Dr. Aidsand F. “Ace” Wright-Riggins – Mayor

About: Aidsand Wright-Riggins has over 40 years of community, public and congregational service.  He is a pastor, professor, civil and human rights leader and denominational executive. For almost 25 years he was the CEO of the American Baptist Home Mission Societies and Judson Press. In this capacity, Aidsand provided oversight and leadership for 5,800 churches, 1.5 million people, 16 colleges, 9 seminaries and a host of neighborhood action centers, retirement homes and skilled nursing facilities. At the end of 2015 became the organization’s Executive Director Emeritus.

Aidsand also served as a pastor in California for almost 20 years. Known as “Rev. Ace”, Aidsand was a mission pastor of 100 congregants. Later he was pastor of one of the oldest and largest churches in Watts, CA, which had over 1200 members. He is still an ordained American Baptist clergy person as a Certified Grief Recovery Specialist and organizational consultant.

Aidsand earned his Doctor of Ministry from Virginia Union University. He holds a Master of Divinity from the Graduate Theological Union / ABSW in Berkeley, CA. He earned his B.A. in the Sociology of Comparative Religions from the California State University of Fullerton. Aidsand was further awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters from Benedict College and a Doctor of Divinity from Alderson-Broaddus College

Aidsand is married to the Rev. Betty Wright-Riggins, a spiritual director and adjunct professor at Princeton Seminary. He and Rev. Betty have three adult children and three grandchildren. Aidsand loves historical novels, plays at golf and studies the trombone. He has been a Collegeville resident since 1991.