Paul A. Ritch

Dr. Paul A. Ritch is a distinguished educator, computer pioneer, and minister whose career spans over seven decades of technical and spiritual leadership. Known for his "multi-track" life, he has served as a professor, an ordained evangelist, and a consultant to major industries, earning respect for his integrity and his ability to bridge the gap between faith and science.

A native of the Depression-era South, Paul’s journey took him from teaching high school algebra at seventeen to founding the data center at Chattanooga State—an institution that later named the facility the "Dr. Paul A. Ritch Data Center" in his honor. Throughout his life, he has remained a devoted student of the Word, a published poet, and a compassionate counselor.

Written with a unique blend of "Holy Humor" and academic precision, The Depression Pilgrim’s Journey is Paul’s legacy work. It is a reflection on a century of change, offered with the perspective of a man who has found that character, not circumstance, defines a life well-lived.