 |
Two new men joined the staff at the WELS Center for Mission and Ministry (CMM), Waukesha, Wis., in July.
Paul Patterson is serving as the associate director of the Commission on Lutheran Schools, replacing Tom Plitzuweit who took a call to St. Matthew, Oconomowoc, Wis.
Patterson will be responsible for overseeing the WELS School Accreditation (WELSSA) program. He came to the CMM from Wisconsin Lutheran School, Racine, Wis., where he served as principal for eight years. Prior to serving at Wisconsin Lutheran School, he served as a principal and teacher at Peace, Sun Prairie, Wis., and Christ, Zumbrota, Minn.
While he says he’s going to miss being around kids, he’s looking forward to the opportunity to serve in a new role. “One of the passions I have is developing professional learning communities and tapping into the strengths our educators already have and using those strengths to maximize the benefit to the school,” says Patterson. “I’m looking forward to working with schools that are interested in improvement and lever-aging the resources of so many smart people in our synod to make those connections.”
Jim Rademan, director of the Commission on Lutheran Schools, says, “Paul brings a vision for excellence in education and a passion for meeting the needs of both children and families being served through our schools.”
Kyle Egan started as chief financial officer (CFO), following the retirement of Todd Poppe, who served as CFO for the past 16 years.
“We feel blessed Kyle has made the prayerful decision to join the leadership team at the WELS CMM and look forward to working with him,” says WELS President Mark Schroeder.
Egan will be responsible for overseeing the synod’s finances. He has more than 15 years of finance experience, most recently as the assistant treasurer and director of investor relations for Quad/Graphics in Sussex, Wis.
Egan is looking forward to using his professional expertise to further the ministry work of WELS. “I’ve had a pulling at my heart over the last several years that had me searching for an opportunity to use my abilities in a way that would help forward a mission or ministry, to do something that would align my faith closer to my professional background and the skill set that God has given me,” says Egan. “There has been so much good work done at WELS, and I want
to make sure I carry that forward in a good way.”
In his retirement, Poppe has volunteered to work with Egan for the next few months as Egan familiarizes himself with his new role.
“I can’t say enough about how God has blessed our synod (and me) through Todd’s years of dedicated service,” says Schroeder. “He provided strong leadership for WELS Financial Services and implemented numerous fiscal improvements to further WELS ministry. In addition, Todd went beyond what was expected of him by filling whatever role he was asked to do. We will miss him.”
Volume 107, Number 9
Issue: September 2020
