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The Rev. Dr. Robert E. Fannin to become
Bishop in Residence at Florida Southern College

LAKELAND, Fla. (Jan. 21, 2004) - Bishop Robert E. Fannin, a 1958 FSC graduate and former senior minister of First United Methodist Church of Lakeland, will become Bishop in Residence of Florida Southern College in September following his retirement. Fannin is currently presiding bishop of the North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church (UMC) 

"We are delighted to have Dr. Fannin as our Bishop in Residence," said FSC president Dr. Thomas Reuschling. "He will be extraordinarily valuable in our church relation efforts because of his high stature in the Florida Conference."

Following completion of his master's and doctoral studies at Candler School of Theology, Emory University, Fannin served in the Florida Annual Conference of UMC in Lake Alfred, Gainesville, Stuart, Lakeland and Miami, where he was district superintendent of the Miami district. He was involved there as a member of the Hispanic Social Services board of directors; trustee of the South Florida Center for Theological Studies and the Haitian Advisory Council; and member of the coalition of Religious Leaders in Miami. To honor his work, Metropolitan Dade County declared June 9, 1991 Dr. Robert E. Fannin Day. Upon election to the Episcopacy at the Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference in July 1992, Fannin was assigned to the Birmingham area. 

Fannin was a delegate to the General and Jurisdictional Conference in 1984, 1988 and 1992, and to the World Methodist Conference in 1986, 1992, 1997 and 2002. He serves as vice-chair of World Evangelism of the World Methodist Council; vice-chair of General Council on Finance and Administration; vice-chair of Emory University Board of Trustees; and president of the Southeastern Jurisdictional Court of Appeals. He is a board member of several national boards and agencies of UMC including the General Council on Ministries and Board of Higher Education and Ministry; and presently serves on the board of trustees of Birmingham-Southern College, Bethune-Cookman College and Huntingdon College. He is a past president of the Southeastern Jurisdictional Administrative Council and current chair of its finance committee.

Fannin and his wife, Faye Thomas Fannin '59, whom he met at FSC, are looking forward to their return to Lakeland after 12 years in Birmingham. "We hope to serve the FSC community in any way we are needed," the bishop said. "Our experiences at FSC were significant in the molding of our lives." 

About Florida Southern College
Florida Southern is a four-year, private, co-educational liberal arts college affiliated with the United Methodist Church. The college offers more than 40 undergraduate majors and a master of business administration degree accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Located in Lakeland, Fla., the college is home to the largest, single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture in the world.

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