Adventist Information Ministry (AIM) has been advancing the North American Division’s (NAD) evangelistic efforts since 1982, when it was established on the Andrews University campus in Berrien Springs, Michigan, United States, as an evangelistic contact center for Adventist media ministries. Today, it serves as the division’s epicenter for connecting broadcast and social media interests with local churches through phone and online platforms.

The success of AIM’s recent digital evangelism efforts, namely social media ads for prayer with local churches, preparation for expanded digital outreach with the NAD, and a need to better serve the division's many time zones, has necessitated a larger workforce. AIM primarily employs students as customer service representatives and ministry specialists; thus, leaders decided to open a second campus at Walla Walla University.

Brent Hardinge, AIM director, explained their choice. “We were looking for another campus where we could employ more students. By choosing a school on the West Coast, we get the advantage of the time difference and [staggered academic calendars] to maximize coverage. The office at Walla Walla will operate as an extension of the main office, and [both offices will] work as a unified contact center so callers can reach an agent based in Michigan or Washington.”

The Walla Walla office will be managed by Anthony White, who began his role as AIM’s assistant director for church connect and operations in April 2024. His first objective will be to foster division-wide ministry support and growth opportunities at AIM through collaboration with Walla Walla University. White will help establish AIM’s presence on the WWU campus, including hiring and supervising students.

White will eventually oversee the Adventist Church Connect and Adventist School Connect system, the NAD’s free website services linking community members with their local church and school. Finally, he will collaborate with key stakeholders division-wide to coordinate digital resources for local churches in alignment with the NAD’s emphases: media, multiply, and mentorship.

Most recently, White served as associate communication director for the North Pacific Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists (NPUC). He spearheaded NPUC’s brand strategy, content creation, and digital transformation. Previously, White was the digital director for a successful federal political campaign. He brings more than 11 years of digital marketing and storytelling expertise to this role. White also studied mass communication, focusing on photojournalism, at Walla Walla University, strengthening his storytelling skills.

Hardinge, who selected White for the role after extensive conversations on AIM’s work and future direction, is confident in his choice. “As an experienced Northwest communicator and graduate of Walla Walla, Anthony brings a combination of skills and a growing network to the work of AIM. I knew that starting a new office like this would take someone who can grasp what we are trying to do and take the time to invest in building a network on campus.”

White is game for the challenge. “I’m excited about the opportunity to bridge the digital divide between online faith exploration and local church communities,” he said.

He continued, “I see this role as an opportunity to be a pioneer, establishing strong relationships and building a collaborative foundation between AIM and Walla Walla University, which could lead to innovative projects and a wider impact for church growth and ministry across the division.”

The original article was published on the North American Division website.