Daniel DeCook has been appointed as the new chief advancement and communication officer for the Reformed Church in America (RCA). He will join the General Synod Council (GSC) staff on September 3 to oversee the advancement and communication teams. In this role, DeCook will also serve on the GSC staff’s Strategic Leadership Team (SLT).
“This work is ministry, which is about advancing the gospel of Jesus Christ,” says DeCook. “I’m looking forward to this role and developing relationships. To work with a dynamic community like the RCA is a privilege and an honor.
“The RCA has always been part of my life,” he adds. “I grew up as a fifth-generation member of Second Reformed Church [Pella, Iowa]. The talk around the table [at my grandmother’s house] was often about the Reformed church. That was part of my upbringing. Lately it’s been interesting to see a little more specifically what the RCA is doing around the world through recent trips to Europe and South America.”
DeCook brings significant experience in sales and marketing and has led successful fundraising efforts, particularly through service on the boards of Central College, Iowa PBS Foundation, and Pella Community Foundation. He is owner of Heritage Lace, Inc., a home decór company that his father co-founded in 1983 and he joined in 1998. Past positions include co-CEO, sales and marketing director, sales support supervisor, and corporate trainer. He earned his bachelor’s in business management from Central College, with an emphasis in marketing and international business.
“Daniel is passionate about what God is doing in the RCA and brings many strengths to this role, including extensive communication and marketing experience, involvement with numerous nonprofits and their fundraising, and excellent business acumen,” says Christina Tazelaar, chief operating officer. “He’ll be able to hit the ground running and raise connections across our communication and fundraising efforts.”
“My vision for this role is to strengthen our community by amplifying our message and deepening our impact,” says DeCook. “It is through serving one another and reflecting Christ’s love that we truly advance our mission.
“Every initiative and communication effort will be driven by our purpose to serve and uplift,” he adds. “Stewardship is about more than managing resources—it’s about nurturing the gifts God has given us and using them to advance his kingdom. I am committed to ensuring our efforts align with our faith and Christian values.”
DeCook resides in Lovilia, Iowa, with his wife, Angela, and will work remotely.
Leadership transitions
The chief advancement and communication officer position is a combination of two positions: the director of advancement and the chief communications officer (previously director of communication). Alignment of the two advancement and communications departments lends well to a joint supervisor; the combining of positions also saves on personnel costs.
Larryl Humme, the current director of advancement, will be retiring in December 2024 after a total of 21 years on GSC staff. He has previously served as a field representative for RCA Foundation, a gift officer, and the director of RCA Foundation; he has served as director of advancement since May 2020.
“This work of the church has been lifegiving for the last two decades,” says Humme. “I will miss both the people and the work, but I think it’s time I step aside and let someone else lead.
“Daniel is super passionate about the ministry and mission of the Reformed church,” he says. “He’ll be excellent at leading this advancement and communications work.”
Over the next four months, Humme will provide orientation for DeCook as he begins his work in RCA advancement, including making donor connections and building relationships with RCA leaders in multiple geographic regions.
Likewise, oversight of the denomination’s communications efforts and the communications team will be transitioned over the coming months. Christina Tazelaar hands these reins over to DeCook after more than a decade of supervising RCA communications. Tazelaar was promoted from director of communications to chief communications officer in February 2022, then was appointed as the RCA’s chief operating officer last fall. She has continued communications oversight until the chief advancement and communications officer position could be filled.
“Daniel is excited about where we are in the RCA and the opportunities that lay before us,” she says. “In this season of restructuring, there are many opportunities before us! We look forward to continuing to follow God’s lead with Daniel as a part of the team.”
“Now is a pivotal point in our history,” says DeCook. “God is leading us to a new vision and a bright future. He’s been pruning me, and he’s been pruning the church, so we can bear fruit just as it says in John 15. In this new chapter, I am excited to work alongside a community so dedicated to growth and transformation. Together, we can nurture our faith and expand our reach to touch more lives with the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
General secretary Eddy Alemán is currently on a professional development sabbatical and not available for comment. Alemán did serve on the hiring and interview team before his leave began.
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