Delegates of the 59th General Conference Session of the Seventh-day Adventist Church voted Tuesday to appoint Williams S. Costa Jr. as director of the world church's Communication department. He replaces Rajmund Dabrowski, who served in the post since 1994.

Delegates also received the names of 10 nominees for various associate director positions, but a delegate recommended the list be sent back to committee postponing a vote on it.

Julie Weslake, a delegate from the South Pacific region, is expected to appear before the nominating committee to explain her request.

Costa, who has been associate communication director since 2007, previously served in the South American region as television production manager, director of Adventist satellite television and Communication department director, said Cindy Tutsch, the Nominating Committee's recording secretary.

The nominees for associate director of the General Conference departments are:

--Children's Ministries: Saustin K. Mfune, president of the Malawi Union, who has served in youth and children's ministries in various capacities.

--Adventist Chaplaincy Ministries: Mario E. Ceballos, who served as vice president for the Kettering Health Network and has been associate director for Chaplaincy Ministries since 2008.

--Women's Ministries: Raquel Arrais, the incumbent, who has been associate director for Women's Ministries since 2005.

--Sabbath School and Personal Ministries: Gary Swanson, the incumbent, who has served as associate director of the department since 2005.

--Health Ministries: Dr. Kathleen Kuntaraf, the incumbent, who became an associate director in 1996 and Dr. Peter Landless, who has served in the post since 2000. The committee also nominated Fred Hardinge, a registered dietician who has served as an associate health ministries director in the Upper Columbia Conference and helped launch BibleInfo.com.

--Publishing Department: Wilmar Hirle, the incumbent since 2005.

--Department of Public Affairs and Religious Liberty: Barry Bussey, incumbent since 2009, and James Standish, incumbent since 2003.