Six new mission presidents have been called by the First Presidency. The mission presidents and their wives will begin their service about July 1. The new mission presidents and where they will serve are:
G. Marsden Blanch, 48, California San Bernardino Mission; Cottonwood 5th Ward, Salt Lake Cottonwood Stake; Young Men president; former high councilor, bishop and counselor, Young Men president, elders quorum president, and missionary in the Florida Mission; physician and surgeon; received bachelor's degree in zoology and chemistry from BYU and medical degree from the University of Utah; born in Salt Lake City, Utah, to George and Gwendolyn Hatch Blanch; married Lynette Kehl, six children. She is a Sunday School teacher; former Relief Society president and teacher, Sunday School secretary and teacher, Primary chorister and teacher, inservice leader, Young Women president's counselor and adviser, nursery leader, and teacher development leader; attended BYU; born in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Edward Ferdinand and Glenda Ann Prows Kehl.C. Terry Graff, 52, Washington D.C. North Mission; Federal Way 1st Ward, Federal Way Washington Stake; regional representative; former stake president and counselor, high councilor, member of stake Young Men board, bishop's counselor, elders quorum president, and missionary in the Central States Mission; executive with forest products company; received bachelor's degree in economics at BYU, master of business administration degree from the University of Utah, and attended MIT; born in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Charles Theodore and Helen Jane MacKay Graff; married Constance Virginia Glazier, nine children. She is region secretary; former member of stake Relief Society and Young Women boards, member of ward Primary and Relief Society boards, member of ward Young Women board, choir director, Blazer leader, Mesa Temple visitors center secretary and guide; received bachelor's degree in English and German from BYU and attended Arizona State University; born in Mesa, Ariz., to Leland and Mildred Vera Woodruff Udall Glazier.
Daniel G. Hamilton, 37, Australia Perth Mission; Harbord 1st Ward, Sydney Australia Greenwich Stake; former stake president, stake mission president, stake Young Men president and counselor, stake young single adult representative, Primary teacher, and missionary in the Australia Perth Mission; chemical company managing director; born in Sydney, Australia, to Edward and Shirley Josephine Fletcher Hamilton; married Cynthia Jane Mackie, six children. She is Young Women president; former stake Primary president's counselor, stake Young Women president's counselor, Sunday School teacher, Primary president's counselor, Relief Society homemaking leader, seminary teacher, and Primary teacher; born in Leeton, Australia, to Ian Goodwin and Norma Elfreda Bush Mackie.
George C. Pingree, 60, Nigeria Aba Mission; Wasatch 5th Ward, Salt Lake Wasatch Stake; assistant priests quorum adviser; former stake president's counselor, high councilor, Young Men president, branch president, high priests group leader's assistant, Sunday School president and teacher, military group president's counselor, member of the Tabernacle Choir, and missionary in the New England Mission; ophthalmologist; received bachelor's degree in medical biology and medical degree from the University of Utah, and specialist training in ophthalmology from the Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Medicine; born in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Job Frederick and Marjorie Cannon Pingree; married Anne Clark, five children. She is a member of the Relief Society General Board; former stake Young Women president's counselor, stake Relief Society president's counselor, Relief Society president and counselor, Relief Society teacher, Laurel adviser, Sunday School teacher, Primary teacher and inservice leader, and Young Women president; received bachelor's degree in English and French from the University of Utah; born in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Ezra Thompson and Maude Ilene Erickson Clark.
A. Keith Thompson, 38, New Zealand Wellington Mission; Pennant Hills Ward, Sydney Australia Greenwich Stake; bishop; former stake president and counselor, stake executive secretary, stake missionary, bishop's counselor, Sunday School president, and Young Men president; general counsel for the Church in the Pacific Area; received LLB and masters of jurisprudence degrees from Auckland University Law School, and IMD degree from Auckland & New Zealand Technical Institute; born in Dunedin, New Zealand, to Neville Kenworthy and Gael Alison Mackintosh Thompson; married Elizabeth Anne Green, four children. She is a Primary teacher; former Relief Society president's counselor, Relief Society visiting teaching leader, Relief Society teacher, Young Women president's counselor, and Primary president's counselor; attended Church College of New Zealand; born in North Vancouver, Canada, to Frederick Walter and Cathleen Mary Jones Green.
Roland N. Walker, 40, Chile Santiago West Mission; Idaho Falls 12th Ward, Idaho Falls Idaho South Stake; elders quorum president; former stake missionary, Young Men president, elders quorum president, Young Men adviser, and missionary in the Quito Ecuador Mission; president and manager of Walker Farms; attended Ricks College and BYU; born in Idaho Falls, Idaho, to Roland La Von and Dorothy Mae McNeil Walker; married Sally Creer, five children. She is a member of the ward activities committee; former Relief Society homemaking leader, Sunday School teacher, Primary president, and Young Women leader; attended Dixie College and BYU; born in Spanish Fork, Utah, to Joseph E. and Florence Ruth Nielsen Creer.
