stake presidency
The stake president holds the priesthood keys to lead the work of the Church in a specific geographical area. He and his two counselors form a stake presidency. They care for stake members with love, helping them become true followers of Jesus Christ.© 2024 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.This story appears here courtesy of TheChurchNews.com. It is not for use by other media.
By Church News Staff, Church News
Following is a list of newly created stakes and stake presidencies of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from around the world.
NOTE: When a new stake is created or a stake presidency is reorganized in an existing stake, leaders are given time to report the changes and provide brief biographical information for each member of the new stake presidency. A list of stakes reporting changes is compiled and published at the end of each month. The actual date of the stake’s creation or reorganization is in parentheses following the name of the stake.
Reorganized Stake Presidencies
ANOKA MINNESOTA STAKE: (Nov. 3, 2024) President — Nathan Robert Lingard, 48, Mortenson Construction design phase director; succeeding Paul Williams Wilson; wife, Keri Elaine Jensen Lingard. Counselors — Dale Ray Wills, 53, Centra Cos. CEO; wife, Tammy Lynn Westaway Wills. Fabian Gerardo Fernandez, 48, University of Minnesota professor; wife, Anahi Melina Ottonelli Fernandez.
BLOOMINGTON UTAH STAKE: (Oct. 27, 2024) President — Jonathan Michael Cole, 41, Redstone Cos. owner and president; succeeding Robert McBride Jensen; wife, Cristin Nicole Lamb Cole. Counselors — James Peregrine White III, 61, Irvine Construction and Realty vice president of real estate development; wife, Christine Stocking White. Justin W Bundy, 48, self-employed business owner and Mutual of Omaha Reverse Mortgage loan officer; wife, Shanna Oliverson Bundy.
CALGARY ALBERTA BOW RIVER STAKE: (Nov. 17, 2024) President — Stefan Oliver Erasmus, 52, Werklund Family Office CEO; succeeding Kevin Clark Thompson; wife, Laura Elizabeth Siswick Erasmus. Counselors — Jupiter Flores Gutierrez, 41, Tetranex Solutions Inc. senior electrical designer; wife, Nancy Agpad Gutierrez. James William Ellis, 49, Transport Canada regional director of corporate services; wife, Jana Rae Regehr Ellis.
CEDAR CITY UTAH WEST STAKE: (Nov. 3, 2024) President — Caleb James Duncan, 35, Leavitt Group Enterprises Inc. associate general counsel; succeeding Michael Wallace Heap; wife, Vanessa Rae VanTassell Duncan. Counselors — Trent Merrill Nielsen, 50, Iron County School District assistant principal; wife, Amber Hatch Nielsen. Lee Gardner Wood, 62, Southern Utah University assistant professor and self-employed rancher; wife, Linda Hatch Wood.
COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS UTAH BUTLER STAKE: (Oct. 27, 2024) President — David Richard Barnes, 55, emergency physician; succeeding Roger Dee Henriksen; wife, Heather Dawn Taylor Barnes. Counselors — Alonzo Tyler Howe, 44, Granite School District high school principal; wife, Laura Melissa Paulsen Howe. Eric James Passey, 57, Intermountain Health rehab operations manager; wife, Heather Eyre Passey.
DURBAN SOUTH AFRICA STAKE: (Oct. 27, 2024) President — Ravi Jarom Natasan, 54, retired; succeeding Matthews Zwelethu Mhlongo; wife, Mogie Joelene Kistan Natasan. Counselors — Kelvin Hlanganani Gwala, 38, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints assistant recorder; wife, Lungile Sphindile Mbili Gwala. Douglas Martin Mason Greyling, 28, Zero-One full stack developer; wife, Kiara Jennifer Bricknell Greyling.
MADISON ALABAMA STAKE: (Oct. 27, 2024) President — David Elliott Dunford, 57, IT executive; succeeding William Kuenn Drake; wife, Tracey Ann Jeffery Dunford. Counselors — Nathan Thomas Mayfield, 47, Bob Wallace Appliance territory manager of sales; wife, Alisha Michelle Haynie Mayfield. Lyman Christopher Brown, 54, Kroger Co. store leader; wife, Leslie Ann Boy Brown.
MURFREESBORO TENNESSEE STAKE: (Oct. 27, 2024) President — Roger Dallas Olsen, 48, Hospital Corporation of America assistant vice president of finance performance improvement; succeeding Joseph Sanford Pennington; wife, Lori Michelle Reeves Olsen. Counselors — Daniel Paul Seegmiller, 50, Welfare and Self-Reliance manager; wife, Mary Shereece Turner Seegmiller. Loren Christopher Dennis, 56, retired; wife, Roma LaDean Grow Dennis.
MYRTLE BEACH SOUTH CAROLINA STAKE: (Oct. 27, 2024) President — Jeffrey Sean Case, 45, Coastal Carolina University professor; succeeding Joseph Craig Jennings; wife, Liberty Price Case. Counselors — James Merlin Fish, 52, Brunswick Senior Resources Inc. president and CEO; wife, Joline Elizabeth Lavin Fish. Stacy Maughan Cheney, 57, U.S. Department of Commerce senior attorney adviser; wife, Kelley Katheleen Seaver Cheney.
