Eight 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 their assignments are:
Giovanni Ascione, 39, Italy Catania Mission; Verona Ward, Venice Italy Stake; high councilor; former mission executive secretary, district president, branch president, high priests group leader, elders quorum president, and missionary in the Italy Padova Mission; Church Educational System coordinator; attended Verona University; born in Terni, Italy, to Carmine and Fabrizia Fabrizi Ascione; married Anna Maria Gambardella, four children. She is Relief Society president; former Primary president, Young Women president, Relief Society president, inservice training leader, seminary teacher, institute teacher, and missionary in the Italy Padova Mission; born in Messina, Italy, to Luigi and Rosalia Perillo Gambardella.- B. John Galbraith, 54, Russia Novosibirsk Mission; Sugar City 3rd Ward, Sugar City Idaho Stake; stake president's counselor; former high councilor, stake mission president, bishop and counselor, branch president's counselor, elders quorum president, priests adviser, and missionary in the French Mission; head of division of humanities at Ricks College; received bachelor's and master's degrees in French from BYU; born in Lethbridge, Alberta, to Bruce Van and Beth Heninger Galbraith; married Carol Bingham, 10 children. She is ward organist and music chairman; former Young Women president and counselor, Relief Society president, inservice leader, Primary president's counselor, Primary teacher, nursery leader, and Relief Society teacher; received bachelor's degree in elementary education from BYU and attended Lethbridge Junior College; born in Edmonton, Alberta, to Orson Thomas and Rojanea Jacobs Bingham.
Emmanuel S. Mascardo, 45, Philippines Davao Mission; Kawit Ward, Cavite Philippines Stake; stake and ward Sunday School president; former stake president's counselor, high councilor, district president's counselor, bishop, branch president and counselor, Sunday School president, assistant high priests group leader, and Young Men president and counselor; Church Educational System area director; received bachelor's degree in social work from the Philippine School of Social Work and attended St. Paul's University; born in Kawit, Philippines, to Raymundo Olaes and Amada Esguerra Santonil Mascardo; married Carmen Yanga, four children. She is a Sunday School teacher; former stake Relief Society president's counselor, district Primary president, Primary president's counselor, Relief Society president's counselor, and Primary teacher; attended Philippine School of Social Work; born in Jolo, Philippines, to Ramon de la Paz and Elena Alvarez Fu Yanga.
James B. McDonald, 53, California Anaheim Mission; Edgemont 14th Ward, Provo Utah Edgemont Stake; bishop's counselor; former stake president's counselor, stake executive secretary, stake financial clerk, bishop, elders quorum president and counselor, and deacons quorum adviser; associate dean of general education and honors at BYU; received bachelor's and master's degrees in mathematics at Utah State University and doctorate in economics at Purdue University; born in Logan, Utah, to Leonard Webb and Arola Bott McDonald; married Kathleen Thomas, four children. She is stake Relief Society president; former stake Young Women president's counselor, Primary president's counselor, Young Women president's counselor, Young Women adviser, Relief Society homemaking leader, Primary secretary, and Cub Scout den leader; received bachelor's degree in elementary education and master's degree in early childhood education from Utah State University and attended Purdue University; born in Malad, Idaho, to Henry Ward and Helen Grace Roghaar Thomas.
Robert H. McKee, 48, Nevada Las Vegas Mission; Friendswood Ward, Friendswood Texas Stake; stake president; former stake president's counselor, high councilor, bishop, and Scoutmaster; president of Retirement Living Inc.; received bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from BYU; born in Riverside, Calif., to Harold Claude and Verda Nickell McKell; married Venna Ann Pitcher, eight children. She is choir director; former Young Women president, Primary president, Relief Society president's counselor, organist, and music chairman; attended BYU; born in Salt Lake City to Hal Jay and Venna Christina Egbert Pitcher.
Richard S. Nixon, 65, California Sacramento Mission; Mapleton 11th Ward, Mapleton Utah Stake; family history missionary trainer; former regional representative, stake president, high councilor, bishop, and missionary in the West German Mission; owner of Nu Business Systems Inc.; received bachelor's degree in accounting from BYU; born in Provo, Utah, to St. Clair and Lyle Glazier Nixon; married Loretta Dalbey, five children. She is a family history missionary trainer; former family history Church service missionary, Primary president and counselor, Relief Society president's counselor, Sunday School secretary, Primary teacher, and Sunday School teacher; attended BYU; born in Provo, Utah, to Melvin Franklin and Leona Sumsion Dalbey.
Victor O. Pickett, 44, Guatemala Guatemala City South Mission; Willow Creek 1st Ward, Sandy Utah Willow Creek Stake; Young Men president's counselor and Scoutmaster; former high councilor, district executive secretary, bishop's counselor, teachers quorum adviser, elders quorum president, and missionary in the Mexico North Mission; dentist; received bachelor's degree in accounting/pre-dental from BYU and doctor of dentistry degree from the University of Puerto Rico; born in Logan, Utah, to V. Owen and Mary Emma Parker Pickett; married Marilyn Wright, four children. She is a Laurel adviser; former Primary president, Young Women president's counselor, Primary chorister, organist, Sunday School teacher, and Relief Society teacher; received bachelor's degree in business education from BYU; born in American Fork, Utah, to William Lloyd and Edith Jane Moss Wright.
Norman D. Shumway, 61, Japan Okayama Mission; South San Francisco Ward, San Francisco California West Stake; mission president's counselor; former stake president's counselor, high councilor, bishop, high priests group leader, Sunday School teacher, organist, and missionary in the Japan and Northern Far East missions; parole board member for the state of California; received associate degree in pre-medicine from Stockton College, bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Utah, and juris doctorate from the University of California Hastings College of the Law; born in Phoenix, Ariz., to Wallace Loral and Zina Owens Shumway; married Luana Schow, six children. She is a Relief Society teacher; former seminary teacher, Scout advancement chairman, nursery leader, Relief Society teacher, and Laurel leader; received bachelor's degree in English from BYU; born in Logan, Utah, to Alvin Jeppsen and Hannah Leone Holt Schow.