Commissioners Barry C. and E. Sue Swanson
Chief of the Staff
World President for Women’s Ministries
International Headquarters, London, EnglandCommissioners Barry C. and E. Sue Swanson are Chief of the Staff and World President for Women’s Ministries, respectively. As Chief of the Staff, Commissioner Barry Swanson is second-in-command and chief administrative officer for The Salvation Army International Headquarters located in London, England.
Immediately preceding this appointment, the Swansons led the USA Central Territory. Since October 1, 2008, as Territorial Commander, Commissioner Barry Swanson was the administrative and ecclesiastical leader of The Salvation Army in 11 Midwestern states, including more than 1,200 active and retired officers, 265 corps and almost 2,000 other centers of operation. Prior to being Territorial Commander, he held other territorial, national and international appointments. Especially memorable were the 16 years he served as a corps officer in various locations in the Central Territory.
In 1990 he attended The Salvation Army’s International College for Officers (ICO) in London where he underwent an eight-week specialized course of study with other Salvation Army officers from 26 countries. Commissioner Sue Swanson also had the opportunity in 2000 to grow in her faith in Christ with other officers at ICO.
Commissioner Barry Swanson is a native of Chicago, Illinois, having attended Northern Illinois University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing. In 1975 he married Sue Miller. They entered the College for Officer Training in 1976 and were commissioned as officers in 1978.
Before her current position, Commissioner Sue Swanson was the USA Central Territorial President of Women’s Ministries. Preceding that appointment, she held various international, national and territorial appointments. She has found meaningful ministry in all but, like her husband, especially cherishes their early corps appointments since she is pastoral at heart.
Born in Ohio, Commissioner Sue Swanson is a fifth-generation Salvationist. She earned a degree in social welfare from Asbury College in Wilmore, Kentucky. After graduating from college she opened a crisis center for runaway, teenage girls in Chicago before marrying Barry and entering the College for Officer Training.
The Swansons are parents of four adult children and have two very special granddaughters.