PALMDALE CALIFORNIA STAKE: (Nov. 3, 2024) President — Joseph Christopher Cornwall, 62, special education teacher; succeeding Justin Thomas Knowles; wife, Janell Jarvis Cornwall. Counselors — William B Thacker, 62, Lockheed Martin Aeronautic Co. engineer; wife, Karen Esther Peterson Thacker. Thomas Lee Llewellyn, 41, United States Air Force assistant director of operations and Z Axis Images consultant; wife, Shayna Ruth Young Llewellyn.
ROSWELL NEW MEXICO STAKE: (Sept. 15, 2024) President — James Mason Mitchell, 45, James Hamilton Construction Co. owner; succeeding Joe Shannon Magill; wife, Marissa Louise Mares Mitchell. Counselors — Marcus Alexander Bluth, 47, Corrales Construction owner; wife, Camille Marie Hakes Bluth. Phil George Davis, 58, Interstate Batteries owner and distributor; wife, Wendolyn Wakefield Davis.
SAN SALVADOR EL SALVADOR LA LIBERTAD STAKE: (Oct. 27, 2024) President — Jorge Abinadi Romero Vasquez, 40, sales manager; succeeding Jarol Oman Turcios Cabrera; wife, Elena Beatriz Alvarado de Romero. Counselors — José David Sanchez Gutierrez, 36, buyer; wife, Maria Alejandra Urbina de Sanchez. Milton Marcelo Hernandez Esquivel, 47, Esina of Salvador salesman; wife, Claudia Magdalena Rosales de Hernandez.
SÃO JOÃO DA BOA VISTA BRAZIL STAKE: (Sept. 8, 2024) President — Rodrigo Sant’Angelo de Oliveira, 39, Ferragens Tavares general manager; succeeding Daniel Augusto Silva; wife, Marina da Silva Melo Oliveira. Counselors — Luiz Fernando Verta Macedo, 46, Telefonica S.A. area manager; wife, Suzany Esteves Toyama Verta Macedo. Eduardo Geremias Pinto Jr., 41, Geremias and Geremias Peças Agricolas Ltd. civil engineer and trader; wife, Alícia Greyce Turatti Pessolato Geremias.
SARASOTA FLORIDA STAKE: (Nov. 17, 2024) President — Matthew Paul Bright, 48, Caring Touch owner and CEO; succeeding Rick J Dreiling; wife, Kelly Jean Thurston Bright. Counselors — Tyler James Saxey, 40, Foot Locker senior director of VOC and customer care; wife, Melissa Ann Stuart Saxey. Sergio Bizarro Romero, 54, Bizarro’s Fencing owner; wife, Margarita Cadena Melendez.
SPANISH FORK UTAH PALMYRA STAKE: (Nov. 10, 2024) President — Ross Everett Varner, 44, Zions Bancorp. director of risk systems and controls; succeeding David Scott Mickelson; wife, Lacey Lorraine Clarkson Varner. Counselors — James Christian Biesinger II, 54, nurse practitioner and Utah National Guard flight surgeon; wife, Lori Ann Jensen Biesinger. Klinton Edward Hobbs, 46, Brigham Young University executive director of student services; wife, Patricia Marie Libby Hobbs.
TUCSON ARIZONA SOUTH STAKE: (Nov. 17, 2024) President — Brett Elmo Bergeson, 61, Arizona Electric Power cooperatives internal auditor; succeeding Sidney Benson Henderson; wife, Janet Lee Salisbury Bergeson. Counselors — Stuart Gerber Nielson, 46, Equiprr LLC president and Raytheon Technologies senior engineer; wife, Rachael Ann Kuttler Nielson. Adam Scott McDonald, 40, optometrist; wife, Tari Kae Ferguson McDonald.
TUCSON ARIZONA WEST STAKE: (Nov. 3, 2024) President — Jeffrey William Gabbitas, 52, Pima College professor; succeeding Loren Ted Somerville; wife, Mary Elizabeth Roberts Gabbitas. Counselors — Trym Helaman Gibbons, 48, dentist; wife, Emily Ann Pfau Gibbons. David Lloyd Udall, 37, Town of Marana town clerk and assistant town attorney; wife, Letisha Hinton Udall.
UKAT ARAN NIGERIA STAKE: (Nov. 3, 2024) President — Anietie Monday Dick, 31, self-employed CEO; succeeding Alexander Etuwewe; wife, Charity Anietie Monday. Counselors — Ukpono Nkereuwem Umoren, 34, Star Plus Bakery distributor; wife, Enobong Emmanuel Ekwere Ukpono Umoren. Solomon Joseph Umoh, 28, Desoj Food Resources Venture managing director; wife, Deborah William Eshiet Solomon Umoh.
ULAANBAATAR MONGOLIA WEST STAKE: (Nov. 3, 2024) President — Ganbold Tsend-Ayush, 41, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints facilities manager; succeeding Ganbat Ganbold; wife, Jargal Munkhbaatar. Counselors — Chuluunbat Lkhagvadorj, 51, Mabetex Mongolia LLC vice director; wife, Alimaa Bujantogtokh. Sergelenbaatar Oyungerel, 33, Teso Group audit director; wife, Bulganjargal Khaduur.