Meet the McLauchlans
Meet Russ and Cara McLauchlan, the couple who gave a generous gift that started the series in 2015. The McLauchlans renewed their gift in 2020 for another 5 years.
Russ McLauchlan
Russ is a cultivator—evolving and refining business ventures and the talents of those around him. After 26 years of serving as a global executive leader in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry, Russ founded Calvert Holdings. Through a series of acquisitions and developments, Calvert became a source of significant drug testing and development, capital investment, management, and marketing services for many promising compounds and technologies.
In addition to his leadership at Calvert, Russ also focuses his efforts on local community ventures. He supports a family foundation focused on education and diabetes research. As a mentor to MBA students and alumni, Russ is an active angel investor.
In his spare time, Russ is an avid golfer–participating in USGA amateur tournaments throughout the year and fine-tuning his game to perfection.
Cara McLauchlan
Cara McLauchlan is a storyteller. She delights in encouraging families with her words and ideas. She has published numerous articles and books to inspire God’s best in others. She has recently written and published Nourish: Encouragement for Parents Homeschooling Through High School – a book that celebrates 10 years of homeschooling and mentoring other families on this journey. Her additional published works include Chicken Soup for the Caregivers Soul, Chicken Soup for the Hockey Moms Soul, and The Portable Red-Hot Mama. She is a contributor to several publications including Anthology, The Joyful Life Magazine, Carolina Parent, Carolina Woman, Charlotte Parent, and Medium/Koinonia.
Cara McLauchlan received her B.A. in Journalism/Public Relations and her master of arts in
Advertising/Public Relations – both from Michigan State University. She married the man of her dreams, Russell, the day after Hurricane Fran in 1996. She is grateful to be a mother to her college-age son Campbell and two amazing stepchildren, Craig and Kelly. Cara spent the last ten years trekking through the adventure of homeschooling. Prior to homeschooling, Cara enjoyed a career in corporate public relations with Starbucks, Sprint and McDonald’s Corporation. She is proud to have been part of pouring the first cup of Starbucks Coffee in North Carolina, the first official phone call on the golden phone for Sprint and the opportunity to know Ronald McDonald personally. Even though this reveals too much about her age, they make for great stories.