(Caption: National Commander Merle Heatwole and Commissioner Dawn Heatwole)
The Salvation Army announced new national leadership. Commissioner Merle Heatwole was appointed National Commander, and Commissioner Dawn Heatwole will serve as National Secretary for Program. Together, they have decades of service, experience, and commitment to The Salvation Army’s mission of meeting human needs without discrimination, according to the announcement.
The Heatwoles have served together in ministry since being commissioned as Salvation Army officers in 1984. Their early service included appointments as corps officers in St. Cloud, MN; Peoria, IL; and Topeka, KS. They later held divisional leadership roles in the Kansas and Western Missouri, Western Michigan and Northern Indiana, Heartland and Western Divisions.
Commissioner Merle Heatwole most recently was the Territorial Commander for the Latin America North Territory, overseeing Salvation Army operations in 10 countries including Guatemala through Panama in Central America, Colombia and Venezuela in South America, and Cuba and the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean. Prior to that post, he was International Secretary for Business Administration at The Salvation Army’s International Headquarters in London, England, where he was responsible for global financial strategy and information technology.
He has also posted as Chief Secretary of the USA Central Territory and National Chief Secretary at The Salvation Army’s National Headquarters.
The Salvation Army has a footprint of 6,900 locations across United States. The organization provided emergency shelter and transitional housing for 8,067,161 people; more than 155 million meals through food boxes and hot meals; and, rent and utility assistance to 3,143,382 families. Most recent data showed $4.24 billion in revenue for 2023.
“As National Commander, I am deeply honored to take on this responsibility and to serve alongside Commissioner Dawn, as we lead The Salvation Army’s work across the country,” Commissioner Merle Heatwole said via a statement. “We have witnessed firsthand the impact of The Salvation Army’s ministry in communities worldwide, and we are committed to ensuring that our services remain a source of hope, healing, and transformation for those in need.”
Commissioner Dawn Heatwole has served in a variety of leadership roles, most recently as the Territorial President of Women’s Ministries in the Latin America North Territory. She also served as the Secretary for Spiritual Life Development at International Headquarters, focusing on the Army’s global spiritual formation efforts. Additionally, she has held key roles in women’s ministries, recruitment, youth leadership, and program development in the USA Central Territory.
