Assistant, Associate Treasurers Prepare for Financial Leadership

Assistant, Associate Treasurers Prepare for Financial Leadership

Story by Taashi Rowe

Seth Bardu, Columbia Union Conference treasurer, has started a two-year program that will prepare eight assistant or associate treasurers currently working at the conference level to take on greater responsibilities. “We feel we have to be intentional if we are going to provide good sound leadership for the future [Seventh-day Adventist Church,]” Bardu explains. “The mission of the church drives everything we do. And that means going beyond the bottom line and understanding how to deal with people, relate to board members, understand the policies of the church. It even means sometimes putting aside the policies when it comes to humanity.”

The program will include home work assignments, onsite visits, opportunities to present the financial statement at local conference executive committees and reading books on leadership such as the one they are reading now (Good to Great).

H. Candace Nurse, assistant treasurer and human resources coordinator for the Allegheny West Conference, holds bachelor’s degrees in accounting and business administration as well as a Master of Business Administration and still sees the benefit of the program. “I love this aspect of church work, but I was concerned that without adequate training, there wouldn’t be much I could accomplish for my church,” she said. “I appreciate the program and am especially interested in learning leadership skills. Now, I get to see Treasury in a different light.”