The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced the calling Wednesday of H. David Burton as presiding bishop, the person who directs the temporal affairs of the church.
A native of Salt Lake City, Bishop Burton, 57, succeeds Bishop Merrill J. Bateman, who becomes president of Brigham Young University Monday. Bishop Burton has been serving as the presiding bishop's first counselor.Called to serve as the new first counselor is Bishop Richard C. Edgley, who has been second counselor. He in turn will be succeeded by Keith B. McMullin, managing director of the church's Welfare Services Department.
Bishop Burton was secretary to the presiding bishop for 14 years and served under Bishop Bateman and his predecessor, Bishop Robert D. Hales, who is now a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Prior to that, Bishop Burton was an assistant church budget officer.
A former executive with Kennecott Copper Corp. and the Utah Tax Commission, Bishop Burton earned a degree in economics from the University of Utah and a master of business administration degree from the University of Michigan.
He has served the church as a missionary in Australia, bishop, bishop's counselor, stake president and temple sealer. He was called to the Presiding Bishopric in October 1992. Bishop Burton and his wife, Barbara Matheson Burton, are the parents of five children.
As presiding bishop, Bishop Burton will direct a wide range of church departments, including finance and records, translation, materials management, welfare services, information and communications systems and physical facilities.
Bishop Edgley, 59, was also called to the presiding bishopric in October 1992 after serving as managing director of the church's finance and records department. Before that, he worked for General Mills in Minneapolis, Minn., for 19 years, 10 at the company's corporate headquarters.
Bishop Edgley has served as a missionary in the eastern United States, a bishop and stake president. A native of Preston, Idaho, he is a graduate of BYU with a master of business administration degree from Indiana University. He and his wife, Pauline Nielson Edgley, are the parents of six children.
Bishop McMullin, 54, is a native of St. George and was raised in Leeds and Salt Lake City. A University of Utah graduate, Bishop McMullin was named managing director of welfare service for the church in 1985. Prior to that, he had been an investment and performance/cost analyst with Ford Motor Co.
Bishop McMullin has served as a missionary and mission president in Germany, bishop and stake president. He and his wife, Carolyn Jean Gibbs McMullin, are the parents of eight children.