Karen Hiebert, rural Hesston, began Jan. 12 as vice president for business and finance.
She replaces Jayna Bertholf, who resigned last fall.
Hiebert recently took voluntary retirement from Excel Industries (now StanleyBlack&Decker) in Hesston after 31 years with the organization.
She began as an accounts payable clerk and concluded as the controller.
Prior to her time at Excel, she worked in the consumer loan and internal audit divisions of Bank of America and Emprise Bank.
“Karen brings financial reporting skills, audit and compliance expertise, and supervisory experience to Bethel College,” said Bethel President Jon Gering.
“Her references praised her steady leadership and deep commitment to co-workers.”
Hiebert has a bachelor’s degree in accounting and an MBA in accounting from Friends University, Wichita.
She attends Whitestone Mennonite Church in Hesston, where she serves as the stewardship elder responsible for financial reporting.
Bethel is a four-year liberal arts college founded in 1887 and is the oldest Mennonite college in North America. Bethel is ranked #25 in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Regional College Midwest for 2026. Bethel was the only Kansas college or university to be named a Truth, Community Healing and Transformation (TCHT) Campus Center, in 2021. For more information, see www.bethelks.edu
