New Ohio Conference President Named

Ron Halvorsen Jr., MDiv., (pictured with his wife, Buffy,) will join the Ohio Conference team as president in February.

Story by Heidi Shoemaker Ohio Conference constituents received an unusual Christmas gift this year--a new conference president--Ron Halvorsen Jr., MDiv. Halvorsen was a favorite among presidential search committee members, and visited Ohio earlier in December. He and his wife spent several days checking out the Columbus and Mount Vernon areas (including the conference office), the Kettering area, and concluded their visit at the Worthington church for a “meet and greet” time with the search committee.

“It has been a long and serious prayer journey, which has brought us to the point of accepting the call to the Ohio Conference,” said Halvorsen. “And that is how we will continue to travel: prayerfully. Only God can lead us as we need to be led. And only God’s power can see His will done. We look forward to being a part of the Ohio church family. And we look forward to seeing what God will do for and through the Ohio church family.” Halvorsen has served as senior pastor of several Seventh-day Adventist college and university church congregations (most recently the College View church in Nebraska). He has also taught as an adjunct professor at the Union College Theology Department, had several successful (local) radio and television ministries and has written for Guide Magazine and Ministry Magazine. No stranger to Ohio, Halvorsen has spoken at both Mount Vernon Academy and Spring Valley Academy as their week of prayer presenter several years ago. Halvorsen has been married for 32 years to Beth “Buffy” Vercio Halvorsen, MS, LCMFT, and they have two adult children and one grandchild. Buffy has served as pastor for Family Ministries in several churches. She specializes in marriage and family therapy, and is a regular speaker for camp meetings, church and women’s retreats. Halvorsen officially joins the Ohio Conference family in February 2014, replacing Raj Attiken who announced his retirement in September 2013.