December 11, 2000

Graham succession finalized
___MINNEAPOLIS (RNS)--Fifty years after founding the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, the famous evangelist has turned over the role of chief executive officer to his son Franklin.
___At the Nov. 17 annual meeting of the association's board of directors, the elder Graham reiterated he does not plan to retire and intends to lead crusades next year. He chaired the board meeting at which the unanimous decision was made for his son to assume the CEO position.
___"I'm not retiring, but I now want to turn over the administrative and management burden of running the organization to my son, who has proven to be a great leader in running the Samaritan's Purse ministry and in working closely with our organization," Billy Graham said.
___The 82-year-old evangelist, who founded the association in 1950, will continue to serve as chairman of the board. Franklin Graham, 48, will retain his position of first vice chairman, which was created in 1995 and made him the eventual successor to his father as leader of the association. The younger Graham, who also is an evangelist, will continue to work as chairman and CEO of Samaritan's Purse.
___John Corts will serve as president of the association, a post he has held since 1992, and will continue to lead the operation of the association from Minneapolis.

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