W. Mark Clark Nominated to UCC Associate General Minister Post

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

> Associate General Minister nominee announced

> Written by Staff Reports
> January 12, 2011

The Associate General Minister search committee has announced the 
nomination of Mr. W. Mark Clark of Tucson, Ariz., to succeed Ms. 
Edith Guffey whose term as Associate General Minister and member of 
the UCC Collegium of Officers expires Sept. 30, 2011.

Since 1999 he has been President and Chief Executive Officer of CODAC 
Behavioral Health Services, Inc. in Tuscon. CODAC is a non-profit 
managed behavioral health care organization based in Pima County. The 
agency serves 10,000 - 12,000 individuals each year with a staff of 
325 and a budget of $36 million.

A life-long member of the UCC, Mark worked as an intern at his 
college's campus ministry and spent a year as the Director of 
Christian Education at Flagstaff (Ariz.) Congregational Church. He 
has belonged to five UCC congregations in two conferences and served 
on four of their councils.

Mark has been active in leadership positions in the Conference and 
national settings of the church. He chaired the Southwest 
Conference's Conference Minister search committee. At the last 
General Synod he was the chair of the committee of reference. He was 
a member of the board of directors of the Office of General 
Ministries, chaired its budget and finance committee and represented 
that board on the UCC Executive Council. On the Executive Council he 
was a member of the organizational life and budget and finance committees.

He earned a bachelor of science degree from Northern Arizona 
University and a masters in social work from Arizona State 
University. He has been the recipient of numerous fellowships, 
university teaching appointments and honors.

The nomination will be presented to meetings of the Office of General 
Ministries board and the Executive Council this spring. Upon their 
approval the nomination will be submitted to the General Synod in 
Tampa, Fla., this summer.

Associate General Minister search committee members are John R. 
Deckenback (chair), Ralph France, Hyo-Jung Kim, Luther Holland, 
Hattie Walker, Ruth Harvey, Kelley Forbush, Geoffrey Black, Michael 
Downs, Curtis Rueter, Susan Rotblat Walker and Cally Rogers-Witte.

Earlier this week two other Collegium nominations were announced. The 
Rev. J. Bennett Guess has been nominated to lead Local Church 
Ministries and the Rev. James Moos to lead Wider Church Ministries.

Pending the election of these nominees by the General Synod they will 
join UCC General Minister and President the Rev. Geoffrey A. Black 
and Justice and Witness Ministries Executive Minister the Rev. M. 
Linda Jaramillo to form the UCC's five-person Collegium of Officers.