NAE Names Former Salvation Army Official to Post

By Lillian Kwon, Christian Post Reporter Friday, January 19, 2007

Correction appended

The National Association of Evangelicals named a former top official of The Salvation Army as its executive director this week.

Under new leadership at the NAE, W. Todd Basset, former national commander of the Army, was appointed as a well known and respected leader among evangelicals and other religious groups, according to NAE interim president Leith Anderson.

"Todd Basset brings the highest level of leadership and experience to his new position," Anderson said in a statement. "I am thrilled to have him join our leadership team."

Basset has served on the association's Executive Committee for four years as a representative of The Salvation Army – a member organization of the NAE.

"As former National Commander of The Salvation Army, one of the premier service organizations in the world, Todd will bring a wealth of experience to this new role," said Rich Cizik, vice president for Governmental Affairs, in a statement. "We all look forward to working with him. He's a man of great integrity and spiritual stature."

In the aftermath of former NAE head Ted Haggard's sex and drug scandal, Anderson, senior pastor of a Minnesota megachurch, brought stability to the association, much like he did the first time he served as interim president six years ago to fix the group's finances and management.

While there was no executive director under Haggard, Anderson decided to appoint one. Basset was chosen to oversee NAE's administrative, financial and communications functions and help formulate and implement organizational vision and strategy, according to the announcement.

"I've watched first hand his handling of a national crisis, the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the devastation it wreaked, and can say that the credit The Salvation Army received for its splendid response, can in part be given to his leadership," said Cizik. "Moreover, Todd has a special burden for the poor and he'll be able to lend his commitment and experience to this aspect of our governmental affairs work."

Basset was national commander of The Salvation Army from 2002 to April 2006. He served with his wife Carol in the Army for nearly 42 years, including two years at the Army's international headquarters in London.

Correction: Friday, January 19, 2007

An article on Friday, January 19, 2007, about the appointment of the National Association of Evangelicals' new executive director incorrectly identified the Rev. Leith Anderson as the NAE president. The Christian Post confirmed with Wooddale Church in Eden Prairie, Minn., where Anderson serves as pastors, that Anderson is still the interim president of the association and that the NAE is still in the process of finding a replacement.