99 exit from NAMB at end of year as part of downsizing

One-third of the North American Mission Board’s (NAMB) staff will be leaving at the end of the year as a result of retirement incentives and other downsizing of the Southern Baptist entity. On Dec. 10, NAMB recognized retirees who are taking advantage of incentives offered at the beginning of October.

Of the 99 people leaving, 81 are taking an early retirement package Ezell announced Oct. 1. Employees aged 54 and older were eligible for the package.

NAMB also trimmed a number of services and support staff positions. These additional reductions brought the total number of year-end departures to 99.

In October, Ezell told NAMB’s board of trustees he is undertaking a four-step process: re-focus NAMB; build a strategy; develop the staff necessary to execute the strategy; and implement the strategy. The downsizing is part of a re-focus effort that will narrow the number of activities the entity undertakes.

“I have the very strong conviction that NAMB has been trying to do too much in too many different arenas,” Ezell stated in a Nov. 22 e-mail to the executive directors of state Baptist conventions.  (BP)