Gerard LongGerard Long is the executive director of Alpha USA. Following a dramatic encounter with God in 1980, Long has lived with one burning ambition: to please the Lord Jesus and to obey His will. He had been planning to build on his success as a runer and businessman, but after his encounter with God he felt a calling to serve in a church in North London. He was at this church for twenty-two years, including seventeen as a pastor, while also working in the banking and finance industry. Long worked for HSBC, one of the largest banks in the world, for thirty years, retiring at the end of 2006 as senior vice president of corporate marketing. His banking career took him around the world and included some fascinating roles, including director of the Year 2000 Program for the United Kingdom and Europe. Read More Read Less