Richard Stearns served as the president of World Vision United States, an international Christian relief charity located in Federal Way, Washington, from 1998 to 2018.
Biography
Stearns earned a bachelor's degree from Cornell University, where he was a member of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity and studied neurobiology. He also holds an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. His professional career began in marketing with the Gillette Company in Boston. From 1977 to 1985, he worked in various roles with Parker Brothers, ending with his appointment as president in 1984. In 1985, he became a vice president at The Franklin Mint, then joined Lenox in 1987 as the president of Lenox Collections. In 1995, Stearns was named president and chief executive officer of Lenox, Inc., responsible for managing three divisions, six manufacturing facilities, 4,000 employees, and $500 million in annual sales. He left Lenox in June 1998 when he became president of World Vision.
As president of World Vision Inc., Stearns managed U.S. operations, which included advocacy, fundraising, and program development. He focused on the organization's global efforts to address the AIDS crisis.
Career
Stearns began his professional career in marketing with the Gillette Company in Boston. From 1977 to 1985, he worked at Parker Brothers in different positions, and in 1984, he became president. In 1985, he joined The Franklin Mint as a vice president. He started working at Lenox in 1987 as president of Lenox Collections. In 1995, he was named president and CEO of Lenox, Inc., where he managed three divisions, six manufacturing facilities, 4,000 employees, and $500 million in annual sales.
In June 1998, Stearns left Lenox to become president of World Vision U.S., a nonprofit international relief agency based in Federal Way, Washington. As president, he was responsible for U.S. operations, including advocacy, fundraising, and program development. He focused on the organization’s global efforts to address the AIDS crisis.
During his presidency, the organization’s annual revenue grew to over $1 billion as it expanded its work to help more children worldwide.
Stearns led World Vision from 1998 to 2018, when he retired. He now serves as President Emeritus.
Perspectives
Stearns made important contributions by urging American churches to address the global AIDS crisis in the early 2000s. His first book, The Hole in Our Gospel, had a large impact and won the Evangelical Publisher’s Association 2010 Book of the Year award. Later in his time working with the church, Stearns strongly encouraged churches to help with the global refugee crisis and to follow Jesus’ example by supporting people in difficult situations worldwide, especially by helping children in need.
In 2014, World Vision U.S. said it would hire Christians who are married to people of the same sex. After facing protests from donors and the broader evangelical community, World Vision changed its decision two days later.
Publications
Stearns has written opinion articles about global poverty and AIDS for important U.S. newspapers and magazines. He has also appeared on television networks such as CNN, Fox, ABC, NBC, and PBS. For example, he wrote an article titled “Evangelicals and the Case for Foreign Aid” for The Wall Street Journal and another titled “The Face of America Should Meet the Face of Poverty” for the Seattle Times.
In 2009, Stearns released his bestselling book The Hole in Our Gospel. The book encourages Christians to care for others and discusses how global poverty is managed and how it needs to be fixed. Stearns urges people to help by using their time, skills, and money. The book was named the 2010 Christian Book of the Year.
In March 2021, Stearns published another book titled Lead Like it Matters to God with InterVarsity Press. In this book, he states that “success is overrated” and explains 17 important values that can help leaders and their organizations improve.