Organizational Task Force expresses confidence in team approach to Chancery administration

With the search for a new OCA Secretary under way, Mr. Robert Kornafel, the Chairman of the Organizational Task Force responsible for the Chancery’s new administrative structure, says his group is confident in the team management model.

His Beatitude, Metropolitan Herman formed the Organizational Task Force in September 2006, and gave them the mandate to review the organizational structure and staffing of the OCA Central Administration, making recommendations for improvements in efficiency and accountability. Working together, Metropolitan Herman and the Task Force developed a Chancery management structure consisting four full-time administrators at the Chancery office:

  • Chancellor: responsible for clergy-related issues, including pastoral formation;
  • Secretary of the Church: responsible for the overall administrative functions of the Church, including records and office activities;
  • Treasurer: the Chief Financial Officer of the Church;
  • Director of Ministries and Communications: responsible for both internal and external communications and for coordinating the efforts of the various Departments of the Church.

“In the short time that they have been involved in their duties each member of the Administrative Team has set themselves to the tasks before them with commitment and integrity,” Mr. Kornafel said. He outlined their work to-date as follows.

In July of last year Father Alexander Garklavs left his long-time parish assignment on Long Island, NY, to take on the duties of OCA Chancellor. Fr. Alexander is responsible for issues relating to the vocational development of current clergy and the pastoral formation of future clergy. He has used his many years of pastoral experience in consultations with OCA clergy dealing with both pastoral and personal issues. Fr. Alexander also works closely with His Beatitude, Metropolitan Herman on matters of Church order and governance. In his interim role as Acting Secretary, Fr. Alexander currently manages the Chancery and its staff, facilitates the work of the OCA’s Preconciliar Commission, and functions as the Central Administration’s liaison in legal issues.

Father Michael Tassos has been working in New York as OCA Treasurer since November 2007, while his family is still living in California. Much of his work to-date has involved creating a financial management procedure for the Central Administration that conforms with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and with the OCA’s “Best Practices, Principles and Policies for Financial Accountability.” He has also focused on ensuring that the Chancery’s financial personnel have proper accounting training for their respective levels of responsibility. In this way, the proper management of OCA finances is not dependent on one person. Fr. Michael is currently completing the OCA’s financial report for the year 2007, which he anticipates will be ready by early March.

Father Andrew Jarmus moved with his family from Canada last summer to take up the newly created position of Direction of Ministries and Communications. The position was established to focus attention on the areas of external and internal communications, which many in the Church have said has been neglected in past. Fr. Andrew oversees the various communications media of the Church, including the OCA.org web site and “The Orthodox Church” magazine. Embracing a philosophy that communication is most effective as a person-to-person encounter, he always looks forward to speaking with people in-person about Church life. Fr. Andrew also coordinates the work of the Church’s Departments, functioning in a supervisory capacity and as a resource in their work.

Once in place, the Secretary will contribute to the management team by overseeing Chancery operations, including site management and human resource issues. The Secretary will also be responsible for managing Church files and archives, overseeing the logistics of meetings and Councils, and maintaining the Church’s legal status as a not-for-profit organization.

Mr. Kornafel points out that the team approach developed by the Organizational Task Force addresses a key concern voiced by OCA members in light of the turmoil that the Church has faced in recent years. “Many people have asked what could be done to help prevent such events happening again. It made sense to form a team-based administrative structure because working in a group offers natural checks and balances to help sustain transparency, mutual accountability, and therefore the responsible conduct of duties within the Central Administration.”