Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
University names interim president
CHARLESTOWN >> The University of Valley Forge Board of Trustees announced Monday that Byron Klaus accepted the position of interim president of the school, effective July 1. Klaus will follow legacyleader Don Meyer and assist the search for the next president.
“We are very excited to welcome Dr. Klaus to the University of Valley Forge,” Dan Mortensen, executive vice president and vice president of development, said in a news release. “A person of integrity and wisdom, Dr. Klaus brings decades of presidential leadership in higher education that will be beneficial to the University of Valley Forge.”
The announcement comes after Meyer announced he and his wife will take a one-year sabbatical with full pay and benefits as a gift from the university’s board of trustees, effective July 1, 2016, before saying goodbye to the school July 1, 2017 after 19 years of service.
Klaus served as president of the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary from 1999–2015. Previously, he served for 20 years on the faculty and
administration at Vanguard University of Southern California. While at Vanguard, he also served as vice president for Latin America
ChildCare, a child development ministry that focuses on attaining quality education and serves over 100,000 children in 21 nations in Latin America and the Caribbean, according to a news release.
Klaus’ scholarly work includes publications and
books published by Baker Book House, Moody Press and Logion Press, according to a news release. He is co-editor of nonfiction works, “Called and Empowered: Pentecostal Mission in Global Perspective” and “The Globalization of Pentecostalism: A Religion
Made to Travel.” His commentary on faith and culture is distributed as the “Prez Release” and his radio spots and articles have been released in a series called “That’s the Way I See It,” the releases states.
Following his successful tenure at the Assemblies
of God Theological Seminary, Dr. Klaus returned to his role as vice president of Latin America ChildCare. In addition, he gives considerable time serving as an advisor to university and seminary presidents, and globally in leadership development, the release states.
“The Board of Trustees has selected an outstanding person to provide solid leadership during this time of transition,” Mortensen said in the release.
Klaus and his wife, Lois, will arrive to campus in the coming weeks, according to the release.