Eight new mission presidents have been called by the First Presidency. The mission presidents and their wives will begin their service about July 1. Their assignments will be announced later. The new mission presidents are:
Jack R. Calton, 49, Crescent 17th Ward, Sandy Utah Crescent West Stake; stake president; former stake president's counselor, stake executive secretary, stake clerk, high councilor, bishop's counselor, elders quorum president, and missionary in the Scotland Edinburgh Mission; vice president for finance and risk management for Huntsman Chemical Corp.; received bachelor's degree in accounting and master's degree in business administration from the University of Utah; born in Salt Lake City to John William and Irene Barbara Steele Calton; married Paula Kunz, five children. She is a Relief Society teacher; former Primary president and secretary, Young Women president's counselor, Laurel adviser, Primary teacher, Cub Scout den mother, and Mia Maid adviser; received bachelor's degree in elementary education from Weber State University; born in Murray, Utah, to Marlon Edward and Thelma Joy Sorensen Kunz.- Donald A. Cazier, 54, Athens 1st Ward, Sugar Hill Georgia Stake; stake president; former high councilor, stake missionary, bishop and counselor, Young Men president, high priests group leader, elders quorum president, Scoutmaster, and missionary in the Uruguayan Mission; Church Educational System coordinator; received bachelor's degree in political science, master's degree in ancient scripture, and doctorate in educational psychology from BYU; born in Ogden, Utah, to John Barton and Agnes Bernice Slater Cazier; married Virginia Mae Wilcox, 13 children. She is Young Women president; former stake Relief Society president's counselor, stake missionary, Primary president, Relief Society president's counselor, Sunday School teacher, Boy Scout committee chairman, seminary teacher, and missionary in the Argentina Buenos Aires Mission; attended BYU; born in Heyburn, Idaho, to LaVaur Hanks and Laura Mae Baird Wilcox.
Milo R. LeBaron Jr., 63, Elmwood Ward, Mesa Arizona Central Stake; director and missionary at the Arizona Temple visitors center; former mission president's counselor, stake president's counselor, high councilor, stake and ward mission leader, bishop and counselor, Young Men president, activities committee chairman, Sunday School teacher, elders quorum president's counselor and secretary, and Scoutmaster; owner and manager of LeBaron & Carroll Inc.; attended Arizona State University; born in Mesa, Ariz., to Milo Richard and Laura Wanda Hill LeBaron; married Donna May Brinton, six children. She is a missionary at the Arizona Temple visitors center; former stake Primary president and counselor, Relief Society president, Young Women president and counselor, Primary president's counselor, Laurel adviser, Mia Maid adviser, Beehive adviser, Relief Society teacher, Young Women secretary, and Primary teacher; born in Mesa, Ariz., to Van Buren and Vida Driggs Brinton.
Michael D. Murdock, 55, Bountiful 17th Ward, Bountiful Utah East Stake; stake president; former mission president's counselor, stake president's counselor, high councilor, stake Young Men president's counselor, bishop and counselor, Young Men president, Scoutmaster, and missionary in the Eastern Canadian Mission; executive vice president for the Utah Division of the American Cancer Society; received bachelor's degree in English and political science from Weber State University and attended BYU and the University of Utah; born in Ogden, Utah, to Delbert Leon and Lila Gertrude Rouse Murdock; married Deanna Nelson, seven children. She is Young Women president's counselor; former Relief Society president and counselor, Primary president and counselor, Young Women president's counselor, Primary teacher, chorister, member of activities committee, and missionary in the Hawaii Mission; received associate degree in business at Weber State University and attended the University of Utah; born in Brigham City, Utah, to Glenn Stephen and Edna Louise Jorgensen Nelson.
Carlos L. Pedraja, 50, University Ward, Cochabamba Bolivia University Stake; bishop; former regional representative, mission president's counselor, stake president, district president, branch president, and missionary in the South Andean Mission; Church Educational System regional coordinator; received bachelor's degree in humanities at the American Institute and teaching degree at Catholic University Normal Superior; born in Cochabamba, Bolivia, to Calle Jorge Lizardo and Zerda Herbas Maria Casta Pedraja; married Fanola Pinto, four children. She is Relief Society president's counselor; former stake Relief Society president's counselor, Relief Society president and counselor, Young Women president's counselor, and Primary president's counselor; received bachelor's degree in humanities from Pius XII College and teaching degree from Catholic University Normal Superior; born in Cochabamba, Bolivia, to Olmos Rafael and Fanola Arce Victoria Pinto.
J. Edward Scholz, 63, Great Falls Ward, McLean Virginia Stake; stake president; former stake president's counselor, high councilor, district president's counselor, bishop, and high priests group leader; president of Orion Research Inc.; received bachelor's degree in mathematics from Louisiana Tech University, master's degree in operations research from Air Force Institute of Technology, and optometry degree from Deutsche Schule fur Optik; born in Berlin, Germany, to Eduard and Hildegard Emma Auguste Scheewe Scholz; married Lois Groves, four children. She is Relief Society president's counselor; former stake Relief Society secretary, Relief Society president and counselor, MIA Maid adviser, seminary teacher, and Sunday School teacher; attended BYU; born in Union County, Ill., to Fred Raymond and Stella Isabelle Wilson Groves.
Russell E. Tueller, 54, Union 1st Ward, Sandy Utah Cottonwood Creek Stake; Sunday School teacher; former stake president, stake executive secretary, stake Young Men president, bishop and counselor, deacons quorum adviser, and missionary in the Southwest British Mission; controller-CPA for Boyer Company; received bachelor's degree in accounting and economics from BYU and master's degree in business administration from Northwestern University; born in Kansas City, Mo., to Elmer Russell and Mildred Hirschi Tueller; married Christine Clayton, two children. She is Relief Society president's counselor; former stake Relief Society secretary, Young Women president's counselor, Relief Society and Primary teacher; received bachelor's degree in English from BYU; born in Salt Lake City to Sutherland Whipple and Mavis Greer Clayton.
W. John Whatcott, 62, Bloomington Hills 5th Ward, St. George Utah Bloomington Hills Stake; Sunday School teacher; former stake president's counselor, high councilor, and bishop and counselor; elementary school principal; received bachelor's and master's degrees in physical education and history from Utah State University and attended BYU; born in Lynndyl, Utah, to Lenox Irvin and Martha Marie Nelson Whatcott; married Connie Rae McIntosh, five children. She is a former Primary teacher; attended Southern Utah University and Utah State University; born in Fillmore, Utah, to Robert N. and Devine Bulloch McIntosh.
