wfn.org | Yoder to become VP for Global Ministries

[Beth Hawn]

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To:  'Worldwide Faith News'
Date: 1998-06-17 13:27
Priority: 3
Message ID: FE3EB828D205D211AAB0006008075ABF
Conversation ID: Yoder to become VP for Global Ministries

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June 17, 1998
Mennonite Board of Misisons
Beth Hawn
219-294-7523
<NEWS@MBM.org>

Yoder to succeed Roth as vice president for Global Ministries

HARRISONBURG, Va. (MBM) - Ronald E. Yoder, Mennonite Board of Missions   
vice
president since August 1993, will succeed Alice Roth as MBM vice   
president
for Global Ministries after her retirement Aug. 31.

Yoder, vice president of MBM's Partnership Services division since August   

1995, was appointed to the position by the MBM Board of Directors during   
its
June 11-13 meeting here.  Yoder's appointment becomes effective upon the
appointment of a vice president for internal operations, for which a
search now is ongoing.

As the leader of one of MBM's three divisions, Yoder has overseen the   
work of
MBM's computer, development, finance, human resources and partnership
staff.
 
Yoder has served MBM for nearly 20 years. He joined MBM's Harrisonburg,   
Va.,
office in November 1970 as director of Choice Books, managing the   
wholesale
book distributor for five years. Previously, he had served two years in   
Haiti
with Mennonite Central Committee. He later did development assistance   
work
for four years in India, Bangladesh and Nepal with Church World Service,
 the relief arm of the National Council of Churches.

In April 1983, Yoder returned to MBM as director of Asia, Africa and the   
Middle
East, a role he served for 10 years. In August 1993, he was named MBM   
vice
president as well as vice president of MBM's former Administration and
Resources division.  During reorganization that followed MBM's Cana
Venture survey of church leaders in 1995, Yoder was chosen to lead the   
new
Partnership Services division.

Yoder's international experience has helped more than simply MBM. He   
served
as a consultant for Food for the Hungry International, a non-governmental   

organization, as well as executive secretary from 1988 to 1996 for the
Council of International Ministries, a consultative organization
including representatives of the major Mennonite and Brethren in Christ
mission and service agencies in North America. He also has advised China
Educational Exchange, Eastern Mennonite University, Goshen College,
International Assistance Mission, Mennonite Central Committee, United
Mission to Nepal and the World Health Organization.

A native of Belleville, Pa., Yoder is a 1968 graduate of Eastern   
Mennonite
College in Harrisonburg, Va.  He received a master's degree in public/
international affairs and development administration in 1978 from the
University of Pittsburgh, and also has completed additional studies in
peace, organization and international relations at the University of   
Notre
Dame and in theology and organizational collaboration from Northern
Baptist Theological Seminary.

He and his wife, Shirley (Buckwalter), have two sons.  They live in   
Goshen,
Ind., where they are members of College Mennonite Church.

Mennonite Board of Missions, based in Elkhart, Ind., promotes the whole
gospel for a broken world as it builds communities of faith through 933
workers and volunteers in 27 countries.  With ministries of witness,   
nurture
and healing, MBM has been a world wide web on behalf of the Mennonite   
Church
since 1898.

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MBM staff       PHOTO AVAILABLE