DATE: Thursday, October 2, 1997             TAG: 9710020506

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B5   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: STAFF REPORT 

DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE                        LENGTH:   31 lines

CHRISTIAN COALITION NAMES FINANCE DIRECTOR

The Christian Coalition has named a former Navy auditor to head the group's finances, a job that has troubled the conservative political-education group over the past 18 months, and filled two other positions.

Steve Wolkomir of Virginia Beach, previously director of internal auditing for the Navy's Exchange Service Command, will fill the new position of finance director, a coalition spokesman said. Wolkomir, a certified public accountant, also has worked in private industry with Fairchild Industries, and for the Marine Corps.

He takes over the duties of Jeanne K. DelliCarpini, who pleaded guilty last week to embezzling $40,000 from the group. DelliCarpini took over from Judy Liebert, who was fired from the coalition in 1996 after going to federal prosecutors with her concerns about the group's direct-mail operation.

DelliCarpini's title was controller, and Liebert's was chief financial officer. A coalition spokesman confirmed that Wolkomir's position will include those duties.

DelliCarpini and Liebert both have described chaos in the financial operations of the group, which had a $27 million budget last year.

The coalition also named Jeffrey M. Peyton director of publishing and creative services, and Stacy Mattingly editor of Christian American, the group's magazine. KEYWORDS: CHRISTIAN COALITION

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