'Downsized' employees named
[5-6-02]
Presbyterian News Service has announced the names
and positions of 43 national staff of the PCUSA whose jobs have been
eliminated in the latest round of "downsizing."
The Witherspoon Society regrets to see this
happening once again, at least partly in response to financial
pressures caused by the refusal of some churches to support a
national mission program they regard as too "liberal." We
extend our thoughts and prayers to those who are being affected by
these changes.
It may be worth noting that even with all these
cuts, there are apparently plans for creating
some new positions combining some of the old
responsibilities. The people whose jobs have been eliminated
are being invited to apply for the new ones.
Check out an
earlier story for background.
Two 40-year staffers are among those cut
by Alexa Smith, Presbyterian News Service
LOUISVILLE - 30-April-2002 - The General Assembly Council (GAC) has
released the names of 43 people on the national staff of the
Presbyterian Church (USA) whose jobs will be eliminated effective May 3.
The downsizing was necessary to cut expenses and fund new priorities in
the 2003 mission budget.
Three additional employees took voluntary retirement:
Martha Miller, switchboard operator at the Presbyterian Center, with 11
years of service; the Rev. Rosalie Potter, associate director for
Evangelism and Church Development, 24 years; and the Rev. Fred Walls,
coordinator for Self Development of People, 37 years. (Those who are
ministers are credited with service since ordination; others are years
served on the national staff.)
Two of those who are losing their jobs have served for
more than four decades: Diana Stephen, associate for rural ministry, 42
years, and the Rev. David McCreath, coordinator in the Office of
Stewardship Education, 41 years.
Stephen has the longest service on the national staff.
She went to work for the denomination in New York City when she was 18
years old.
Work in many offices at the Presbyterian Center was
reorganized, but the cuts hit Mission Service Recruitment particularly
hard. That was not surprising, given that budget shortfalls that have
put a temporary freeze on the hiring of mission personnel. A $40 million
campaign is just getting under way to support foreign missions,
new-church development and racial-ethnic church growth. That campaign is
one of the new budget priorities; the first-year cost is estimated at $1
million.
Property Services, the office that manages the
Presbyterian Center and other denominational holdings worldwide, was
eliminated altogether. Its functions are being transferred to the
building maintenance staff and to Mission Support Services.
Congregational Ministries Publishing lost staff
members in the marketing of non-curriculum resources.
Two of the affected employees have at least 30 years
of service: the Rev. Les Sauer, coordinator for South and Southeast Asia
in the Worldwide Ministries Division (WMD), with 31 years, and Isabel
Gonzalez-Rudolph, senior administrative assistant in WMD's People in
Mutual Mission office, with 30 years.
Those with 20 years of service or more are Annie Wu
King, coordinator in the Women's Ministries Program Area, 29 years; the
Rev. Robert Smylie, director of the Presbyterian United Nations Office,
27 years; Maria Alvarez, a financial-aid associate in the Higher
Education Program Area, 24 years; and Susan Ellison, an associate in
Call Referral Services, 24 years.
There are 12 people with at least 10 years of service:
Julia Ann Moffett, coordinator for Central America, the Caribbean and
Mexico, 19 years; Linda Freeman, administrative assistant in the Higher
Education Program Area, 15 years; Annette Carter, administrator in the
Office of Information Services, 13 years; Carol Davies, administrative
assistant, Social Justice Program Area, 13 years; Lisa Higdon,
receptionist in Property Services, 13 years; John Hoffman, senior clerk,
Presbyterian Distribution Services, 13 years; Ray Starks, assistant
manager, Presbyterian Distribution Center, 13 years; William Gatewood,
associate director of Property Services, 12 years; Laura Eichenberger,
senior administrative assistant, Congregational Ministries Publishing,
11 years; Katherine Ockels, associate in Mission Service Recruitment, 11
years; Darlene Dean, administrative assistant in Urban Ministry, 10
years; and Michael Smith, facility manager, 10 years.
Twenty-four employees have put more than five years:
Jeanne Romer, administrative assistant for Southern and East Africa,
nine years; Anthony Schlisser, associate in Congregational Ministries
Marketing, nine years; Vanessa Lewis, administrative assistant, Racial
Ethnic Ministries, eight years; Salome Cavalcante, administrative
assistant, Evangelism and Church Development, seven years; Stephanie
Finn, associate in Congregational Ministries Marketing, six years; Leigh
Harper, administrative assistant, purchasing, six years; the Rev. Dale
Jackson, associate for small church development, six years; Kevin
Gellhaus, real estate manager, five years; and Deborah Leacock,
associate in Evangelism and Church Development, five years.
Less than five years: Melissa Bates, project manager
in the Real Estate Office; Dana Shackelford, administrative assistant,
Older Adult Ministries; Christina Thomas, senior administrative
assistant, Property Services; Joseph Combs, support analyst, Office of
Information Services; Joseph Hensel, administrative assistant, PresbyNet;
Stacy Hill, senior administrative assistant, Mission Service
Recruitment; and Dan Pierson, database administrator, Office of
Information Services; Chris Ferrell, assistant in Congregational
Ministries Marketing; Ronald Cooper, copywriter in Congregational
Ministries Marketing; Frank Voegtlin, associate for computer
communication, PresbyNet; Robin Hammond, senior administrative
assistant, Global Education and Leader Development; Alfonso Lopez,
administrative assistant, Central America, the Caribbean and Mexico;
Teresa Rivera, administrative assistant, Ecumenical and Mission
Partnership; and Gloria Faye Ferman, administrative assistant, Office of
Stewardship Education.
Two other positions will be eliminated by the end of
the year. Twenty-one vacant positions will not be filled.
The Congregational Ministries Division (CMD) lost the
most positions, 18; the National Ministries Division lost the most
actual employees, 11. Nine positions were terminated in Property
Services. CMD and WMD lost eight employees each.
The terminated employees are
eligible to apply first for reorganized and new positions posted last
week on the Center's internal Web site.
