the Pastors for Punch TV Studios -host Joy Brown/ Guest Dr. Velma Union

Velma W. Union, D. Min., Co-Founder & Executive Director

Dr. Union has amassed a wealth of business knowledge over her 40+ year career. She has experience in the restaurant, finance, insurance, business mergers & acquisitions industries. Her specialties, however, include tax preparation, planning, issue resolutions and nonprofit formation & management. The Internal Revenue Service was her training ground for understanding tax policies and problem resolution. She was an auditor for financial institutions with assets of $250M. In 1990, Velma acquired Accent Financial Group Inc, a financial services company with an emphasis in insurance, real estate sales, and mortgage banking. The company was a family affair with her children, Juan Walker (deceased) and Andress Walker, as officers of the organization. During her tenure at Accent, she earned certificates in Real Estate Development for the University Southern California and Economic Development from Harvard University.
While at Accent Financial Group, OneLight Education Consulting—which later was reorganized into One Light International—was formed as the nonprofit arm focusing on community engagement and small business education. In 1995, the tax service division, Velma’s specialty, was acquired by an outside firm; the insurance and real estate divisions were headed by Juan Walker. In 1997, Velma took a hiatus from the business world to pursue Theology degrees, a Master and later a Doctorate, at Fuller Theological Seminary.  That same year she formed The Lord’s Church located in an urban sector of Los Angeles, CA. Earning her Doctorate in Ministry in 2005, Dr. Union has since worked to marry economics and theology together as she served small businesses locally, nationally, and internationally. She believes that business IS personal and that it takes spiritual as well as financial wisdom to be successful.