A major era in the Christian products industry has ended with the sudden departure of the longtime head of the Christian retailers organization, Bill Anderson.

His resignation as president and CEO of CBA after almost a quarter-century caught many by surprise when it was announced by the Colorado Springs, Colo.-based group Oct. 30. No reason was given for his leaving.

CBA Chairman-elect George Thomsen said that Anderson's "vision, statesmanship and Christian witness" had been "key components in the growth of Christian retail."

Jim Whitaker, CBA board chairman and owner of New Life Christian Stores in Lynchburg, Va., resigned at the same time, citing the increased time demands that would come along with managing the transition process.

In its formal statement announcing the changes, CBA said that Anderson's successor would be named "at a later time," with the association's work continuing under the leadership of Thomsen, the board executive committee and the staff leadership team.

Joining CBA in 1978 as the association's first full-time convention manager, Anderson became president in 1985 and led the association through Christian retailing's boom years, which saw attendance for the organization's summer show peak at almost 15,000 in 1999.

Since then, with increased competition from multiple channels, CBA has seen a slew of member-store closures and falling attendance at the International Christian Retail Show (ICRS). CBA replaced its dwindling winter trade show in 2006 with an industry conference, ending that this year.

At its peak, CBA had a staff of around 50. The organization has cut its workforce twice this year, losing longtime Chief Financial Officer Dorothy Gore in May and more recently trimming its full-time staff to 10. ICRS 2010 is due to be in St. Louis, June 27-30.

Thomsen welcomed prayer for the association as the search began for a replacement for Anderson, aged 61. "I have been hearing from people that are behind CBA and actively praying for us," he told Christian Retailing. "I really think that is the call to our industry—that we work together as stewards of what is God's industry."

Thomsen said that no timeline had been set for the appointment. "That is something we need to look at, but we want to make sure that we don't rush."

He said that the CBA board would be reviewing its ownership of the association's headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colo., as part of its deliberations. "We are looking into our options there," he said of the facility into which CBA moved in 2000.

"We do have tenants that rent space, but we are looking at the options that we have before us," said Thomsen. "We are looking at anything and everything that makes sense to make sure that we are efficient in providing the space we need to operate our staff."

Additionally, he said further consideration might be given to possibly working more closely with other trade organizations such as the Gospel Music Association (GMA), where former President John Styll recently stepped down as part of a cost-cutting effort to keep the group alive.

"The consortium could be a good thing if we can figure out if there are ways we can do things as different organizations more efficiently and still maintain our identities and serve our constituencies," Thomsen said. "People might be open to that."

Thomsen said that Anderson had "left the association with a strong staff" and was "assisting us with the transition." CBA was "a financially viable organization," he said. "We are solvent and we have made adjustments as most people have in our industry to keep things that way."

Ed Leonard, GMA board chairman and Daywind Music Group president, said the organization "is always looking for ways to work closely with CBA."

"As an organization, we are currently working with them on Christian Store Day to be held in October 2010 as well as being their source for great music talent at ICRS through our Power of Music event," he said. "Several of our members are participating in their frontliner training platform and on CBA-exclusive product, which is a proven traffic-driver to the stores."

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