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The Chief of the Staff: Commissioner Barry C. Swanson
 Commissioner Barry C. Swanson took office as the Chief of the Staff on 1 May 2010. Commissioner E. Sue Swanson became the World Secretary for Women’s Ministries on the same date. As the Chief of the Staff, Commissioner Swanson is second-in-command of the worldwide Salvation Army and chief administrative officer for The Salvation Army International Headquarters located in London, England.
Immediately preceding this appointment, the Swansons led the USA Central Territory. Since 1 October 2008, as Territorial Commander, Commissioner Barry Swanson was the administrative and ecclesiastical leader of The Salvation Army in 11 Midwestern states, including more than 1,200 active and retired officers, 265 corps and almost 2,000 other centres of operation. Prior to being territorial commander, he held other territorial, national and international appointments. Especially memorable were the 16 years he served as a corps officer in various locations in the Central Territory.
Commissioner Barry Swanson is a native of Chicago, Illinois, having attended Northern Illinois University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing. In 1975 he married Sue Miller. They entered the College for Officer Training in 1976 and were commissioned as officers in 1978. Lieutenant and Mrs Swanson were appointed to corps work in Michigan, continuing in this sphere of ministry for another twelve years.
In 1990 he attended The Salvation Army’s International College for Officers (ICO) in London, England, where he underwent a specialised course of study with other Salvation Army officers from 26 countries. Commissioner Sue Swanson also had the opportunity in 2000 to grow in her faith in Christ with other officers at ICO.
In June 1990 Captain and Mrs Swanson were then appointed to Heartland Divisional Headquarters followed by another corps appointment prior to becoming the divisional leaders of the Heartland Division in August 1995, at the same time being promoted to the rank of major.
In July 1999 the Swansons’ officer experience was further widened on being appointed to territorial headquarters in Chicago with promotion to lieut-colonel. This was followed by an appointment with promotion, to the USA National Headquarters, Alexandria, in July 2006, when Colonel Barry Swanson was made the National Chief Secretary, and Colonel Sue Swanson the National Secretary for Women’s Ministries.
In July 2007 the Swansons were promoted to the rank of commissioner and received overseas appointments. Commissioner Barry Swanson became the International Secretary for the Americas and Caribbean Department, while Commissioner Sue Swanson was appointed as the Zonal Secretary for Women’s Ministries at International Headquarters, London, England. Just one year later in October 2008 Commissioners Swanson returned to the United States to assume their appointments as territorial leaders of the USA Central Territory.
Commissioner Sue Swanson testifies that she has found meaningful ministry in all her varied appointments but, like her husband, especially cherishes their early corps leadership roles since she is strongly pastoral at heart. Born in Ohio, the commissioner is a fifth-generation Salvationist. She earned a degree in social welfare from Asbury College (now Asbury University) in Wilmore, Kentucky. After graduating from college she opened a crisis centre for runaway teenage girls in Chicago before marrying Barry and entering the College for Officer Training.
The Swansons have four adult children and two granddaughters.
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