Thornwell Announces Tenth President and CEO, Rev. Myron W. Wilkins, MSW
Thornwell, a non-profit organization committed to the most innovative and effective solutions to help children and families in need across Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina, will soon welcome its new President and Chief Executive Officer. The Board of Trustees has selected Rev. Myron W. Wilkins, MSW as Thornwell’s 10th president and CEO, effective April 1.
Wilkins is an accomplished leader with more than 25 years of diverse experience as a nonprofit executive, social worker, and ordained minister. He most recently served as Executive Director for Greensboro Urban Ministry in Greensboro, North Carolina. Wilkins is a leadership consultant and has served as a senior staff leader and board executive for Missions Door, an international Christian mission agency headquartered in Denver, Colorado.
“Myron combines years of successfully and pragmatically managing family welfare and outreach non-profits, knowledge of the environment in which Thornwell operates, a graduate degree in social work tempered by years of hands-on experience, and an engaging and perceptive personality. His entire career has been one of generating and expanding ways to help folks wherever they are in life’s journey,” said Craig Garner, Thornwell’s Board Chairman. “He will continue Thornwell’s development of outstanding state of the art programs and services that address peoples’ needs, both big and small. He will do this, and more, while cementing diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout Thornwell’s operations.”
A passionate servant leader, Wilkins has spent his career serving children, adults and families experiencing poverty, homelessness, and hunger, in addition to directly leading a foster care and residential services agency for youth and families in crisis. Wilkins has often served bi-vocationally as a social worker and a pastor/missionary throughout his career and brings with him success in outreach and development and a passion for relationship building. As Thornwell looks to celebrate 150 years in 2025, Wilkins is poised to lead the ministry into its next exciting chapter – one that fully embraces the cornerstone of its Christian faith and believes in communities in which all people can experience both life and love in abundance.
“I am both humbled and honored to be selected as Thornwell’s 10th President. With a commitment to Christian values and a cutting-edge Continuum of Care, Thornwell is well positioned to build upon its legacy as a premier child and family ministry throughout Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and beyond,” said Wilkins. “Standing on the shoulders of those who have served before me, I look forward to serving as Thornwell’s next senior leader. I am excited to be part of Thornwell’s next season of fruitful ministry.”
Thornwell Executive Vice President, Lindy Scott, will continue to serve as Interim President until Mr. Wilkins’ arrival. As previously announced this past summer, Reverend Elliott Smith retired as Thornwell’s 9th President and CEO after a decade of helping drive the ministry’s overall strategy and vision. A nationwide search for Smith’s successor began in August of 2021.
