The first eight of the 1997 mission presidents have been announced 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:
- Dean R. Burgess, 50, Granite 16th Ward, Sandy Utah Granite South Stake; stake president's counselor; former high councilor, stake missionary, bishop and counselor, Young Men adviser, and missionary in the Brazilian Mission; residential construction manager; received bachelor's degree in business management from BYU and attended Southern Utah University; born in American Fork, Utah, to Reid C. and Ethel D. King Burgess; married Annette Christensen, five children. She is a Primary worker and temple organist; former Relief Society president, Young Women president and counselor, Primary president's counselor, Young Women adviser, and organist; received bachelor's degree in elementary education from BYU; born in Richfield, Utah, to Alten and Alta Wintch Christensen.- Bruce R. Christensen, 58, Brigham City 6th Ward, Brigham City Utah South Stake; temple ordinance worker and high priests instructor; former stake president, high councilor, bishop and counselor, executive secretary, high priests group leader and Young Men adviser; retired bank vice president and district manager; received banking degree from University of Washington Pacific Coast Banking School and attended the American Institute of Banking; born in Brigham City, Utah, to James Desmond and Eunice Robinette Christensen; married Patsy Koford, seven children. She is a temple ordinance worker; former stake Relief Society president's counselor, Relief Society president and secretary, Primary president, Relief Society homemaking leader and teacher, and Primary teacher; born in Bothwell, Utah, to Merwin Porritt and Afton Elizabeth Evans Koford.
- Rick Hall, 49, Falcon Park Ward, Sandy Utah Canyon View Stake; Scoutmaster; former stake president's counselor, high councilor, stake mission president, bishop, athletic director, and missionary in the North Argentine Mission; human resources division manager for Deseret G&T electric utility; received bachelor's degree in sociology and master's degree in clinical social work from the University of Utah; born in Salt Lake City to Wesley Fredrick and Marjorie Inez Jenkins Hall; married Sue Pulver, five children. She is Young Women president's counselor; former Young Women president, Primary president and counselor, Mia Maid adviser, Laurel adviser, camp director, and Young Adult leader and teacher; received associate degree from Stevens-Henegar College of Business and attended the University of Utah; born in Salt Lake City to Stirley Junior and Lois Phoebe Earley Pulver.
- Charles D. Martin, 56, Springerville Ward, Eagar Arizona Stake; Sunday School teacher and family history center worker; former stake president, high councilor, stake clerk, and bishop and counselor; builder and manager at Aspen Meadow Guest Ranch; received bachelor's degree in education and bachelor's degree in constructional engineering from Arizona State University; born in St. Johns, Ariz., to Fred Drayton and Kate Alexander Gaither Martin; married Beverly Brenner, six children. She is a family history center worker; former stake Relief Society board member, stake family history consultant, Young Women president, Relief Society chorister and instructor, and Sunday School teacher; attended BYU and Arizona State University; born in Denver, Colo., to Harold Fredrick and Lucile Rapier Brenner.
- J. William Moore Jr., 60, Billings 5th Ward, Billings Montana Stake; ward mission leader; former bishop's counselor, branch president, employment specialist, and missionary in the Ecuador Quito Mission, Dominican Republic Santiago Mission and Argentina Cordoba Mission; rancher; received an associate degree in speech from Ricks College and attended Utah State University; born in Cheyenne, Wyo., to John William and Mary Clara Franch DuMont Moore; married Patricia Spencer, 10 children. She is a stake missionary; former family record extraction worker, member of Primary presidency, member of Relief Society presidency, member of Young Women presidency, Primary teacher, Relief Society teacher, and missionary in the Ecuador Quito Mission, Dominican Republic Santiago Mission, and Argentina Cordoba Mission; received an associate degree from Northwest Community College; born in Casper, Wyo., to Arvine Wilkins and Marianne Eggers Spencer.
- Lloyd M. Munson, 65, Laie 6th Ward, Laie Hawaii North Stake; missionary in the California Ventura Mission; former temple sealer, stake president and counselor, high councilor, bishop, and Webelos leader; retired professor at BYU-Hawaii; received bachelor's degree in accounting from the University of Utah and master's of business administration degree in accounting from Michigan State University; born in Salt Lake City to Lewis Leo and Hortense Cope Munson; married Faye Spear, eight children. She is a missionary in the California Ventura Mission; former stake Relief Society president and counselor, Relief Society president's counselor and secretary, Relief Society homemaking leader, and Primary secretary; attended Carbon College; born in Salt Lake City to Roy Ferdinand and Pearl Ethel Wheeler Spear.
- John R. Reese, 50, Union 2nd Ward, Sandy Utah Cottonwood Creek Stake; Young Men president; former stake president's counselor, stake mission president, bishop and counselor, seminary teacher, and missionary in the North Central States Mission; owner and chief executive officer of Tower Enterprises entrepreneurial business; received bachelor's degree in university studies from BYU and attended UCLA; born in Los Angeles, Calif., to William Dahlquist and Ruth Ester Blosch Reese; married Gayle Gardiner, five children. She is Relief Society homemaking leader; former Relief Society president, Young Women president's counselor, Primary president's counselor, and Cub Scout leader; received an associate degree in home economics education from BYU and attended Glendale Community College; born in Glendale, Calif., daughter of James Hulet and Irene Carol Thomsen Gardiner, and the late Elaine Mary Scholl Gardiner.
- Richard A. Walker, 54, Glendora 4th Ward, Glendora California Stake; stake president's counselor; former stake president's counselor, stake executive secretary, stake clerk, high councilor, bishop and counselor, and Young Men president; vice president and chief executive officer for The Walton Company; received bachelor's degree in accounting from Arizona State University; born in Denver, Colo., to Bernard Sanford and Wanda Arrowsmith Walker; married Judith Harbertson, eight children. She is Young Women president's counselor; former Primary president and counselor, Young Women president's counselor, activities committee chairman, and Relief Society instructor; attended BYU; born in Mesa, Ariz., to Herbert Louis and Donna Jeane Brundage Harbertson.