President Steve Orian Retires

Shreveport, La. » Stephen Orian graduated from Southwestern Adventist College in 1972 and was sponsored to the Seminary by the Texas Conference. In 1974 he began pastoring in the Texas Conference where he worked for 13 years. In the summer of 1987, Orian began a seven-year stint to pastor for the Arkansas-Louisiana Conference. He was then asked by the Arkansas-Louisiana Conference Constituency to become the Conference Executive Secretary. After serving as secretary,  he was invited to be President of the Dakota Conference, where he served until 2001, when he  returned to the Arkansas-Louisiana Conference as President.

During the nearly-17 years of being President for Arkansas-Louisiana Conference, Orian has shown invaluable leadership with conference policy, conference building projects, and with conference evangelism. Some of the completed building projects consist of 20 new cabins and a remodeling of the cafeteria, the lodge, the motel, and Town Hall at Camp Yorktown Bay. A Convention Center was built in Hammond, Louisiana that was first used as a warehouse during the Katrina Hurricane cleanup. Since then it has served as a Camp Meeting site for Southern Louisiana and a retreat for churches and youth rallies. The budget for evangelism has more than tripled in the last few years and membership has surpassed 13,000.

Orian has been a kind, considerate, and friendly person, who has been approachable and open to work with. He has become a lifelong friend to many of the pastors that have worked under his leadership and will be missed. He and his wife, Micki, are currently planning to stay in Shreveport, La., and look forward to enjoying retirement and visiting with their grandchildren.

By Sylvia Downs, Communication Secretary