CHICAGO — McCormick Theological Seminary President Frank M. Yamada has accepted the position of Executive Director of the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) and will begin in that role on July 1. He has announced that he will resign as President of McCormick effective June 30, 2017.

Dr. Yamada came to McCormick in 2008 as Associate Professor of Hebrew Bible and Director of the Center for Asian American Ministries. In 2011 he was elected as McCormick’s tenth president, the first Asian American to lead a Presbyterian Church (USA) seminary. His tenure has been marked by increasing diversity in McCormick’s student body and creative engagement with the shifting realities of theological education.

As the accrediting body for graduate schools of theology in the United States and Canada, the Association of Theological Schools represents its member schools in promoting “the improvement and enhancement of theological schools to the benefit of communities of faith and the broader public.” Dr. Yamada has been a member of the ATS Board since 2014.

Dean of the Faculty and Vice President of Academic Affairs Ted Hiebert says of Yamada, “Frank has provided the powerful vision that has led McCormick to become a leader in preparing women and men to serve a church and a world which are increasingly diverse, ecumenical, and urban.  He is an important voice in a church seeking to be newly reformed. We will miss him at McCormick and we give him our full support as he brings these same gifts to theological education on a national scale.”

“David is the ideal choice to serve McCormick as its interim president in this moment of transition,” states Hiebert. “David knows McCormick inside and out, having served an extended term on its Board of Trustees, and as its CBO he has masterfully led McCormick toward stronger financial stability. Even more important, McCormick’s mission is close to his heart. He has a broad vision for the seminary and a deep commitment to its future.”

About McCormick Theological Seminary
McCormick Theological Seminary is one of twelve schools related to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and is an accredited member of the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) in the United States and Canada and the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The seminary, located among the Hyde Park cluster of theological schools, including the University of Chicago, is affiliated with the Association of Chicago Theological Schools (ACTS). A progressive leader in the Reformed tradition, McCormick equips, encourages, challenges, and energizes diverse women and men of all denominations hungry for a more just world and on fire to participate and lead in its Holy transformation. We are committed to rigorous academic study, practical experience, spiritual formation and community life, advancing a model that is cross-cultural, urban, and ecumenical.

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