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The executive vice president of the American Bible Society will serve as the organization’s next president beginning Jan. 1, 2009, according to an announcement this past week.
The Rev. Dr. R. Lamar Vest has accepted the Board of Trustees' invitation to serve as the next president and will take on the full responsibilities as the new ABS head following a short period of transition, announced ABS Board Chairman Dr. Dennis C. Dickerson.
"We are thrilled that Dr. Vest has accepted our invitation to serve as the Bible Society's next president,” Dickerson commented in the announcement. “Grounded in his deep commitment to the church as well as his many years of fostering new global Bible mission, Dr. Vest will provide strong leadership for the ongoing work and ministry of the American Bible Society."
The announcement of Vest’s acceptance of his new position comes five months after the Board of Trustees determined not to bring back former president Dr. Paul Irwin, whose contract was set to expire on June 30, 2008. Irwin had been suspended amid an investigation of possible financial irregularities at the organization.
According to a New York Times report, Irwin hired web consultant Richard J. Gordon, who has ties with online pornography businesses and a gambling enterprise and whom Irwin had previously worked with when serving as president of the Humane Society of the United States.
At ABS, Gordon was hired to revamp Web sites, launch a television program online, and boost online marketing over the past two years – all to get the charity up to speed on Internet development. Tax records from 2005 to 2007 reveal that the Bible society paid more than $5 million to Gordon’s companies.
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Both Irwin and an ABS spokesman said they had no knowledge of Gordon's involvement in pornography or financial impropriety days after the Times articles was published on May 18. Once it was brought to their attention, the Bible Society terminated all existing contracts with the Internet contractor.
ABS spokesman Roy Lloyd said the charity was the "innocent victim" and assured that an independent review of the organization's financial stewardship would be done with "integrity." The charity also ensured a neutral investigation by placing Irwin and its Chief Financial Officer, Richard Steward, on paid leave.
Since Irwin’s ouster in June, Vest and fellow executive vice president Simon Barnes have been retaining interim responsibility for day-to-day operations. Vest is currently the executive vice president of Global Scripture Ministries for the American Bible Society.
