Baptist Theological Seminary. He succeeded James T. Draper, Jr., of the Fort Worth metro area, who had headed LifeWay from 1991 to 2006. On August 29, 2018, Rainer announced his retirement from LifeWay effective within one year or once his replacement had been identified—whichever occurred first. Rainer resigned earlier than anticipated on February 28, 2019, and Brad Waggoner was named acting president. Ben Mandrell, a Southern Baptist pastor who had led churches in Tennessee and Colorado, was elected the 10th president and CEO of LifeWay in June, 2019. Notes Explanatory notes Citations External links Christian mass media companies Southern Baptist Convention Companies based in Nashville, Tennessee Baptist organizations established in the 19th century Baptist Christianity in Tennessee 1891 establishments in Tennessee Publishing companies established in 1891 Retail companies established in 1891