World Renew DRS Has New Director

Ronald Willett recently began his job as director of Disaster Response Services (DRS) for World Renew, stepping into the role as the previous director, Bill Adams, retires after 11 years in the position.

Willett comes to World Renew from a 35-year career with the Boy Scouts of America where he served in a variety of positions in a half-dozen locations across the U.S.

“It’s been great to overlap with Bill in the last two months,” Willett says. “I’m looking forward to continuing to work with the staff and especially the wonderful volunteers of DRS. What could be better than showing God's love to people who are experiencing a disaster?”

One of Willett’s first events happened on July 6 right in Grand Rapids where an EF-1 tornado touched down and traveled through a southern suburb at around 10:30 p.m., uprooting trees and damaging homes.

Willett said he was checking with Christian Reformed and Reformed Church in America congregations in the area to see if DRS can offer assistance.

Adams was also busy from the start. He began managing the program in 2003 when Hurricane Isabel hit the Carolinas and a couple of years later, Hurricanes Katrina and Ike slammed into the Gulf Coast.

During his tenure, World Renew DRS expanded the scope of its work, developing a relationship with the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security’s Office of Faith-Based Initiatives, and added a one-week group volunteer program.

Adams also oversaw responses to wildfires in Slave Lake, Alberta, flooding in Alaska, storms in American Samoa, and many other disasters where survivors were unable to recover due to physical, financial or other limitations.

When asked for his parting words, Adams spoke about relationships with others and with God.

“World Renew DRS is made up of a great team of paid staff and volunteers, and it's been my privilege to lead them over the last eleven years,” Adams said.

“Ron Willett will be picking up where I left off, and will do a great job. Thanks to all of our supporters. Please keep Ron and the team in your prayers in the months and years ahead, as they continue to help the most vulnerable who have suffered through disasters. To God be the glory for all that is accomplished.

Willett begins as director as World Renew DRS is developing a closer working relationship with the RCA and improving connections to long-term development efforts in low-income communities where DRS responds to disasters.

“As I begin working with World Renew, I am encouraged by the wonderful work DRS is doing to compassionately help families recover from disasters,” Willett said.

Willett and his spouse, Diane, live in Grandville, Mich., where they attend South Grandville CRC. They have three adult children, two who are married and one engaged to be married, who live in the West Michigan area.