Connecting Columbia Union Seventh-day Adventists

Blue Mountain Academy Says Goodbye, Hello to Staff Members

Story by BMA Staff

After six years of diligent service to Pennsylvania Conference's Blue Mountain Academy (BMA), Steve and Esther Reese will be moving to Chattanooga, Tenn., this summer where Steve will be working in the Wills and Trust department of the Georgia Cumberland Conference. Steve (’93) served the campus as vice principal of finance after Dave Morgan (’81), principal, called him in 2012 and asked him to join the team. “I’ve known Stephen since my first year of teaching when he was an eighth-grader,”  shares Morgan. “I knew he came from a family that valued integrity, commitment to Christ and serving others. He and Esther were a perfect fit for ministry at BMA. They will be greatly missed!”

Esther, who worked as an assistant in BMA’s Learning Center, and Steve say they were blessed to have their son, Brandon (’20), attend BMA and their twin girls, Ava and Ella, attend Blue Mountain Elementary, just across the street.

The couple shares that they will take with them warm memories of staff, students and a satisfaction that God used them to help make BMA a school that fosters students’ abilities to grow mentally, physically, socially and spiritually.

Of course with this recent announcement, the search began in earnest for someone to transition into the vice principal of finance position. The Lord answered, bringing Ruben Olm and his wife, Tania.

Ruben, born in Glendale, Calif., and raised in Brazil, is a fifth-generation Adventist. He received a Bachelor of Arts in law. He has more than 20 years of experience as a sales and strategy executive. For the past two years, Ruben has served as administrator of the Wildwood Lifestyle Center (Ga.)—a renowned supporting ministry of the Adventist Church.

Tania, also from Brazil, received her Bachelor of Arts in advertising, and started a career in retail and event promotion. Later she dedicated many years as a housewife and mother of two daughters before joining Ruben at Wildwood, first as a health evangelism student, later as the manager of the Wildwood Herb Shop and lastly as the dean of the girls’ dorm.

Ruben and Tania’s oldest daughter, Amanda Olm LaCamera, who received a degree in Chemical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute University (Mass.), works as a production engineer at the Dow Chemical Company (Del.). Amanda and her husband, Jack, are active members of the Providence church in Elkton, Md.

Their youngest daughter, Natalia Olm, graduated from Boston University (Mass.) with a business degree, and, since 2016, has worked as the assistant treasurer of the Northern New England Conference in Westbrook, Maine. She is passionate about church planting and Young Adult Ministries.

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