Jud was born in Northern New York close to where the Vermont and Canadian borders meet. He graduated from Houghton College in 1975 with a B.A. in English/Writing. After graduation he married Jan who had just graduated from Thomas Jefferson University with a BSN in nursing. That next year Jud attended SUNY Binghamton for Southwest Asia/North Africa interdisciplinary studies while Jan started work. In 1978 Jud finished an M.A. in Comparative Politics and Political Theory at Temple University in Philadelphia. In 1979 Jud joined the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, Local 542, and started a four-year apprentice program in the carpenter/millwright trades. In 1986 Jud was working as a Civil Craft Supervisor for Bechtel Power when Operation Mobilization called and asked Jud and Jan to consider joining them as career missionaries. Jud had worked with OM for two years between his junior and senior years of college. After much prayer and counsel, Jud and Jan joined OM in 1987. In 1990 Jud and Jan joined MTW and worked out of the home office until 1995 when they applied for overseas service. In 1998 Jud and Jan moved to Turkey and in 2001 they moved to Belgium. They continued to live in Belgium when Jud became the International Director for Enterprise in 2006. Jan started a ministry to Enterprise women that same year. Jud stepped down as the ID for Enterprise in June 2016. He is presently the CEO of a new mission, the 18.26 Network. The 18.26 Network is linked to MTW and focused on the deployment of a new missions force of men and women doing vocational ministry as part of their normal, secular work. This rapidly growing ministry provides connecting, coaching and caring services for the 18.26 Network members.