World Relief Thanks Retiring Scott Arbeiter and Tim Breene for Leadership and Service, Announces Replacement Search

February 12, 2021

CONTACT:
Lauren Carl
lauren.carl@pinkston.co
(703) 388-6734

BALTIMORE  – Today, World Relief’s Board of Directors announced the upcoming retirement of Scott Arbeiter, president, and Tim Breene, CEO, at the end of the summer and expressed deep gratitude for their sacrificial service and extraordinary commitment to World Relief’s mission, staff, partners and clients. The duo has collectively served the organization in a number of leadership roles for more than 30 years, and it is with hope and expectation that the board enters into the search for their successor.

Scott and Tim entered into their roles as president and CEO, respectively, with prayer and intentionality. It is with that same spirit that they have worked with the World Relief Board over the last year to navigate their retirement. As former board members themselves, Scott and Tim brought complementary skills and experience when they joined forces to lead World Relief in 2016. While for the majority of World Relief’s history its leadership has resided in one individual, the dual capabilities of Scott and Tim met the unique need of the season.

Scott and Tim have worked tirelessly over the last five years to build a high-performance culture that is highly collaborative, fosters new leaders and thinks strategically. Their tenure has been marked by the development of a strong and capable senior leadership team, who together will offer continuity through this transition. Scott and Tim, along with the board, believe the time is again right for a singular leader to work with this team to guide World Relief into a season of flourishing — of exceptional programming and technical expertise that is demonstrating real progress in tackling the world’s greatest problems. S/he will be responsible for stewarding the rich history, mission, people, and brand of World Relief.

Tim Breene commented, “It has been a deep privilege to be entrusted to lead such committed and capable people and for the organization to now be in a position to move forward, having strengthened our foundations. Scott and I feel a source of profound joy as we look back over what we’ve accomplished together these last five years and great anticipation as we look to the future.”

“Our belief is that there is a greater risk of leaders staying too long than leaving too early, especially at our stage of life,” commented Scott Arbeiter. “We have fulfilled our season, and it is now our joy to make room for the leaders we have among us and whoever might be selected to embark upon the next season as the new president/CEO.”

This new leader will be joining World Relief at a pivotal moment in the organization’s history. In addition to domestic immigration services and the expected resurgence in refugee resettlement, the organization anticipates increasing excellence and growth in its international humanitarian, health and disaster relief work —as well as its advocacy of a Christian conscience to the broader church and culture.

The World Relief Board of Directors is committed to a broad, open search process and a diverse set of candidates. In partnership with CarterBaldwin, the board will issue a call for applications beginning in mid-February. The interview and evaluation process will extend through the spring and into the summer if necessary, and is open to internal and external candidates alike. A successful candidate must wholeheartedly demonstrate a commitment to the growth and evolution of World Relief — building on the tremendous path paved by Tim, Scott and all those who came before them.

“We have much to anticipate. We will be inviting the next leader into a stable, well-positioned organization,” said Steve Moore, chair of World Relief’s Board of Directors. “Our executive team is strong and well placed. Our global impact is extraordinary, and our economics strong. We are navigating well the challenges of a global pandemic and the stage is set for World Relief’s next president/CEO to bring about evolutionary change. And for all of this, we are immensely grateful to Tim and Scott for modeling leadership with ‘integrity of heart and skillful hands’ (Ps. 78:72).”

World Relief has a rich history of serving the most vulnerable through its programming, empowering the local church and speaking truth to power in its spheres of influence. Throughout its 75+ year history, World Relief has stood firm in the knowledge that the work and organization have always belonged to God, and they are confident that the work that God has started He will continue.

To learn more about World Relief, visit worldrelief.org.

To download a PDF version of this press release, click here.

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About World Relief

World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization that brings sustainable solutions to the world’s greatest problems – disasters, extreme poverty, violence, oppression, and mass displacement. For over 75 years, we’ve partnered with churches and community leaders in the U.S. and abroad to bring hope, healing and transformation to the most vulnerable.

Learn more at worldrelief.org.