Mike Adams - Founder and President

Mike Adams is the Founder and President of Adams Thermal Foundation (ATF). Mike also chairs the Foundation Board and is responsible for the strategic direction and overall operations of ATF.

Mike is also the Founder and CEO of the Adams Companies, which are organizations that provide highly engineered vehicle cooling systems and structural manufacturing components for various industries including on-road and off-road vehicles. The Adams Companies are headquartered in Canton, South Dakota with additional locations in Iowa, Germany, and China. 

Mike is not only passionate about business, but also caring for and ministering in Jesus’ name to the “least of these” in our world.  Mike is married to his high school sweetheart, Kim, and they are the proud parents of 9 children, living with their family in Sioux Falls, SD.

Kim Adams - Co-Founder

Kim Adams is the Co-Founder of Adams Thermal Foundation (ATF) and serves as Child Advocate for our Foundation’s children and family-based programs. She also serves on the ATF Board of Directors. Kim has a bachelor's degree in Psychology as well as a master’s degree in Counseling.

Kim believes that she is called to make a difference in the lives of children, and she has a strong heart for the plight of the poor and the orphan. Kim also felt the call to adopt, together with her husband, Mike, on four different occasions. These children from Ethiopia and Uganda have blessed their family and given them a unique perspective from which they are able to conduct the work of the Foundation.

Tad Anderson - Director of Operations

Tad Anderson is the Director of Operations for Adams Thermal Foundation (ATF), responsible for day-to-day U.S. operations, strategic planning, development and donor relations activities.

Tad is also the Director of Marketing and Communications for Adams Thermal Systems, Inc. (ATS), managing corporate marketing and sales support, internal communications, public relations, advertising, market analysis and strategy. Tad also has various board and advisory responsibilities for a number of non-profit organizations including The Gideons International and Abiding Savior Academy (K-12).

Prior to joining ATS in 2012, Tad had more than 25 years of experience in corporate marketing and consulting as a small business owner and with public and private companies including LodgeNet Entertainment (SONIFI), XRX Inc. and Orion Food Systems in Sioux Falls, SD.

Tad and his wife, Leah, have two grown children and three incredible grandchildren. 

Samuel Getachew - Director of African Operations / Ministry

Reverend Samuel Getachew serves as the Director of African Operations and Ministry for Adams Thermal Foundation. Samuel is responsible for all Ethiopian operations. He also oversees ministry-based opportunities and represents the Foundation in the clergy community. In addition, Samuel serves as a chaplain for employees of the Adams Companies and Director for MKA Ministries.

Samuel is originally from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He holds a Master of Divinity and a Doctoral degree from Sioux Falls Seminary and is ordained by the Christian & Missionary Alliance (C&MA).  He is the founding pastor of Gospel of Mercy Church in Sioux Falls, SD. Prior to joining Adams Thermal Foundation; He was a full-time chaplain at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls where he continues to serve as a PRN chaplain. He has served as advisory board member for the Salvation Army and as executive board member for African Churches Association of the C&MA . 

Samuel and his wife, Azeb, have three children.

Cindy Schmitz - Sponsorship Coordinator

Cindy Schmitz serves as the Sponsorship Coordinator for Adams Thermal Foundation and is responsible for the engagement of friends and supporters with the children they sponsor at the Adams Thermal Foundation Academies in Hosanna and Ottoro, Ethiopia. In addition to her Coordinator role, Cindy helps to manage the child sponsorship database and technology which provides a link between sponsors and their beneficiaries.

Kuan 'Jason' Zhang - Director of Asian Operations

Jason Zhang is the Director of Asian Operations for Adams Thermal Foundation (ATF), managing all outreach programs in China. Jason also serves as a Partner Advocate for ATF, representing Asia-based organizations.

Jason is also the General Manager of Adams Thermal Systems, Inc. (ATS) in China with responsibility for development of international business, supply chain administration and management of the ATS office in Hangzhou.

Jason joined ATS in 2005 and holds an MBA from Zhejiang University.

Nega Megersa - Ethiopia Country Director

Nega Megersa is the Country Director for Adams Thermal Foundation Ethiopia (ATFE). Nega works alongside our senior management team at our Ethiopia offices in Addis Ababa and is responsible for all Ethiopia-based outreach programs including our schools and self-help groups.

