September 29, 2005

Boland honored for leadership; Allen elected chair of Baptists Today board
By John Pierce
Executive Editor
Baptists Today

MACON, Ga. — Directors of the independent news journal, Baptists Today, honored outgoing chairman Tommy Boland and chose Jimmy Allen as his successor. The board met Sept. 22-23 in Macon, Ga., where the national publication is headquartered.

Boland, who rotated off the board at the conclusion of the meeting, is a retired banking executive and an active member of Johns Creek Baptist Church in Alpharetta, Ga. He took over leadership of the board following the death of chairman Jim McAfee in 2004.

Director Winnie Williams hailed Boland’s leadership in improving the organization’s structure and increasing its operational effectiveness. The board unanimously approved her motion expressing appreciation to Boland who will continue as an advisor to the board and executive committee during the next year.

Allen is the former pastor of First Baptist Church of San Antonio, Texas, who served as Southern Baptist Convention president. He currently lives in Big Canoe, Ga., where he was named chaplain emeritus.

Nannette Avery of Signal Mountain, Tenn., a lay leader in First Baptist Church of Chattanooga, was elected as vice chair of the board. In addition to Boland, two other directors —Scott Walker of Waco, Texas, and Jimmy Gardner of Alpharetta, Ga. — completed terms of service.

Two current directors — Williams of Seneca, S.C., and E.C. Watson of Elgin, S.C. — had their terms extended for another three years. James Dunn of Winston-Salem, N.C., along with Allen, returned to board after a year’s absence.

Five additional directors were elected to their first terms: James Evans of Auburn, Ala.; Allen Abbott of Lebanon, N.H.; Tom McAfee of Seabrook Island, S.C.; Sarah Timmerman of Cairo, Ga.; and Clement White of St. Petersburg, Fla.

Directors also approved a plan to transition from the current board of advisors to a new Baptists Today “advocates” program with term rotations similar to the board of directors. Mary Jayne Allen of Chattanooga, Tenn., Randy Hyde of Little Rock, Ark., Sherry McGlaughlin of Liberty, Mo., and David Woody of Charleston, S.C., will pioneer the effort in 2006.

Eventually, the advocates program calls for 24 representatives — from different states and regions across the nation — helping raise the visibility of the news journal and providing feedback from readers and supporters.

The next meeting of the Baptists Today board of directors is set for April 21-22, 2006 in Asheville, N.C. The meeting coincides with the annual Judson-Rice Dinner, April 21, at First Baptist Church of Asheville.

Cecil Sherman will receive the 2006 Judson-Rice Award for leadership with integrity from Baptists Today and give an address. The dinner event is open to the public.

(John Pierce is executive editor of Baptists Today, an autonomous, national news journal based in Macon, Ga.)