As the Network ministry has grown, I've known that we need to divide up my responsibilities. Since our beginnings over 28 years ago, I have been president and CEO, but I have felt strongly over the past few years that it is time to bring in younger leaders. This summer we began a search and reviewed 17 potential candidates. After careful research, references and interviews, the Board was unified in sensing that God had led us to a young leader who could build on the foundation that has been laid and give fresh leadership for the next era of networking to reach youth. We are pleased to announce that T.Ray Grandstaff has been selected as the new CEO of the National Network of Youth Ministries, as of October 15, 2009.
I am excited about working with T.Ray! I will continue to serve as president of NNYM and we will work together as a team. This will allow me to expand some of my work with ministry leaders, strategic fund development needs, writing projects, and international networking.
T.Ray is uniquely qualified to help us reorganize and build a stronger base of support. He received his degree from Brown University in Organizational Management. He served for 16 years with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes on state and national levels. As Senior Vice President, he oversaw over 600 staff and a growing budget. He has been involved with networking at many levels. He has served actively in his church as a youth worker and church planter. He has leadership experience in the media business, working on film projects like "The End of the Spear." And best of all, he feels a calling and urgency about the cause of networking to reach youth.
T.Ray is married to Stacey and they have an 11-year-old son and 5-year-old triplets! They live in Oklahoma, but will move to San Diego just as soon as their house sells. Please pray for all that goes with re-locating. And pray for the Network as we enter into this transition phase. We are full of praise for this God-anointed provision of leadership "for such a time as this."