The Oregon Conference team at Gladstone has recently spent a good deal of time celebrating retirements, welcoming new team members, and preparing to bid long-time coworkers farewell.
After more than 40 years of service in three conferences, Steve Hilde will be retiring from his role as Manager of the Adventist Book Center (ABC) at the end of June. We will miss him dearly in our conference and are so thankful for his many years of service! We are also excited to welcome Karen Carlton to the role following Steve’s departure. Karen has over 15 years of management experience, mostly in the denominational education setting. Recently, she served as principal of Amazing Grace Academy in Alaska. For many years, she has seen the ABC manager role as intriguing, and she is now excited to get the chance to step into that role. We look forward to working with her and are so thankful she’s willing to take on the task so shortly before the beginning of camp meeting!
Following Jon Holland’s departure earlier this spring and the subsequent shuffling of staff assignments that took place in the Treasury department, a vacancy was created in our Accounts Payable Clerk position. We are happy to announce that Kim Asij Fry has accepted the call to serve in the role! Kim has spent the past five years working for General Conference Auditing Service (GCAS), auditing conference offices, academies, and other denominational entities. We look forward to working alongside Kim.
In April, Director of Pastoral Ministries, Nate Hellman, announced his acceptance of a pastoral position at the Eastgate Seventh-day Adventist Church in Walla Walla, Washington. Nate has served in our conference for over 18 years! We will sadly bid Nate and his family farewell later this summer.
Also retiring this spring is Gladstone Park grounds manager, Matt Ballard. Matt has served on the grounds team for over 20 years, bringing his wealth of knowledge to improving camp meeting preparation, repairing and renovating buildings across campus, and working hard to make sure the Gladstone grounds are a place of camp meeting joy for many years to come. “Matt has been an invaluable part of our Gladstone Park campus team,” Eric Davis, VP of Finance recently shared. “His problem-solving skills, common sense, strong work ethic and knowledge of our Gladstone Park campus made him an extremely valuable part of our team. Most importantly, though, I know Matt was giving his all for the Lord.” For now, you’ll still have the chance to see him around the grounds as he continues to finish up a project or two part-time.
In the Education department, a long-time vacant administrative assistant spot has been filled with the hiring of Sofia Ramos, who has started as a part-time administrative assistant. Most recently at Portland Adventist Elementary School (PAES), Sofia will help schools process their testing, assist the associate superintendents, and work with Education financial specialist Cristina Fonseca.
Please keep each of these individuals in your prayers as they transition into their new roles. We so appreciate their contributions to ministry here in the Oregon Conference!
