February 7, 2005

KIRBYJON H. CALDWELL RECEIVES 2005 DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD FROM PERKINS SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY

DALLAS (SMU) — Kirbyjon H. Caldwell, senior pastor of Windsor Village United Methodist Church in Houston, is the recipient of the 2005 Distinguished Alumni Award from Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University.

Caldwell, who received the award during formal ceremonies earlier this month, received a Master of Theology degree from Perkins in 1981.

While completing his degree at Perkins, Caldwell was appointed associate pastor of St. Mary’s United Methodist Church in Houston. The next year, he was appointed senior pastor of Windsor Village. Under his leadership, the Windsor Village membership has grown from 25 to over 14,000, and the church includes over 120 ministries.

Under Caldwell, the Windsor Village Church Family and the Pyramid Community Development Corporation developed the 104,000 square foot Power Center, a comprehensive multipurpose complex designed to address the needs of the Southwest Houston Community. The Power Center houses numerous services and entities, including The Imani School; J.P. Morgan Chase Bank; Houston Community College System’s Business Technology Center; The University of Texas-Hermann Hospital Clinic; W.A.M. Inc.; 27 business suites; 7,000 square feet of commercial lease space; The WIC Program; support groups; and The Jesse H. Jones Ballroom.

Caldwell also is author of the best seller The Gospel of Good Success (1999) and the co-author of Entrepreneurial Faith (2004). In addition to a degree from Perkins, he also earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics from Carleton College in 1975 and a masters degree in business administration in finance from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business in 1977.

Caldwell is involved in many civic and business organizations and is currently a member of the SMU Board of Trustees, as well as that of Continental Airlines Inc., Reliant Resources, the National Children’s Defense Fund, and Baylor College of Medicine.

Caldwell’s many recognitions include: The Century Club, Newsweek’s 100 People to Watch in the 21^st Century; SMU’s 1999 Distinguished Alumni Award; Texas Monthly’s 1996 Twenty Most Influential Texans; and The Bishop’s award for Outstanding Leadership in Evangelism, 1990 and 1993.

Perkins School of Theology is one of five University-related official schools of theology of The United Methodist Church. The school was founded in 1911 by the Methodist Episcopal Church South, now The United Methodist Church. Degree programs include the Master of Church Ministry, Master of Divinity, Master of Sacred Music, Master of Theological Studies, and Doctor of Ministry degree, as well as the Ph.D. in cooperation with SMU’s Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences.