey began in Covington, Ohio, where he graduated from Covington High School in 1999. He then pursued his passion for accounting and business, earning an undergraduate degree from Heidelberg University and an MBA from Indiana Wesleyan University. During this time, he also passed the CPA exam and started auditing local municipalities, school districts, and other governments for the State of Ohio Auditor’s Office.
Then he pivoted careers and transitioned into full-time ministry, serving as the executive pastor at Ginghamsburg Church. His leadership at Ginghamsburg Church concluded in 2016 when he and his family moved to South Carolina to assume a similar role at Mt. Horeb Church. After serving at Mt. Horeb from 2016-2019, Gibson felt called to plant a church in Irmo.
Gibson’s friend Nick Cunningham, whom he had served alongside in Ohio, moved to South Carolina to study at CIU and become an ordained pastor. They worked together to open Emmaus Church at the end of 2019. Gibson currently serves as the Director of Business Operations at the church.
While starting the church, Gibson needed a steady income to support his family. Wade McGuinn of McGuinn Homes was looking for a CFO. Gibson met McGuinn on the mission field in Haiti and again while doing disaster recovery work. He offered Gibson the position, was promoted to COO, and then again three years ago to CEO.
Gibson said, “I didn’t know a thing about the homebuilding industry when I started at McGuinn – that’s probably one of the most exciting things for me at work – I get to learn every day and bring a fresh perspective to the homebuilding veterans in the organization. My favorite part of my role is building a culture of meaning for the employees, partners, customers, and other stakeholders of the organization. We have been fortunate to watch McGuinn Homes expand from building and selling around 225 homes per year in 2020 – to over 1,000 homes this year.”
When he is not working Gibson enjoys running, a sport he began when he ran competitively in college. He also likes to hike and ski with his children. He spends a lot of his time at Mission Lexington, where he has been a board member for seven years and the board chair for the last three years. “Honestly, this place has my heart,” he said. “I have been around and started a lot of nonprofits, and I have never been a part of one as dynamic and impactful as Mission Lexington.”