Adventist Risk Management CEO to step down

Robert Kyte addressing the Annual Council church business meeting in Silver Spring, Maryland, last October. Image by ANN

March 2, 2016| Silver Spring, Maryland, United States | Adventist Review staff

Robert E. Kyte, president and chief executive officer of Adventist Risk Management, has announced his retirement from the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Kyte will retire on May 31 to pursue other business interests in Idaho, according to Adventist Risk Management, or ARM, which offers insurance and other solutions for minimizing risks within the Adventist Church.

Kyte will join Healthwise, a Boise-based nonprofit organization that seeks to educate, empower, and engage health-care consumers, on June 1 and become its CEO on July 1, the Idaho Statesman newspaper reported.

“As I look at the current status of ARM, I think ARM is situated for continued excellent service to the Adventist Church and has in place a great leadership team and committed, talented employees to carry forward its mission,” Kyte said in an e-mail to Adventist Risk Management employees. “I feel the time is right to make this change.”

Kyte held several roles at Healthwise, including as its general counsel, from 1990 to 2009. He also has worked 36 years for the Adventist Church, previously serving as president and chief executive officer at the Nampa, Idaho-based Pacific Press Publishing Association and as legal counsel for the General Conference, the administrative body of the Adventist world church.

It was not immediately clear who would replace Kyte at Adventist Risk Management.

Under Kyte’s leadership, Adventist Risk Management and its affiliated Gencon Insurance companies have boosted revenue by 24 percent to $85 million a year, the company said in an emailed statement. It also has expanded its business in Africa, Asia, and South America. In the United States, its health-care department saved $2 million after transitioning church employees in North America to a new healthcare plan.

In addition, Adventist Risk Management has seen an increase in diversity among employees, who represent more than 20 countries. The company does not have a majority ethnicity. Also, more than half of the company’s leadership team in North America is female.

“On behalf of the board of Adventist Risk Management, we wish to express our gratitude for Bob’s service,” said Juan R. Prestol-Puesán, board chair of Adventist Risk Management and treasurer for the Adventist world church.

“He distinguished himself by serving the church effectively and efficiently from a variety of leadership responsibilities over the years,” he said in the statement. “His contributions to the publishing, legal, general administration, and risk management areas during his service have benefited the Adventist Church greatly. We appreciate the commitment, dedication and integrity with which he served.”