Charles Buck named president and CEO of United Church Funds

The Rev. Charles Buck, former church pastor and Conference Minister in the United Church of Christ, has been elected as the new president and CEO of the United Church Funds (UCF), the institutional investment ministry of the denomination.

Buck’s leadership in the UCC spans 30 years at the local church, conference and national levels. He served as pastor of churches in Northern California and Hawaii for over 15 years, then as conference minister for Hawaii and New Hampshire for a total of 14 years.

The Rev. John C. Dorhauer, UCC general minister and president, affirmed his election, announced January 18 by the UCF Board of Directors. “Rev. Buck is widely recognized as one of our gifted leaders. He is a leader of great integrity, wisdom, intellect, and devotion, who will apply all those skills to the management of UCF. We offer our prayers for him in the time of transition, and for the fruits of his labor in this new position.”

Buck, elected in unanimous decision by the UCF Board, will succeed Donald G. Hart, who announced his retirement in January 2018. 

“Rev. Buck is known for being a strategic thinker, an effective communicator, and a consensus builder with a firm understanding of investments,” said the Rev. Kathryn Dwyer, UCF Board Chair, who also chaired the presidential search committee. “We are delighted to find a candidate who has knowledge and experience with investments as well as the passion for, commitment to, and understanding of the wider church.” Rev. Dwyer currently serves as senior pastor of Rock Spring Congregational United Church of Christ in Arlington, Virg.

Buck has extensive experience with the investment ministry, with tenure as a UCF Board member that extends back to 2011, and includes two years as Board Chair. He has served on UCF’s audit, budget, social responsibility and governance committees. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of California at Berkeley, a Masters of Divinity from San Francisco Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. from Stanford University. He will become President/CEO-elect on March 25, working alongside Hart until his retirement.

“I am excited and honored to be joining the excellent and professional staff of United Church Funds,” Rev. Buck said. “As a client and board member, I have long admired UCF’s solid investment performance and its leadership in the world of socially responsible investing. In this new role, I look forward to continuing and growing the ministry of faith-aligned investing with our churches, conferences and national setting ministries.”