Mennonite
Central
Committee

Dueck named chair of MCC board

Marla Pierson Lester
June 26, 2006

Ron Dueck, a Canadian educator, former chair of the MCC Canada board and former MCC worker in Swaziland, has been named chair of the MCC international board.

Dueck, ordained in the Evangelical Mennonite Conference and now a member of Charleswood Mennonite Church in Winnipeg, has served as a representative on the MCC executive committee since 2000.

"His years of experience, from teaching in southern Africa to his board work, have proven him as a leader who can help unify and guide the many facets of MCC's work abroad and at home," said Robb Davis, MCC executive director. "We look forward to working with him."

Daunting undertaking

Dueck approaches the appointment with a sense of humility, anticipation and excitement, though he also stressed that serving as chair of the board for MCC's array of work across the globe is a daunting undertaking. "My spirits are boosted by the idea of the church calling me and wanting to be faithful to that," Dueck said.

He said he hopes the board and MCC can work together to strengthen the ties and relationships around the work MCC does abroad and its network of offices and supporters in Canada and the United States.

He praised MCC's emphasis on building peace between people of different faiths. "I think that stronger focus is going to be a much-needed voice and dialogue in the next few years," Dueck said. "I think to carry that forward will be something vital."

Dueck replaces outgoing board chair Karen Klassen Harder."It was good working with her," Dueck said, noting she was well-versed in bringing various voices into discussion and at honing in quickly on the root of an issue.

Davis echoed Dueck's appreciation for Harder, who was first appointed to the board in 1994 and has served as board chair since 1999. "Karen was a mentor to many, was able to bring expertise on organizational development issues from her experience as a business professor and helped provide vision to MCC over the years she worked on the board," Davis said.

"We appreciate her years of service and her dedication to MCC's mission," Davis said. "We look forward to continuing that tradition with Ron."

Shaped his life

Dueck and his wife, Wendy, began their work with MCC with a three-year term teaching in Swaziland an experience he says shaped his life and their life as a couple. When he returned, he kept his connection with the organization, serving as a church delegate until he was appointed to the MCC Canada board.

Dueck worked as a teacher and principal in the Hanover School District in Steinbach, Manitoba. He and his wife, Wendy, were on the ministerial team for Kleefeld Evangelical Mennonite Church for 18 years before moving to Winnipeg.

 

Marla Pierson Lester is a writer for MCC.