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Major Ron Busroe will now lead community relations department.
As the newly appointed community relations and development secretary at The Salvation Army’s National Headquarters, Major Ron Busroe is the Army’s public spokesperson, focusing on raising awareness of Salvation Army social service programs, volunteer opportunities and events throughout the U.S.
“We are happy to have Major Ron Busroe bring his experience and a new perspective to The Salvation Army’s national efforts and to build awareness of the organization and its services,” said Commissioner William Roberts, national commander. “Major Busroe has worked in all levels of The Salvation Army and will be a great leader and communicator for the national headquarters. His skill and experience will help raise awareness for those in need and will be invaluable in highlighting the mission of the Army to more people throughout the country.”
Busroe brings more than 35 years of experience to his new position and looks to strengthen relationships with growing segments of America, including the millennial generation—teenagers and young adults—by heightening the awareness of Salvation Army programs.
For working professionals, Busroe encourages individuals to volunteer on local Salvation Army advisory boards to provide input and guidance on services in the community. On the local level, community members have the ability to provide their unique skills and services to support the mission of The Salvation Army—to meet human need.
“The Salvation Army is in every zip code across the country, with service opportunities for teenagers and young adults, who may not have a lot of money but do have time and determination to help others,” Busroe said. “Through our services, young adults have the chance to change lives by mentoring at Salvation Army extracurricular programs with young kids, serving meals at Salvation Army kitchens, offering support to survivors of disaster emergencies or even ringing a red kettle bell during Christmas.”
Prior to this appointment, Busroe was the director of the Haiti Recovery and Development Office, which coordinated a team of seven Salvation Army officers and directed all post-earthquake recovery and development initiatives in January 2010. Having served in Haiti from 2001 to 2007, Busroe brought experience and familiarity to the extreme issues facing Haiti, and along with the new team, worked closely with donors and other non-government organizations to ensure that all recovery projects incorporated both the needs of the community and the mission of The Salvation Army.
Busroe served in The Salvation Army Southern Territory for 20 years as a corps officer in North Carolina, Georgia and Florida, providing hands on daily social services for people in need. He also served three years as area commander of The Salvation Army in Tulsa, Okla.
“My experiences have led me from providing direct services in his name to people in need throughout the world, to communicating how The Salvation Army provides these services and encouraging others to give back in their communities,” Busroe said. “It’s important to recognize that there are populations within the United States that are not as well off as others, and raising awareness of our services and how people can help—during the Red Kettle Campaign, during disasters, or just year round—is an important challenge.”
Busroe was raised in Louisville, Ky. His first contact with The Salvation Army was as a bell ringer in New York City while a student at Asbury College. He has a bachelor’s degree in history and also studied at Emory University Candler School of Theology. In 1991, Busroe attended the International College for Officers in London. Busroe, along with his wife Major Carol Busroe, were commissioned as officers of The Salvation Army in 1978.
