Meeting in New Orleans Feb. 15–16, the General Secretaries Table (a group made up of the chief executives of the 13 general agencies of The UMC) unanimously elected Gilbert C. Hanke to serve as convener through the end of the 2009–2012 quadrennium.

Hanke is general secretary of the General Commission on United Methodist Men. He succeeds Neil M. Alexander, president and publisher of The United Methodist Publishing House, who held the post for four years and had earlier announced his intention to step aside in light of other church-wide responsibilities. -- Newscope