New General Authorities and Area Seventies Named at April 2011 Conference

The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced 10 new General Authorities and 41 Area Seventies at the Saturday afternoon session of the Church’s 181st Annual General Conference being held this weekend.

First Quorum of the Seventy

Elder Don R. Clarke, 65, was serving in the Second Quorum of the Seventy when he was called to serve in the First Quorum of the Seventy. Elder Clarke earned an associate degree from Ricks College and a bachelor’s degree in business from Brigham Young University. He completed a master’s degree in business administration from Washington State University. His career included senior executive positions in several retailing companies.

Elder Clarke has served the Church in various capacities, including full-time missionary in the Argentina Mission, president of the Bolivia Santa Cruz Mission (2001-2004), stake president, assistant director of Church Hosting, high councilor, bishop, stake Young Men president, and elders quorum president. He was born in Rexburg, Idaho, on 11 December 1945. He married Mary Anne Jackson in 1970. They are the parents of six children.

Elder Jose L. Alonso, 52, was serving as a member of the Fourth Quorum of the Seventy in the México Area at the time of his call to the First Quorum of the Seventy. He has a medical degree as a homeopathic physician and surgeon and a degree in pediatric development from the National Institute of Pediatrics in México City, Mexico. In addition to his medical career, he also served as an institute director with the Church Educational System.

Elder Alonso has served the Church as a full-time missionary in the México Hermosillo Mission, bishop’s counselor, bishop, stake mission president, stake president, mission president's counselor, president of the México Tijuana Mission and Area Seventy. Elder Alonso and his wife, Rebeca Salazar, are the parents of two children and reside in México City, México.

Elder Ian S. Ardern, 57, was serving as a member of the Eighth Quorum of the Seventy in the Pacific Area at the time of his call to the First Quorum of the Seventy. He received a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in education from the University of Waikato, New Zealand. During his career, he has served in many Church Educational System positions, including teacher, director, seminary coordinator in New Zealand, principal of the Church College of New Zealand and Pacific Area Director.

Elder Ardern’s Church service includes full-time missionary in France and Belgium, stake Young Men president, high councilor, bishop's counselor, bishop, stake president's counselor, president of the Fiji Suva Mission and Area Seventy. He and his wife, Paula Ann Judd, are the parents of four children. Elder and Sister Ardern reside in Hamilton, New Zealand.

Elder Carl B. Cook, 53, was serving as a member of the Fifth Quorum of the Seventy in the Utah North Area when he received his call to the First Quorum of the Seventy. He has a bachelor of arts degree in business marketing from Weber State College and a master's of business administration from Utah State University. In his career he worked for a global document management and technology company and later in real estate development.

Elder Cook has served the Church as a full-time missionary in Hamburg, Germany, bishop, stake president’s counselor, stake president, president of the New Zealand Auckland mission and Area Seventy. He and his wife, Lynette Hansen, are the parents of five children. Elder and Sister Cook reside in Liberty, Utah.

Elder LeGrand R. Curtis Jr., 58, was serving as a member of the Fifth Quorum of the Seventy in the Utah Salt Lake City Area at the time of his call to the First Quorum of the Seventy. He received a bachelor’s degree in economics from Brigham Young University and a juris doctorate from the University of Michigan. His career includes work as an attorney and partner in a major law firm.

Over the years, Elder Curtis has served the Church as a full-time missionary in Italy, bishop, high councilor, stake president’s counselor, stake president, mission president in the Italy Padova Mission and Area Seventy. He and his wife, Jane Cowan, are the parents of five children. Elder and Sister Curtis reside in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Elder W. Christopher Waddell, 51, was serving as a member of the Fifth Quorum of the Seventy in the North America West Area when he received his call to the First Quorum of the Seventy. He received a bachelor’s degree from San Diego State University and has served in many positions in a global investment services firm.

Elder Waddell has served the Church as a full-time missionary in Spain, bishop, high councilor, mission president’s counselor, stake president, president of the Barcelona Spain Mission and Area Seventy. He and his wife, Carol Stansel, are the parents of four children. Elder and Sister Waddell reside in San Diego, California.

Elder Kazuhiko Yamashita, 57, received a bachelor of arts degree in physical education from Saitama University and a master’s degree in sport science from Tsukuba University and has studied philosophy of physical education at Brigham Young University. His career includes that of instructor and professor at various universities, and he served in numerous scientific, community and sports organizations.

Elder Yamashita’s Church service includes that of bishop, high councilor, stake mission president, stake president and Area Seventy. He and his wife, Tazuko, have six children and reside in Fukuoka, Japan. 

Second Quorum of the Seventy

Elder Randall K. Bennett, 55, holds a doctor of dental surgery degree from the University of Alberta and a master’s degree in orthodontics from Loma Linda University and has enjoyed a career in dentistry and orthodontics.

Elder Bennett has served in various Church callings, including full-time missionary in the France Paris and the France Toulouse Missions, ward Young Men president, stake Young Men presidency, Sunday School counselor, bishop’s counselor, high councilor, Provo Missionary Training Center branch president and counselor and president of the Russia Samara Mission. Elder Bennett and his wife, Shelley Dianne Watchman, are the parents of four children and grandparents of fourteen grandchildren. He and Sister Bennett reside in North Salt Lake, Utah.

Elder J. Devn Cornish, 59, was serving as a member of the Sixth Quorum of the Seventy in the North America Southeast Area when he was called to the Second Quorum of the Seventy. Elder Cornish holds both a bachelor of arts degree and a medical degree from Johns Hopkins University. He was a professor and vice chair for faculty development in the pediatric department at Emory University School of Medicine.

