The Church Hosting program received new impetus beginning in 1965.
In October of that year, Irene Staples, who had served a full-time mission at the Mormon Pavilion at the New York World's Fair, was called as official Church hostess. She served until January 1975.Kenneth S. Bennion, retired president of the LDS Business College, had preceeded her, hosting visitors to Church headquarters in the early 1960s. He served on a daily basis under the direction of the Church Information Committee.
After Sister Staples, Stanford and Oma Wagstaff of Salt Lake City were called as directors of Church Hosting. They served until March 1976 when Brother Wagstaff died of a heart attack.
Clark and Betty Stohl, also of Salt Lake City, were called as directors in March 1976, continuing until March 1988.
Boyd and Jean Christensen, former Logan residents, were then called to the hosting program, a division in the Public Affairs Department. The Christensens served until March 1993, when Stan and Mary Ellen Smoot of Centerville were asked to serve.
Assistant director couples are Lewis V. and JoAnn Nord, Bountiful, and Shigeki and Momo Ushio, Salt Lake City. Hosting couples are Delonne and Margaret Anderson, Farmington; Robert and Carol West, Roger and Jewell Doxey and Robert and Shirley Van Wagenen, all of Salt Lake City; Dorman and Lenora Baird, Ogden; Dean and LaRue Argyle; and retired Col. Gordon Weed and his wife, Pat, all of Centerville.
About 25 couples, who have special language skills and who lived in other parts of the world, are members of a resource team for Church Hosting.
