The long-time executive director of Mennonite Central Committee Canada has announced his retirement. Don Peters of Winnipeg will step down at the end of September after 16 years of service.

Former Steinbach resident Ron Janzen spent eleven years with MCC while Peters has been the leader. He was on the board of MCC Canada from 2002-2009 and was on staff as executive director of MCC Manitoba from 2012-2016. Janzen says Peters has displayed a unique ability to lead an organization that has agencies across North America and in over 60 countries around the world.

"Don has very effectively represented an organization that relates to a broad range of development agencies and inter-faith agencies, many ethnicities and different cultures, certainly many different countries with different politics and economies and this has required a very adept set of skills at bridging the divide between peoples and groups. Don has been a very steady hand on that as he has worked with the organization."

Janzen adds, whether meeting with people in rural Manitoba or in the heart of Africa or anywhere else, Peters has a special ability to connect with them.

"With Don, there's an approachability and a listening ear. People will feel that, when you're with Don, you have his attention and you have his appreciation for your circumstances. Certainly, I think that a gift of his has been making people feel heard and feel welcome at the table."

Janzen says another legacy that Peters will leave behind is the way he has guided MCC Canada through major changes.

"Like many large and complex organizations, MCC is almost in a perpetual state of change and evolution. Don has led the organization through some very significant ones (changes). There was a big restructuring of MCC in North America and a significant part of the International Program oversight and leadership came to the Canadian office under Don's leadership and that has really transformed the work of MCC Canada and engaged them much more directly in development work and administration overseas and has been very significant for the Canadian Mennonite community."

On a personal note, Janzen appreciates how Peters brought his personal faith into his role at MCC.

"I admired that in him. That was important to see coming from the Canadian executive director and he certainly always modelled that."