Prior to joining ATFE, Nega served as the Program Manager for Voice of Wilderness Developmental Organization (VWDO), an Ethiopian non-profit whose mission is to provide empowerment to women, children, and the disability community. Nega has extensive experience in public and private schools as both a teacher and administrator. In his spare time, Nega serves as a Lecturer at MK College in Bishoftu, Ethiopia.

Nega and his wife, Wuddie, have two children.

Martha Mulugeta - Sponsorship Director

Martha Mulugeta is the Sponsorship Director for Adams Thermal Foundation Ethiopia (ATFE). Martha manages our sponsorship program including database management and field operations. Martha is part of our senior management team working at our Ethiopia offices in Addis Ababa.

Prior to joining ATFE, Martha served as an Adoption Department Head for 9 years at Children’s Home Society and Family Services Ethiopia, an adoption agency whose headquarters is based in St. Paul, MN. Martha held a variety of different positions with the adoption agency for a total of 17 years.

Martha and her husband, Eshetu, have two children.

Abebe Lemma - Human Resources Director

Abebe Lemma is the Human Resources Director for Adams Thermal Foundation Ethiopia (ATFE). Abebe works alongside our senior management team at our Ethiopia offices in Addis Ababa and is responsible for all human resource administration for the Foundation, our schools, and our Self-Help Groups.

Prior to joining ATFE, Mr. Lemma served as an Administration and Finance Department Head for a regional agriculture research institute in the southern region of Ethiopia. Abebe also has extensive experience from other public-service organizations where he held a variety of positions for 12 years.

Abebe and his wife, Betel, have four children.

Bizuayehu G/michael - Finance Director

Bizuayehu G/michael is the Finance Director for Adams Thermal Foundation Ethiopia (ATFE). Bizuayehu works alongside our senior management team at our Ethiopia offices in Addis Ababa and is responsible for all financial operations of the foundation and schools.

Prior to joining ATFE, Bizuayehu served as the Finance Director for Micro Pharm PLC, an Ethiopian private organization. Bizuayehu also has finance experience with another Non-Government Organization (NGO) and a private organization in the roles of Senior Accountant and Finance Director.

Bizuayehu and his wife, Azeb, have three children.

Bahru Ageza - MKA Country Director

Bahru Ageza is the Country Director for MKA Ministries Ethiopia (MKAE). Bahru works alongside the ATFE senior management team at our Ethiopia offices in Addis Ababa and is responsible for our spiritual outreach programs including coordinating our MKA Masters-Level training.

Prior to joining MKAE, Bahru served as an ordained pastor in different churches in Ethiopia and abroad. Bahru was a missionary in the northern part of Ethiopia and while also serving as a full-time minister for the Meseret Kirstos Church in Ethiopia. He was a missionary in northern Sudan for eleven years and served as Lead Pastor of Agape International Church. Over the past six years, Bahru founded The Fellowship Church in Ethiopia and planted 14 new church locations. He has also served as a Lecturer for various Bible schools in Sudan and Ethiopia.

Bahru and his wife, Mekedes, have three children. 

Demeke Jekamo - Senior School Director

Demeke Jekamo is the Senior Secondary School Director at Adams Thermal Academy Hossana (ATAH). Demeke works alongside our senior management team at Adams Thermal System Foundation Ethiopia and is responsible for all educational programs at ATAH.

Prior to joining ATSFE, Mr Jekamo served as both a primary and senior secondary school biology teacher and primary school director at different governmental schools for about 16 consecutive years.

Demeke and his wife Sara Amanuel have five children, one daughter and four sons.

Gebre Kristos W/michael - Senior School Director

Gebre Kristos W/michael is the Primary and Senior Secondary School Director at Adams Thermal Academy Ottoro (ATAO). Gebre Kristos works alongside our senior management team at Adams Thermal System Foundation Ethiopia and is responsible for all educational programs at ATAO.

Prior to joining ATSFE, Gebre Kristos served as a high school agriculture teacher, senior secondary school director and held technical and vocational positions at different institutions for about 32 consecutive years.

Gebre Kristos and his wife Tizita Abebe have three children, two daughters and one son.