The Salvation Army Appoints New National Community Relations & Development Secretary
Dale Bannon brings two decades of nonprofit executive leadership experience to elevated role
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (Mar. 6, 2020) – Commissioner David Hudson, national commander of The Salvation Army USA, has appointed Dale Bannon to serve as the national community relations and development secretary and spokesperson for the organization’s national headquarters. Bannon, who has held multiple roles at The Salvation Army, brings more than 20 years of nonprofit executive leadership experience to the position.
Bannon most recently served as assistant national community relations and development secretary, where he led a team that implemented Kettle Pay nationally, marking the largest strategic change to The Salvation Army’s iconic Red Kettle Campaign in decades. This digital donation initiative enabled mobile giving at every red kettle across the country.
In his new role, he hopes to deepen The Salvation Army’s relationships with donors, corporate partners, influencers and volunteers.
“In this role, I have the privilege of helping communicate and amplify the incredible work occurring every day on the front lines of poverty and inviting others to join the Fight for Good,” said Bannon. “When you give your time, talent and treasure, The Salvation Army uses those resources to the very best of our ability to serve 23 million Americans in need each year. I am passionate about that promise and excited about The Salvation Army’s future of making a difference in local communities across the country.”
Prior to his time at national headquarters, Bannon spent seven years as the executive director and chief operation officer for The Salvation Army National Capital Area Command, which serves the Washington, D.C., region. There, he led the renewal of the William Booth Society, a program that fosters increased metro-area support for The Salvation Army’s continued service delivery. Bannon also previously served as a corps officer in Dallas, Texas, and Lakeland, Florida, providing hands-on, daily social services for people in need, and serving as incident commander for The Salvation Army’s emergency disaster response following hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne in 2004.
“Dale’s vast experience will be instrumental in helping The Salvation Army meet the greatest needs of the most vulnerable,” said Commissioner Hudson. “His deep knowledge of The Salvation Army gives him a critical perspective as the voice of those on the ground, and his nonprofit leadership expertise will be extremely valuable as we design and implement programs that provide help and hope.”
In addition to his extensive work with The Salvation Army, Bannon served as the director of development for Washington County Public Schools, where he led development efforts to open the Barbara Ingram School for the Arts, a comprehensive academic high school offering pre-professional training in the arts. This effort included the creation of the Barbara Ingram School for the Arts Foundation to cultivate ongoing philanthropic support for the school. He also procured significant annual competitive grants, the highest of which was a grant for more than $7 million from the U.S. Department of Education to fund teacher incentives, which resulted in improved teacher tenure and student academic achievement at Title I high-poverty schools in Washington County. Bannon also served as executive director for the United Way of Washington County.
Bannon holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in organizational leadership. Bannon graduated with his doctorate degree in executive leadership and was named a Dr. George E. Walker Fellow in 2015 from the University of Charleston.
About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army annually helps more than 23 million Americans overcome poverty, addiction and economic hardships through a range of social services. By providing food for the hungry, emergency relief for disaster survivors, rehabilitation for those suffering from drug and alcohol abuse, and clothing and shelter for people in need, The Salvation Army is doing the most good at 7,600 centers of operation around the country. In the first-ever listing of “America’s Favorite Charities” by The Chronicle of Philanthropy, The Salvation Army ranked as the country’s largest privately funded, direct-service nonprofit. For more information, visit SalvationArmyUSA.org. Follow us on Twitter @SalvationArmyUS and #DoingTheMostGood.