Bob Bottoms to Be Interim Dean and President

Seabury's vice chair, Anne Lea Tuohy, sent this letter today to her fellow board members, alums, and friends of the seminary. We are delighted that Bob Bottoms has agreed to lead Seabury for the next 18 months!

November 16, 2009

Dear Friends:

In light of Gary Hall’s appointment as rector of Christ Church Cranbrook, the board’s executive committee met on Friday and again this morning to discuss an interim leadership plan for Seabury-Western. I am delighted to announce that Board Chair Bob Bottoms has agreed to serve as Seabury’s interim dean and president from January 1, 2010 until June 30, 2011.

As you know, Bob retired in July 2008 after 22 years as president of DePauw University. He holds a bachelor degree from Birmingham-Southern College, a bachelor of divinity degree from Emory University, and a doctorate from Vanderbilt University. His career in higher education began when he was appointed chaplain and assistant to the president at Birmingham-Southern College. He was later assistant dean and assistant professor of church and ministry at Vanderbilt Divinity School. In 1978, Bob became vice president for university relations at DePauw; he also held the post of executive vice president there before being named president in 1986.

In addition to his work at Seabury, Bob also serves on the board of the Joyce Foundation in Chicago and has been a consultant to the Lilly Endowment, the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations and the Fund for Theological Education. He has written articles and opinion pieces for The New York Times, The Indianapolis Star and the Chicago Tribune. He and his wife, Gwen Vickers Bottoms, are active members of Trinity Episcopal Church in Bloomington, Indiana.

We could not ask for a more dedicated and qualified leader to serve Seabury in this transition. On behalf of the entire executive committee, I am deeply grateful to Bob for his leadership and commitment to Seabury’s vision of being what’s next in theological education.

Faithfully,


Anne Lea Tuohy
Vice Chair, Board of Trustees