Maintenance and Campus Security Team transitions
Published: July 9, 2026
By Annette Brill Bergstresser
The following transitions occurred in June/July 2026 on AMBS’s Maintenance and Campus Security Team:
Cender retires from AMBS as Director of Maintenance and Campus Safety
Norm Cender of Elkhart, Indiana, Director of Maintenance and Campus Safety for Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary (AMBS) in Elkhart, retired June 30, 2026, after more than 14 years of service.
Cender first joined AMBS’s Maintenance and Campus Security Team in February 2012 and took on the role of Assistant Director of Maintenance in October of that year. He was promoted to his current role in August 2022.
Cender was responsible for overseeing the maintenance and upkeep of the seminary’s buildings, equipment, systems and grounds, and for supervising other maintenance personnel. He also led long-range facility planning, assisted in fulfilling the seminary’s commitment to environmental stewardship, and coordinated campus safety.
Deanna Risser, MBA, Vice President for Administration and Chief Financial Officer, expressed gratitude for Cender’s service to the seminary.
“Norm’s care for the AMBS community and its buildings and grounds has been evident in how he has served and related to everyone on campus with care and compassion,” she reflected. “Through the effective use of staff, student employees and volunteers, he has nurtured systems that help keep our campus running smoothly.”
“I have heard again and again that the AMBS campus and grounds are a sacred space for many people,” she added. “Norm’s careful tending to this place has supported the work of AMBS in educating church leaders.”
Risser noted that Cender oversaw and participated in many capital improvement projects, including sidewalk replacements; HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) updates in several buildings; renovations of classrooms, guesthouses, apartments and retreat space (Trinity House); new vehicle purchases; sewer repairs and upgrades; and the planting and watering of around 1,000 trees on the 44-acre campus; among others. Donors, student workers and maintenance volunteers also played important roles in making these improvements possible, she said.
Cender’s German shepherd, Saber, came to work with him every day for nearly 10 years before she passed away in January. She provided companionship and campus security and enjoyed connecting with the seminary community.
Risser also affirmed Cender’s willingness to go above and beyond in providing support for members of the AMBS community.
“We don’t know how many times he has inflated tires, loaned equipment, helped with moves and assisted with various other challenges with care and diligence,” she said.
Prior to joining AMBS, Cender worked in maintenance at Bethany Christian Schools in Goshen, Indiana, for nine years, serving as Maintenance Director for the last five years. He also worked for Cook Heating in Elkhart and as an appliance repair technician in Illinois. He got his start in maintenance work by doing voluntary service in maintenance for Laurelville Retreat Center (formerly Laurelville Mennonite Church Center) in Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania.
Cender earned an Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts from Hesston (Kansas) College in 1979. He attends Hively Avenue Mennonite Church in Elkhart, a congregation of Central District Conference of Mennonite Church USA.
Blaha promoted to Director of Maintenance and Campus Safety
Orion Blaha, BA, of Elkhart, Indiana, was promoted to Director of Maintenance and Campus Safety of Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary (AMBS) in Elkhart, Indiana, on July 1, 2026.
He joined AMBS’s Maintenance and Campus Security Team in August 2022 as Assistant Director of Maintenance and was promoted to Director following Norm Cender’s retirement from the role on June 30, 2026.
In Blaha’s new position, he is responsible for overseeing the maintenance and upkeep of the seminary’s buildings, equipment, systems and grounds, and for supervising other maintenance personnel. He also leads long-range facility planning, assists in fulfilling the seminary’s commitment to environmental stewardship, and coordinates campus safety. In his prior role, he assisted Cender with maintenance and upkeep and also was responsible for supervising volunteers and student employees.
Deanna Risser, MBA, Vice President for Administration and Chief Financial Officer, said that Blaha’s past four years as Assistant Director have given him knowledge of the many aspects of leading the Maintenance Department and have prepared him well for his new position.
“I’m excited to see Orion move into the Director role,” she said. “I have especially appreciated his care, compassion, attention to detail, big-picture thinking and thoughtful supervision of student workers. He also brings skills in organization, strategic planning and creative problem-solving. His service on both the Campus Art Committee and the Sustainability Committee is representative of his varied interests and abilities.”
Prior to joining AMBS, Blaha served Goshen (Indiana) College as a Systems Maintenance Technician (2017–22) and Facilities Engineer (2022). He also was a General Contractor for Hope Builders in Elkhart (2014–17), working in both residential and commercial construction and maintenance.
Blaha earned a Bachelor of Arts in Art from Goshen College in 2013. He attends Prairie Street Mennonite Church, a congregation of Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference of Mennonite Church USA.
Cortez joins AMBS Maintenance and Campus Security Team
Misael Cortez, BA, of Elkhart, Indiana, has joined the staff of Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary (AMBS) in Elkhart as full-time Assistant Director of Maintenance, beginning June 15, 2026.
In his new role, Cortez is working with Orion Blaha, Director of Maintenance and Campus Safety, to manage the maintenance of AMBS buildings, equipment, systems and grounds. He also is responsible for supervising volunteers and student employees.
Blaha noted that Cortez brings a wealth of experience and skills in construction, production, maintenance, supervision and education to his new role. From 2023 to 2026, he served as Building Manager at Prairie Street Mennonite Church in Elkhart and as Receiver, Appraiser of Goods, and Facilities Support Associate at Thrift at Woodland Crossing, also in Elkhart. He worked as an independent contractor for construction and grounds projects (2022–23), as an instructor in the Certified Production Technician Program of Horizon Education Alliance in Elkhart (2018–22), and as Production Supervisor at Reflex Industries in Elkhart (2006–10).
“I am very pleased with the fresh creative energy that Misael is bringing to his new role as Assistant Director,” said Blaha. “He is personable and attentive and is already taking a variety of projects in stride.”
Cortez earned an Associate of Science in Liberal Arts from Ivy Tech Community College (Elkhart Campus) and a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies from Holy Cross College, Notre Dame, Indiana. He attends Walnut Hill Mennonite Church in Goshen, Indiana — a congregation of Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference of Mennonite Church USA — and St. Vincent Catholic Church in Elkhart.
Located in Elkhart, Indiana, on ancestral land of the Potawatomi and Miami peoples, Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary is a learning community with an Anabaptist vision, offering theological education for learners both on campus and at a distance as well as a wide array of lifelong learning programs — all with the goal of educating followers of Jesus Christ to be leaders for God’s reconciling mission in the world. ambs.edu
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