The College's Director of Communications, Steve Hunt, has been promoted to Vice President for Marketing and will coordinate the marketing and branding of the college and the planning as it relates to the upcoming name change. As a part of this, Hunt will oversee the Communications Office and Campus Facilities area. He is a Western Baptist alumnus ('69) and former Salem business owner, and has worked at the College for 25 years.

Long-time business consultant Jim Sprow will serve as an associate professor in the Business Department. Sprow is a former Economic Development Officer for the city of Seattle, and has also developed a family business. In recent years he has taught business courses at several colleges in Michigan and holds an MBA from Stanford University. He is pursuing a Ph.D. in Investing at Washington State University.

Additionally, Dr. D. Matthew Lucas has been selected to join the teacher education faculty. Lucas will be working closely with Dr. Linda Samek, Chair, Teacher Education, in building the College's first Masters program.

"We're most pleased and excited about the recent changes we've made on campus," said Dr. Bryce Bernard, Vice President for Academics. "Steve and Chris will add positive leadership in their newly assigned areas. With his solid business background and experience Jim will add strength to our growing business program. Also, it's wonderful to have someone of Matt's caliber join us and help build our new Master of Science in Education degree program."

A 1994 Western Baptist graduate, Lucas has been teaching advanced placement courses at Cascade High School

and coaching the varsity boy's soccer team for the past six years. Prior to that, the former NAIA Soccer Academic All-American was an adjunct professor at Idaho State University for two years where he also earned a Master of Arts in English (1996) and completed a Doctor of Arts in English (2003). He has also been serving on WB's Teacher Education Consortium since 2001.

Chris Erickson, Vice President for Business, has been given the additional responsibilty of Planned Giving in conjunction with the College's Development Office. He has worked at WB for three years and previously was Vice President for Finance at Oregon Research and Development Corporation in Salem.