DALLAS (BP)–Trustees of the Annuity Board of the Southern Baptist Convention used their Nov. 3 evening dinner as a time of tribute to Paul W. Powell who stepped down as president on Sept. 30, 1997.
Five speakers spoke to Powell on various facets of the theme, “Thanks.”
W. Gordon Hobgood Jr., executive vice president and chief operating officer, addressed the former president with “Thanks for staff leadership.” Gary R. Cook, president of Dallas Baptist University, said “Thanks for institutional ministry.” William M. Pinson Jr., executive director of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, delivered “Thanks for denominational statesmanship.” J.L. (Sonny) Williams, a Texas trustee and president of Minyard Food Stores, Inc., spoke on “Thanks for trustee relations.” O.S. Hawkins, Powell’s successor as president and chief executive officer, closed the tributes with the topic, “Thanks for tomorrow.”
Trustee chairman Timothy E. Head told Powell, the board’s president from 1990-97, that current and former trustees who served with him have contributed nearly $10,000 to establish the Paul W. Powell Endowment for the board’s Adopt An Annuitant ministry.
Earlier in the day, trustees adopted a resolution memorializing Albert Lee Smith Jr., an Alabama trustee who died Aug. 12 following a home accident the previous day. The resolution paid tribute to Smith’s church and civic service and to his support of the Adopt An Annuitant ministry.
