Honoring Mrs. Shirley Cadle on Her Retirement
A Ministry in the Finance Department
Much like many of our students, Mrs. Shirley Cadle answered a call to ministry that did not look quite like you might expect. She went to college to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. As the wife of a Nazarene pastor, Shirley set out to support her husband in the “primary ministry” of the household by doing excellent work in the business world.
For years, she served in a variety of accounting positions, ending as the Director of Business Services in the Baraboo K-12 School District in Wisconsin. Here she could minister to families and coworkers with her financial skills, as well as to the church members and community outside of work.
Then in 2009, Nazarene Bible College began looking for a Director of Business Services who could eventually step into the role of Vice President for Finance, and former Wisconsin District Superintendent Laurel Matson knew just the person to recommend. Shirley and Bruce Cadle arrived at NBC in December 2009.
This is truly a position of ministry in the Finance Department. At NBC, Shirley’s job was to make the processes and projects of those around her possible – and as she stretched into her new role, she found ways to improve efficiency and productivity. She worked with students on payment plans and advocated for employees, spending much time and energy to get the best possible pay and benefits for NBC faculty and staff.
In recent years, Shirley has shared her expertise by serving on the ABHE (Association for Biblical Higher Education) Finance Review Team. This group carefully and prayerfully works with ABHE institutions to achieve better financial stability and to strengthen their ministry.
Shirley’s example as a woman in ministry has been clear positive in the years she has served as Vice President for Finance at NBC. She began with a solid education, dedicated herself to the work of an accountant in public education, helped churches and the local district with financial audits, and gained experience leading a team, all while serving with her husband in the local church. By the time God called her to NBC, she had the reputation and background to lead with confidence.
This leadership has been very significant. When the decision was made to close the campus and move most of the team to the Global Ministry Center in Lenexa, Kansas, Shirley’s to-do list included selling the property (including seven buildings and all their contents), appreciating the departing staff, overseeing hiring of all-new staff in a distant city, transferring the NBC library, and a million other details. She went from overseeing five departments while on campus to managing 5 staff members. That is a tremendous reorganization!
College President Scott Sherwood expressed his appreciation: “Shirley’s thoughtful articulation of the budget is hard to dispute. We are blessed to have had someone so faithful to Christian ethics, skilled in leadership and business finance, and dedicated to Nazarene Bible College!”
Shirley, congratulations on your retirement! We appreciate you and pray God will continue to bless and guide your life.
Published: 06/28/2024
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