By Ken Camp
A former CEO of Buckner International and former president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas has involuntarily become a former senior vice president of Baylor University.
Ken Hall, who has served as senior vice president for development and strategic initiatives at the Waco, Texas, school since January 2013, “no longer will be serving at Baylor,” President Ken Starr announced in a letter to the university’s faculty and staff.
Hall ceased to be employed by Baylor at the conclusion of homecoming weekend, Starr wrote in a Nov. 4 letter announcing the “unfortunate news.”
In his letter, Starr offered no reason for Hall’s dismissal. Lori Fogleman, assistant vice president for media communications at Baylor, said the university does not comment on personnel matters.
“I was notified Friday afternoon [Oct. 31] that my services no longer would be needed,” Hall said, adding he received official written notice Monday, Nov. 3, and he was terminated without cause. “It’s been a wonderful couple of years at Baylor, and I am grateful for the experience. The judge [Starr] obviously felt he needed to go in another direction.”
Hall served on the 10-member presidential search advisory committee that helped bring Starr to the university. Starr also noted Hall’s time as a BGCT-elected member of Baylor’s board of regents “where he served with great distinction” before accepting the senior vice president’s position.
“He has been a wise counselor to all his executive council colleagues, especially in regard to Texas Baptist life,” Starr wrote. “He effectively reorganized and refocused our university development office, and his energy and creativity have helped Baylor reach historic milestones in private giving. In short, Ken Hall has made a positive and enduring impact on Baylor University. For his many talents and his able service to Baylor University, we are immensely grateful.”
Hall expressed appreciation to his colleagues on Baylor’s executive council and the university’s development staff.
“It’s been a wonderful experience,” Hall said. “Baylor is a great, great place doing kingdom business.”
Hall served as president and CEO of Buckner International from 1994 to 2010 and as CEO there from 2010 until his retirement in April 2012.
He was elected to a one-year term as BGCT president in 2003.
A Louisiana native, Hall earned a bachelor of science degree from the University of Texas at Tyler and master of divinity and doctor of ministry degrees from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. He also is an honorary alumnus of Baylor’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary and received an honorary doctor of divinity degree from Dallas Baptist University.
Hall and his wife, Linda, have two grown children, Kevin and Kayce.