AUSTIN, Texas – Ken Hall, chief executive officer of Buckner International since 1994, announced his retirement from the Dallas-based organization during a July 22 meeting of the board of trustees. His retirement is effective April 30, 2012, when President Albert Reyes will assume the CEO title.

[caption id="attachment_3808" align="alignleft" width="100" caption="Dr. Kenneth L. Hall"][/caption]

Hall, who was elected to the position in 1993, served as president/CEO of Buckner until 2010, when Reyes was elected president. Hall has continued serving as CEO. With his retirement, board members named Hall president emeritus as of May 1.

During Hall’s tenure at the helm of Buckner, the organization grew into one of the nation’s showcase social service organizations, serving more than 400,000 people annually through an array of services around the world. He oversaw the expansion of Buckner to include more than $200 million in capital improvements and in 2008, the Buckner endowment topped $200 million. Today, Buckner lists total assets of more than $400 million.

Along with the capital growth and improvements, Hall guided Buckner to expand its services beyond the borders of Texas and the United States by launching the organization’s international ministry arm in 1996. In addition, Buckner Retirement Services grew exponentially under Hall and today, BRS is the largest not-for-profit senior living organization in Texas, according to a recent report by Ziegler and Company.

Prior to assuming leadership of Buckner, he served as pastor of four Texas Baptist churches. He is a past president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas and is the author of two books.

[caption id="attachment_3811" align="alignright" width="100" caption="Dr. Albert Reyes"][/caption]

Reyes, who becomes CEO May 1, came to Buckner initially as president of Buckner Children and Family Services and in January 2010, he was elected just the sixth president in the 132-year history of Buckner International, succeeding Hall in that role. He came to Buckner from Baptist University of the Américas in San Antonio, where he served as president.

A native of Corpus Christi, Texas, Reyes also served as president of the BGCT and was pastor of three Texas Baptist churches before moving to BUA. He currently serves on the board of the Joint Council on International Children’s Services. He holds two doctorate degrees.

Board Chair Lee Bush of Athens, Texas, said the leadership transition “exemplifies the way Christian ministries should operate. Buckner has been blessed for 132 years with outstanding leaders and both Dr. Hall and Dr. Reyes personify that leadership.”