A special members meeting held at Laidlaw College on Friday (July 30) overwhelmingly ratified a motion from the college's National Governing Council to appoint Dr Thompson. NGC chairman Graham Burt told members Dr Thompson had been a stand-out candidate from among a large pool of applicants - the largest number of candidates ever to have shown interest in the position.

"When Rod articulated his ideas around the implementation and facilitation of the vision that the college has been building over the past six years, I could see that vision coming to life," Mr Burt said.

"He was able to show us how the dream could become the reality, in a stunning way. "The important thing for the NGC was that the new principal would not begin a new vision - we have been building the vision for some years, but the focus now is on its implementation, and on the Laidlaw College graduate."

Dr Thompson said he and wife Rosanne were looking forward to being involved in the shaping of lives "in faithful response to the gospel, for incisive engagement with culture in New Zealand."

"One of the things that excites us most is the opportunity to form close relationships with church leaders and communities throughout New Zealand and the Pacific region," Dr Thompson said.

Dr Thompson will begin a five-year term as principal from September 20, replacing Dr Mark Strom, who ends his term as principal/CEO on September 10.

Dr Thompson has a PhD in education from Macquarie University and has been a key figure in Christian education in Australia and New Zealand. His most recent publication is "The World is Your Playground: Competing Stories of Gospel and Globalized Adventure" in the Goheen and Glanville collection of essays, "The Gospel and Globalization" (Regent Publishing, 2010).

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