Five General Authority Seventies of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will be released from their assignments and given emeritus status effective Aug. 1, 2025.
President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, presented the upcoming changes for the five as part the sustainings of the Church’s general authorities and general officers in the Saturday morning session of the April 2025 general conference on April 5. Sixteen new General Authority Seventies were sustained, along with a new Young Men general presidency.
The five General Authority Seventies to be released from assignments and given emeritus status on Aug. 1 are:
- Elder David S. Baxter
- Elder Randall K. Bennett
- Elder Kevin S. Hamilton
- Elder Rafael E. Pino
- Elder Jorge F. Zeballos
All together, the five totaled nearly 80 years of combined service as General Authority Seventies.
Elder David S. Baxter
Elder Baxter was sustained as a General Authority Seventy on April 1, 2006. He had previously served in the Europe West Area presidency and as the president of the Pacific Area until he had surgery for a brain tumor. He is currently on medical leave from his assignment at Church headquarters in Salt Lake City.
Elder Baxter received a bachelor of science degree in business and economics from the University of Wales in 1976. At the time of his call, he was employed as the London director of international trade and investment for the U.K. Department of Trade and Industry and as a member of the board of a U.K. government agency providing help to deprived communities. He was previously the group director of operations and strategic relations for British Telecom and the information society director for the U.K. government, as well as chairman of the board of London’s Small Business Administration.
He also served as a board member of a university student grants charity, London First, the Broadband Stakeholder Group, a national health service trust and the London Council of the Confederation of British Industry. While at the Department of Trade and Industry, he chaired a policy action team on behalf of the prime minister’s Social Exclusion Unit.
Since joining the Church in 1968, Elder Baxter has served in numerous callings, including full-time missionary in the Scotland Edinburgh Mission, bishop, counselor in a stake presidency, stake president, counselor in a mission presidency and Area Seventy.
David Steward Baxter was born in Stirling, Scotland, on Feb. 7, 1955. He married Dianne Marie Lewars in February 1979; she died in March 2022. The Baxters are the parents of four children.
Elder Randall K. Bennett
Elder Bennett was sustained as a General Authority Seventy on April 2, 2011. He served in the Europe East Area presidency in Moscow, Russia, from 2011 to 2015 and as president of the Russia Samara Mission from 2007 to 2010. He currently serves as president of the North America Central Area.
Elder Bennett earned a doctor of dental surgery degree from the University of Alberta and a master of science specialty degree in orthodontics from Loma Linda University in California. During his professional career, Elder Bennett was involved in orthodontic treatment, research, teaching and training.
Elder Bennett has served in a number of Church callings, including full-time missionary in the France Paris and France Toulouse missions and branch president at the Provo Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah.
Randall K. Bennett was born in Magrath, Alberta, on June 17, 1955. He married Shelley Dianne Watchman in April 1977. They are the parents of four children.
Elder Kevin S. Hamilton
Elder Hamilton was sustained as a General Authority Seventy on April 6, 2013. He served for five years in the Africa Southeast Area presidency — including time as area president — and one year in the North America Northeast Area presidency. He now serves as the executive director for the Family History Department.
Elder Hamilton received a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Brigham Young University in 1979, and in 1982 he received a master’s degree in finance from the University of Washington. Prior to his call, he was a co-founder and partner in a venture capital firm.
Elder Hamilton has served in numerous Church callings, including full-time missionary in the Switzerland Geneva Mission, bishop, stake president and president of the Belgium/Netherlands Mission from 2003 to 2006.
Kevin Scott Hamilton was born in Wenatchee, Washington. He married Claudia Keysor in July 1978. They are the parents of six children.
Elder Rafael E. Pino
Elder Pino was sustained as a General Authority Seventy on April 5, 2008. At the time of his call he was serving as a member of the Fourth Quorum of the Seventy in the South America North Area.
He has served as a counselor in the South America North Area, South America Northwest Area and Mexico Area presidencies; president of the South America Northwest and Mexico areas, and assistant executive director in the Temple Department. He is currently serving as a counselor in the South America Northwest Area presidency.
Elder Pino was educated in commerce at the Colegio Carabobo. He received a certificate in administration in Caracas, Venezuela. He has worked for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in a variety of capacities since 1980. At the time of his call to full-time Church service, he was working as a regional manager for temporal affairs.
Since joining the Church in 1972, Elder Pino has served in numerous Church callings, including full-time missionary in the Venezuela Caracas and Venezuela Maracaibo missions, stake executive secretary, bishop, high councilor, counselor in a mission presidency, stake president, president of the Argentina Rosario Mission (1999-2002) and Area Seventy.
Rafael Eduardo Pino Gimenez was born in Valencia, Venezuela, on Oct. 27, 1955. He married Patricia Monica Villa Dassler in March 1981. They are the parents of three children.
Elder Jorge F. Zeballos
Elder Zeballos was sustained as a General Authority Seventy on April 5, 2008. At the time of his call, he had been serving as the president of the Chile Concepción South Mission (2006-2008).
He is currently serving as president of the Caribbean Area. He has also served as president of the South America Northwest Area and as a member of the Central America, South America South and Chile area presidencies. He previously served as assistant executive director in the Missionary Department and as member of the Restoration of Blessings and Cancellation of Sealings Committee at Church headquarters.
Elder Zeballos graduated with a degree in civil engineering at Santa Maria University in Chile in 1979. In 1991 he received his master of business administration from Brigham Young University. He worked as the manager of physical facilities for the Chile Area until 1989. After graduating from Brigham Young University, he worked as the manager of corporate affairs for Minera Escondida—BHP Billiton until he was called as a mission president.
Elder Zeballos has served in numerous Church callings, including full-time missionary in the Chile Concepción Mission, bishop, stake president, regional representative, Area Seventy and mission president.
Jorge Fernando Zeballos Ortiz was born in Ovalle, Chile, on July 19, 1955. He married Carmen Gloria Valenzuela in June 1982. They are the parents of five children.
