Family medical needs prompt departure from India
Ron Watts, president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s Southern Asia Division, resigned from his position last month due to family health concerns. He is currently residing in the United States with his wife Dorothy.
“With deep regret, with counsel and with prayer we decided that I should tender my resignation from the division officer assignment,” Watts said. “I will continue to serve as division president until another person is elected to this role… [and] until that person reports for duty.”
Watts held the position of division president for the India, Nepal, Maldives, and Bhutan regions from 1997 until his resignation this year. Prior to serving as division president, Watts spent 16 years in India working in different capacities. He also worked at the Review and Herald Publishing Association in Hagerstown, Maryland, United States, as the editor of Celebration magazine, and at the world church headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland, as the director of volunteers.
The Southern Asia Division executive committee will meet September 9 to elect a new division president. The candidate chosen by the division executive committee must also be voted in by the executive committee of the world church at its next regular meeting, which will be held October 10 to 15 in Manila, Philippines.
Watts said he plans to continue working for the church in another assignment after the transition from president is complete.