Christian Record Services Announces Cesar Perozo as New President

Christian Record Services, Inc. (CRS), announced the appointment of Cesar Perozo as its new president, following a nationwide search.

With more than 25 years of experience in pastoral ministry and administrative leadership, Perozo brings a wealth of expertise in strategic management, human resources, and cross-functional collaboration. His previous roles include vice president of administration and human resources director for the Southern New England Conference, where he oversaw the budget and led initiatives in church planting, child protection, and organizational development. 

Most recently Perozo served as pastor for the Upward and Fairview churches in North Carolina, where he launched disaster relief distribution centers, raised money for church and school projects, and directed Sabbath School ministries for the Carolina Conference. 

“We are delighted to welcome Pastor Cesar Perozo to the presidency of Christian Record Services,” said G. Alexander Bryant, CRS Board chair and president of the North American Division. “He is passionate about serving the Lord and committed to the ministry of spreading the gospel to those who are blind and have low vision. I’m excited about the leadership Cesar will bring to this ministry and look to see it move to the next level.” 

“I am honored to accept the role of president of Christian Record Services,” Perozo said. “Together with our dedicated staff and the resilient blind and low-vision community we serve, I look forward to advancing our mission with renewed passion and unity. I am especially eager to strengthen our partnership with the North American Division as we work collaboratively to make a meaningful, lasting impact.”

More Than a Century of Care

In 1899 Austin O. Wilson, a legally blind young man in his early 20s, was concerned about the lack of Christian reading material available for those who are blind. He decided to try an experiment. Taking a clothes wringer, he modified it to accommodate two metal plates with a sheet of heavy paper between them. As the plates were squeezed through the wringer, the raised dots on the plates made an impression on the paper, producing one page of a braille magazine he titled Christian Record.

It started with the dream of one man. More than 100 years later Christian Record is still being published, along with eight other periodicals.

Austin Wilson produced 75 copies of the first Christian Record. In the 1920s the Christian Record was placed in the hands of thousands of blind people around the world.

In 1933 and 1934 Christian Record Services was one of the exhibitors in the Hall of Religion at the World’s Fair, themed “A Century of Progress,” in Chicago, Illinois. A year later Christian Record Services was again prominently represented in the Hall of Science at America’s Exposition, held in San Diego, California.

In 1950 the first talking books were recorded for Christian Record Services. There are now more than 1,600 talking books available through the Naomi Chapman Turner Library for the Blind.

In 1967 National Camps for Blind Children was established. That first summer the camp was held in Florida with 23 youth in attendance. Since then this outreach program has offered nearly 50,000 confidence-building experiences in nature through these special camps.

In August of 1999 Christian Record Services celebrated 100 years of service to people who are legally blind.

The original version of this story was posted on the Christian Record Services news site.