Elder Cornish has served in numerous Church callings, including full-time missionary in the Guatemala-El Salvador Mission, elders quorum president, ward executive secretary, ward mission leader, ward Young Men president, bishop, high priests group leader, stake president, mission president and Area Seventy. Elder Cornish and his wife, Elaine, reside in Atlanta, Georgia, and are the parents of six children.

Elder O. Vincent Haleck, 62, was serving as president of the Samoa Apia Mission when he received his call to the Second Quorum of the Seventy. Elder Haleck received a bachelor’s degree in advertising and marketing from Brigham Young University. He owns a number of businesses in his native Samoa and is involved in philanthropy work.

Elder Haleck has served in numerous Church callings, including full-time missionary in the Apia Samoa Mission, bishop, stake high councilor, patriarch, stake president and president of the Samoa Apia Mission. Elder Haleck and his wife, Peggy Ann Cameron, reside in Pago Pago, American Samoa and are the parents of three children.

Elder Larry Y. Wilson, 61, holds a bachelor's degree in English and American literature from Harvard University and a master of business administration degree from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Elder Wilson has worked in the finance and healthcare industries in several different capacities.

Elder Wilson has served the Church as stake president, bishop, regional welfare committee chairman, Oakland Family History Center chairman, full-time missionary in Brazil and Area Seventy. Elder Wilson and his wife, Lynda Mackey, reside in Alamo, California, and are the parents of four children.

Members of the Seventy have responsibility for administering the work of the Church throughout the world under the direction of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Some of them also have executive responsibilities in a number of Church departments. Members of the First Quorum of the Seventy usually serve to age 70.

Area Seventies

Also announced today were the callings of ­­­41 new Area Seventies. Area Seventies give part-time voluntary Church service within their assigned geographic areas and support area presidencies in international areas. Called as Area Seventies: Kent J. Allen, 58, Twin Falls, Idaho; Stephen B. Allen, 61, West Jordan, Utah; Winsor Balderrama, 34, Cochabamba, Bolivia; R. Randall Bluth, 53, Prairieville, Louisiana; Hans T. Boom, 47, Tilburg, The Netherlands; Patrick M. Boutoille, 48, Wimereux, France; Marcelo F. Chappe, 43, Montevideo, Uruguay; Eleazer S. Collado, 49, Manila, Philippines; Jeffrey D. Cummings, 55, Springwood, Australia; Nicolas L. Di Giovanni, 52, Asuncion, Paraguay; Jorge S. Dominguez, 44, Santiago, Dominican Republic; Gary B. Doxey, 54, Pleasant Grove, Utah; David G. Fernandes, 46, Fortaleza, Brazil; Hernán D. Ferreira, 43, Concepción, Chile; Ricardo P. Giménez, 39, Antofagasta, Chile; Allen D. Haynie, 52, Escondido, California; Douglas F. Higham, 60, Mission Viejo, California; Robert W. Hymas, 52, Lexington, Kentucky; Lester F. Johnson, 56, Casas Grandes, Mexico; Matti T. Jouttenus, 58, Viala, Finland; Chang Ho Kim, 50, Seoul, South Korea; Alfred Kyungu, 44, Kinshasa, Congo; Remegio E. Meim, 44, Metro-Manila, Philippines; Ismael Mendoza, 55, Pachuca, Mexico; Cesar A. Morales, 50, Guatemala City, Guatemala; Rulon D. Munns, 61, Windermere, Florida; Ramon C. Nobleza, 46, Occidental, Philippines; Abenir V. Pajaro, 47, Cavite, Philippines; Gary B. Porter, 60, Centerville, Utah; José L. Reina, 46, Madrid, Spain; Esteban G. Resek, 45, Mendoza, Argentina; George F. Rhodes Jr., 63, Fort Collins, Colorado; Lynn L. Summerhays, 62, Farmington, Utah; Craig B. Terry, 59, American Fork, Utah; David J. Thomson, 50, Hamilton, New Zealand; Ernesto R. Toris, 48, México City, México; Arnulfo Valenzuela, 51, Chihuahua, Mexico; Ricardo Valladares, 52, Tegucigalpa, Honduras; Fabian I. Vallejo, 43, Quito, Ecuador; Emer Villalobos, 39, Tlalnepantla, Mexico; Terry L. Wade, 55, St. George, Utah.

Releases to be effective on 1 May 2011 were announced for the following 35 Area Seventies: Jose L. Alonso, Nelson L. Altamirano, John S. Anderson, Ian Ardern, Sergio E. Avila, David R. Brown, D. Fraser Bullock, Donald J. Butler, Vladimiro J. Campero, Daniel M. Cañoles, Carl B. Cook, I. Poloski Cordon, J. Devn Cornish, Federico F. Costales, LeGrand R. Curtis Jr., Heber O. Diaz, Andrew M. Ford, Julio G. Gaviola, Manuel Gonzalez, Daniel M. Jones, Donald J. Keyes, Domingos S. Linhares, B. Renato Maldonado, Aleksandr N. Manzhos, Raymundo Morales, J. Michel Paya, Stephen D. Posey, Juan M. Rodriguez, Gerardo L. Rubio, Jay L. Sitterud, Dirk Smibert, Eivind Sterri, Ysrael A. Tolentino, W. Christopher Waddell, and Gary W. Walker.