Pacific Area Latter-day Saints Called to Leadership

Pacific Area Latter-day Saints Called to Senior Church Leadership Positions

2 April 2011

SALT LAKE CITY, United States - Four members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from the Pacific Area were called to senior leadership positions in the Church today.

Elder Ian S. Ardern, 57, was named as a new member of the Church's First Quorum of the Seventy. He was serving as a member of the Eighth Quorum of the Seventy in the Pacific Area at the time of his new call.

He received a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in education from the University of Waikato, New Zealand. During his career, he has served in many Church Educational System positions, including teacher, director, seminary coordinator in New Zealand, principal of the Church College of New Zealand and Pacific Area Director.

Elder Ardern’s Church service includes full-time missionary in France and Belgium, Stake Young Men president, high counselor, bishop's counselor, bishop, stake president's counselor, president of the Fiji Suva Mission and Area Seventy.

He and his wife, Paula Ann Judd, are the parents of four children. Elder and Sister Ardern reside in Hamilton, New Zealand.

Elder O. Vincent Haleck, 62, was serving as president of the Samoa Apia Mission when he received his call to the Second Quorum of the Seventy. Elder Haleck received a bachelor’s degree in advertising and marketing from Brigham Young University. He owns a number of businesses in his native Samoa and is involved in philanthropy work.

Elder Haleck has served in numerous Church callings, including full-time missionary in the Apia Samoa Mission, bishop, stake high councilor, patriarch, stake president and president of the Samoa Apia Mission. Elder Haleck and his wife, Peggy Ann Cameron, reside in Pago Pago, American Samoa and are the parents of three children.

Jeffrey D. Cummings, of Sydney, Australia, and David J. Thomson, of Hamilton, New Zealand, were called as Area Sevenities. It was also announced today that Elder Dirk Smibert, of Brisbane, will be released as an Area Seventy, effective 1 May 2011.

ENDS

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