“What a privilege it was to partner with Hume Lake Camp again. This time for Camp Director at their New England site. It was interesting to hear how different this site was culture-wise and how they needed a unique fit in New England. It had a different vibe than any of their California sites.
“We love the passion that Hume Lake has for excellence in all that they do and for sharing the gospel in such a clear way. So many students have gone through the gates of Hume Lake and experienced God in a new way. And we are excited that we get to play a small role in that mission for the Kingdom!”
- Eric Albert, Executive Search AssistantMeet Hume Christian Camps & Retreats
Hume Lake is a ministry that has its own zip code. It’s a town, a ministry, and a multisite church. For 73 years, Hume Lake has reached people for the gospel through adventure outdoor ministry programming in camps in New England, San Diego, and Hawaii, in addition to the Hume Lake location in California. It is one of the premier camping ministries in the United States and truly has something for everyone, including adult retreats and winter camps for middle and high school students.
Hume New England is located in the beautiful Berkshires of Southwestern Massachusetts, where they host youth camps and retreats year-round. The program and activities at Hume New England provide spiritually life-changing opportunities and experiences.
Opportunity
Hume New England needed a Camp Director who would take the lead in supervising and coordinating the staff and operations at the site. This person would be trusted with a large scope of responsibilities crucial for the day-to-day and overall success of camp at Hume New England. Hume Lake was searching for someone with years of applicable experience and a commitment to excellence in the details. The ideal candidate would have accumulated a myriad of skills that would equip them to lead the campsite.
Our consultant Eric Albert had worked with Hume Lake before to meet several of their staffing needs. Knowing Hume Lake’s staff, values, and culture well, he got to know the unique needs of Hume New England’s location. This site specifically needed a Camp Director who would know and love the unique culture of the area. Eric learned the experience and skills needed for the job, but also the specific character needed for someone to fit into the culture and lead with strength.
Solution
After searching through the qualified candidates, the options were narrowed down to Tim Desilets, who stood out as the right person to take the position. Tim’s experience as a coordinator and director at various churches and ministries demonstrated he could thrive with the responsibility of leading Hume New England.
Tim and his wife Mandy set themselves apart with their love for New England. Both born in Vermont, they had a passion and calling to ministry in New England.
“We really love what Hume Lake stands for. Their love for Jesus is clear. Their love for a pure representation and presentation of the Gospel – and using that to send kids back to their local churches to create that ripple effect in their communities back home – is absolutely incredible,” Tim says. “That’s what we’ve been a part of for so many years, and what we want to continue in the New England area.
Result
Tim, Mandy, and their three children followed their calling back to New England, where they themselves once experienced life-changing summer camps as teenagers. Their move from Philadelphia after 20 years of youth ministry back to New England is in many ways a return home.
“Tim Desilets came from King of Prussia, PA, moved right in, and understood both Hume Lake and East Coast culture,” Eric says. “He has been able to blend them perfectly, without losing sight of Hume Lake’s mission of sharing the gospel while creating life-changing experiences.”
Benefit
The benefit of hiring Vanderbloemen is that we have the search capabilities to find the ideal fit for your organization, whether the right person is already working for you or is living halfway across the globe. We can provide an extensive reach and a full-staff approach for organizations that otherwise would be limited to their local networks and would need to sacrifice other responsibilities to invest in a quality search. We are able to bring schools and organizations executive position candidates they could not find on their own.
If you’re ready to start the conversation around hiring, contact our team. We’ll guide you through the hiring process at every level, from job descriptions to signing the offer letter.