Leon Hawks, chair of the Board of Directors for the institute near Hendersonville which trains men for ministry regardless of their previous educational background, made the recommendation to the GB's Executive Committee which joined in the nomination to the full Board.

FBBI is an agency of the General Board with its own governing body which is accountable to the GB. In presenting the recommendation, Hawks praised Ridings for his long and devoted service to the school. He described the new president as an excellent preacher who had inspired and instructed hundreds of men who became good preachers and pastors of Baptist churches.

The 62-year-old president served as pastor of the Grassy Branch Church in Buncombe Association for about 23 years. He left the pastorate last year to devote his full time to teaching, preaching, holding revivals and conducting Bible conferences.

The president-elect is a graduate of North Greenville College, Furman University and Southeastern Seminary.

Ridings succeeds Randy Kilby who died unexpectedly of a heart attack in February of this year. In accepting the presidency of Fruitland, Ridings praised Kilby as a man of great talent, devotion and vision for FBBI.

"I want to continue the vision Randy Kilby had for Fruitland and make it an instrument for teaching preachers who share the gospel with the world," Ridings said.

"I want to take up the reins which the Lord took from Randy Kilby's hands."

He will assume the Fruitland presidency Nov. 15. Ridings currently serves as second vice president of the Baptist State Convention, but he is not eligible for another term.