Charles W. Missler (May 28, 1934 – May 1, 2018) was an American author, evangelical Christian, Bible teacher, engineer, and businessman.
Business career Missler graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1956USNA Alumni Association Website and received a Master's degree in Engineering from UCLA. He worked for several years in the aerospace and computer industries. He joined the Ford Motor Company in 1963."The Eleventh Ann Arbor Industry-Education Symposium", University of Michigan, June 1967 Missler joined Western Digital as chairman and chief executive in June 1977 and became the largest shareholder of Western Digital.
In 1983, Missler became the chairman and chief executive of Helionetics, Inc., another technology company. He left Helionetics in 1984 "to pursue other opportunities in the high-technology field."Hollie, Pamela. " Top Official Resigns At Helionetics Inc.", New York Times, December 24, 1984 In August 1985, Helionetics sued Missler, alleging a conflict of interest, claiming that after Missler and other Helionetics executives had decided not to purchase a small defense electronics maker, that same company was purchased by an investment corporation in which Missler held a controlling interest.Lazzareschi, Carla. "Helionetics' Claims Called 'Ludicrous' : Ex-Chairman Responds to $7-Million Lawsuit", Los Angeles Times, August 16, 1985 The suit was settled when Missler's firm agreed to pay Helionetics $1.6 million.Lazzareschi, Carla. "Missler to Pay $1.6 Million to Helionetics", Los Angeles Times, November 26, 1985
In 1989, he headed the Phoenix Group International, a former Colorado real estate company that entered the high-tech industry to sell personal computers to Russian schools.Flagg, Michael and O'Dell, John. "Soviet Choice of Phoenix Spurs Skepticism", Los Angeles Times, September 12, 1989 Phoenix filed for bankruptcy protection in 1990 when the deal did not develop as anticipated, due to a subsidiary being found to have no experience with computers.Takahashi, Dean. "Head of Phoenix Group Explains Venture Failure : Trade: Chairman Charles W. Missler says sale of computers to Soviet Union fell apart because of lack of capital and problems with the firm's Soviet partners.", Los Angeles Times, December 7, 1990
Ministry After the Phoenix deal collapsed, Missler started an online ministry, Koinonia House, and became known as a prominent speaker on the subject of Bible prophecy.
A Los Angeles Times article reported that Missler and co-author Hal Lindsey had plagiarized a portion of Miami University Professor Edwin Yamauchi's 1982 book Foes from the Northern Frontier in their own 1992 book The Magog Factor. Hal Lindsey's manager Paul Krikac said Missler had written the passages in question, but conceded that Lindsey is responsible for the overall manuscript: "His (Lindsey's) butt is on the line."Question of Attribution, Los Angeles Times July 30, 1992, by Roy Rivenburg After the missed attribution was acknowledged by Missler, book shipments to bookstores were discontinued and all of the authors' proceeds donated to a ministry. Missler was later accused of plagiarism of New Age writer Michael Talbot's 1992 book The Holographic Universe in his 1999 book Cosmic Codes: Messages from the Edge of Eternity.Without Attribution, Herescope, August 7, 2013, by Gaylene Goodroad Missler also acknowledged this as missed attribution and apologized publicly. He said a correction would be inserted in all unsold copies and the book itself updated in subsequent printings. Missler donated all of the author's proceeds from the book to a ministry.
Due to his experience with technology, Missler was a figurehead in bringing the "Year Two Thousand Bug" (a.k.a. "Y2K bug") to the attention of the Christian community. In 1998, he coauthored a book with John Ankerberg investigating whether America would survive the crises to be caused, he claimed, by embedded computer chips that would malfunction on what they would calculate as year zero.Chuck Missler and John Ankerberg, Will America Survive the Y2K Crisis? (Coeur d’Alene, ID: Koinonia House, 1998), video.)
Personal life and death Missler was married to Nancy Missler. They had two sons and two daughters. Nancy died of cancer on November 11, 2015.
Missler died at his home in Reporoa, New Zealand, in 2018.
Books
References Citations
Bibliography
External links
Chuck Missler's official Website