When Richard Stearns was offered the presidency of World Vision—one of America’s largest charity organizations—20 years ago, he felt he was unqualified. But in two decades under his leadership, World Vision’s annual revenue has grown to more than $1 billion and is destined to serve more than 30 million children by 2022.
Stearns, who came from the business world with almost no experience in humanitarian or parachurch affairs, announced he will retire at the end of 2018. World Vision is searching for a new CEO and Stearns will stay on until his successor is named.
“I feel privileged to have had this opportunity to serve with some of the most amazing faith heroes on the planet—my colleagues all across the world,” Stearns tweeted.
Stearns took over the World Vision helm in 1998 after 23 years in the private sector as CEO of Parker Brothers Games (maker of Monopoly) and Lenox (manufacturers of fine china, and crystal). He voiced his concern about assuming responsibility for World Vision at the time, describing the task in these terms: “You’re looking for somebody who’s part CEO, part Mother Teresa, and part Indiana Jones. I don’t think that’s me.”
In a Christianity Today podcast, he said “But it was almost as if God was saying, ‘I got this. You were obedient. I’m going to work this. Watch and see what I’m going to do with your obedience.’”
During his tenure, World Vision has responded to natural disasters, human trafficking, global poverty, famine, water sanitation issues and the refugee crisis.
Leith Anderson, president of the National Association of Evangelicals, told Christianity Today. “Rich Stearns put compassion over career, leaving business leadership to serve the poor and vulnerable. His Christian faith has been strong and practical from the boardroom to backwaters of the world. Truly a man of world vision.”
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