Orange founder and CEO resign over inappropriate relationship
The founder and CEO of Orange, a leading provider of church youth ministry curriculum materials and resources, have resigned after admitting to an inappropriate relationship.
In a statement released Wednesday, Orange announced that the company's founder, Reggie Joiner, and CEO, Kristen Ivy, voluntarily resigned from their positions. Orange, which partners with thousands of churches across dozens of denominations worldwide, describes its mission as creating "strategic curriculum, resources, and training for future thinking children's ministry and youth ministry leaders."
Orange Board Chair Joel Manby and Orange Board Special Governance Chair Jennifer Barnes said in the statement that "Reggie has admitted to past inappropriate adult relationships, which violated our company policy and eroded trust within our organization."
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"During the course of the Board's investigation, Kirsten also disclosed a past inappropriate relationship with Reggie," the statement adds.
Mike Clear will serve as acting president while "an extensive, nationwide search for a new CEO who embodies our mission and exhibits an unwavering dedication to our shared values" takes place.
The company leaders said, "It was these values that led us as a Board to promptly launch an internal investigation when the potential of inappropriate behavior was brought to our attention thirteen days ago."
"While we do not have a definitive timeline for hiring a CEO, we assure you we are committed to moving forward thoughtfully and diligently, keeping in mind what is best for Orange, our partners, and — above all — our mission," they added.
"[W]e have moved quickly to respond, and we are continuing to engage in a responsible and transparent process," the statement adds.
According to Joiner's website, Orange partners with over 8,000 churches internationally and launched the Orange Conference and the Orange Tour, which he said "provide national training opportunities for senior pastors, church leaders, and ministry volunteers."
The board's statement stressed that neither Ivy nor Joiner will participate in the Orange Conference next week in Atlanta, Georgia.
"Kristen and Reggie will not be a part of next week's conference," the letter stated. "Now, more than ever, we believe it is important to gather for the Orange Conference next week, so we can be there for one another."
The conference will still feature a lineup of leaders, ministry partners and "people who share unshakable hope in the future and mission of the Church."
The biography on Joiner's website states that he is married with four adult children.
Orange was founded in 1996 and partners with more than 10,000 ministry leaders from more than 80 denominations spanning across over 40 countries, according to its website. The company has a specific curriculum for each age group: preschoolers, elementary schoolers, middle schoolers and high schoolers.
During the 2022-23 school year, the organization collaborated with more than 10,000 leaders "who had weekly influence with" 273,738 preschoolers, 385,612 elementary school children and 187,181 teenagers, according to additional data from Orange.
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: [email protected]
