Former CBA President and CEO Bill Anderson has broken his silence concerning his sudden departure from the organization after more than 30 years.

The longtime leader of the retailers group said that a leadership transition committee had been working behind the scenes for the past few years prior to his abrupt October resignation.

Careful planning had been underway for several, "but in the context of the October board meeting, it became evident that I should resign," he writes in a guest column in the April issue of CBA's Retailers + Resources magazine.

"The decision was not made in haste, although it was quick and immediate," he added. "Sometimes God's hand of direction cannot be explained or predicted. But His grace prepares, and His Spirit leads."

Anderson-who served CBA for 31 years, 24 of them as its leader-has since begun a consulting service to help CEOs and associations. "I'm excited the Lord is directing me to use my knowledge, skills, abilities, training and experience to help my colleagues succeed and grow," he writes.

Anderson says that CBA was "in the good hands of board leadership and a strong staff-lean, keen and capable." "I urge you to work together support your new leaders and be active members in CBA." He encourages readers to "keep on keeping on" in their "high and holy calling" and "sacred trust to take His Word deep into the marketplace."

CBA announced last month that it would not be filling Anderson's role, instead shifting its management and leadership style and appointing Curtis Riskey as executive director. Riskey had served in the position in an interim role since Anderson's resignation.

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