Leading with Faith: Larry Andrews ’82 Serves God Through Business

Tell me about your time at Gordon. What has had the greatest impact on you personally and professionally? 

The most impactful thing was meeting Sharry—my wife. We met freshmen year at Gordon. I began as a pre-med major, and Sharry was in elementary education. We were friends at first and started dating in the spring. Her faith, having grown up in Japan as a missionary kid away from her parents, was different from mine and helped me grow.

Beyond that, Gordon friendships have played a huge role. What stood out the most was the ease of finding friends who shared the same belief in Jesus. Not everyone stayed rooted in faith, but Sharry and I found lifelong friendships and a strong community. When I was struggling as a pre-med major, my roommate, Doug, encouraged me to switch to economics and showed me I could still graduate on time. Many of my professors at Gordon have also had a lasting impact: John Mason, Bruce Webb, Ted Wood and Harley Anderson. They helped me see business as part of God’s kingdom. The fact that I can still name them shows their influence!

Your career has spanned ministry and high-level finance leadership. How has your faith guided you in leading organizations? 

After Gordon I pursued an M.B.A. at Bentley University. Through God’s hand, connections with people like my boss after Gordon, J. Lindsey Coolidge, opened doors for me. I actually started as his landscaper then joined his real estate business. I didn’t plan on banking, but I eventually took a job at Essex Bank in Peabody, MA. What I learned through those experiences was that Gordon students had a reputation for being trustworthy and hardworking. God placed me in roles where character mattered as much as credentials.

During your time at Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation (MGCC), you oversaw the largest state-sponsored small business grant program in the nation during the COVID-19 pandemic. What was that experience like, and what did you learn about leadership and service in a crisis? 

At MGCC, we had a small team, but God had prepared us for that moment. When COVID hit, businesses were in crisis—especially underserved ones. We launched loan and grant programs, translating applications into 20+ languages to make sure all business owners could access them. Eventually, with state support, we distributed over one billion dollars. It meant long days, no vacations and seven-day work weeks, but it was simply the right thing to do. For me it came back to my commencement speaker, John Perkins’ words: “Love is the final fight.” Leadership in crisis means being faithful to love and serving people where the need is greatest.

Speaking of serving others, what drives your commitment to service? 

It’s God’s love for me. I’m not perfect; I'm a sinner saved by grace. But I believe God uses even my weakness if I’m willing to rely on him. Like Esther, who was reminded she was in her place “for such a time as this,” I’ve learned my role is to be faithful where God places me. Those grant programs, those opportunities to serve—they weren’t about me. They were about God providing through me.

If you were speaking to Gordon students today, especially those pursuing careers in business or ministry, what wisdom would you share about finding their path? 

Have a total dependence on God. Your vocation will follow that.

Finally, what does receiving Gordon’s Alumni of the Year award mean to you, and how does it connect back to where it all began at Gordon? 

When I received the award, I asked that it be shared with Sharry. Life is a team sport. We couldn’t have done what we’ve done without each other, our family and God’s grace. For me, the award is not about recognition but about God’s faithfulness—reminding us that life is impossible on our own, but with him, all things are possible.