New Stakes and Stake Presidencies Announced in December 2017
New stakes
Eight new stakes have been created.
A new stake has been created from the Abomosu Ghana District. The Abomosu Ghana Stake, which consists of the Abomosu 2nd, Asuom, and Kwabeng Branches and the Abomosu 1st, Asunafo 1st, Asunafo 2nd, and Sankubenase Wards, was created by Elder Marcus B. Nash, General Authority Seventy, and Elder M. T. Ben Davis, an Area Seventy.
ABOMOSU GHANA STAKE (October 22, 2017): President—Seth Oppong, 45, deputy country director, World Joy; wife, Agyeiwaa Evelyn Oppong. Counselors—Benjamin Deho, 36, senior financial adviser, Mentors Ghana; wife, Joviah Awuku. Frank Akwah, 27, mobile banker; wife, Nowellean Ediefa Akwah.
A new stake has been created from the Boston Massachusetts, Hingham Massachusetts, and Springfield Massachusetts Stakes. The Blackstone Valley Massachusetts Stake, which consists of the Framingham 2nd, Franklin 2nd, and Worcester 3rd Branches and the Foxboro, Framingham 1st, Franklin 1st, Marlborough, Worcester 1st, and Worcester 2nd Wards, was created by Elder Anthony D. Perkins, General Authority Seventy, and Elder Milan F. Kunz, an Area Seventy.
BLACKSTONE VALLEY MASSACHUSETTS STAKE (October 22, 2017): President—Scott Nolan Taylor, 49, associate professor; wife, Ashley Anne Boyter Taylor. Counselors—Christopher Richard Boyce, 52, executive chairman, Virgin Pulse; wife, Jill Eliason Boyce. Robert Wayne Andros, 46, senior manager, Cisco Systems; wife, Jill Jacobsen Andros.
A new stake has been created from the Golden Colorado and Meeker Colorado Stakes. The Craig Colorado Stake, which consists of the Baggs and Granby Branches and the Craig 1st, Craig 2nd, Meeker, Rangely 1st, Rangley 2nd, and Steamboat Springs Wards, was created by Elder Claudio R. M. Costa, General Authority Seventy, and Elder James E. Evanson, an Area Seventy.
CRAIG COLORADO STAKE (October 15, 2017): President—Larry Brian Ellgen, 54, business owner; wife, Lynae Robinson Ellgen. Counselors—Douglas Edwin Libby, 56, general manager, Devil’s Thumb Ranch Resort and Spa; wife, Katie Alder Libby. Kenneth Lee Harman, 51, CEO, Pioneers Medical Center; wife, Leslie Jean Fowler Harman.
A new stake has been created from the Daola Cote d’Ivoire District. The Daola Cote d’Ivoire Stake, which consists of the Kennedy 1st and Lobia 2nd Branches and the Gbeuliville, Kennedy 2nd, Lobia 1st, Marrias, Orly, and Tazibouo Wards, was created by Elder Larry S. Kacher, General Authority Seventy, and Elder Anthony Quaisie, an Area Seventy.
DALOA COTE D’IVOIRE STAKE (October 22, 2017): President—Georges Grah, 34, CEO, GK Enterprise; wife, Angele Solange Epse Kouadio. Counselors—Zikahi Yannick Botty, 39, agricultural consultant; wife, Choriste Patricia Gopou Medeco. Aurelien Djedje, 30, marketing representative, GK Entreprise; wife, Rebecca Sonia Graho.
A new stake has been created from the Midway Utah Stake. The Midway Utah West Stake, which consists of the Deer Creek, Fort Midway, Homestead, Swiss Alpine, Wallsburg 1st, Wallsburg 2nd, and Wasatch Mountain Wards, was created by Elder Kevin R. Duncan, General Authority Seventy, and Elder John A. McCune, an Area Seventy.
MIDWAY UTAH WEST STAKE (October 15, 2017): President—Ronald L. Davis, 69, real estate broker; wife, Charlene Johnson Davis. Counselors—Rex Jay Allen, 63, CEO, Realtime Learning; wife, Nancy Ann Newey Allen. Karl Lynn Dodge, 61, business owner; wife, Glinda Le Reid Dodge.
A new stake has been created from the Villa Nueva Honduras Stake. The Potrerillos Honduras Stake, which consists of the El Mochito, Morelos, Potrerillos, Santa Cruz de Yojoa, and Yojoa Wards, was created by Elder José L. Alonso, General Authority Seventy, and Elder Luis R. Arbizú, an Area Seventy.
POTRERILLOS HONDURAS STAKE (July 16, 2017): President—Jose Geovanny Quiroz Rivera, 51, doctor; wife, Adirana Beatriz Sorto Martinez. Counselors—Yoni Rodulio Reyes Mejia, 41, workshop instructor; wife, Sara Mélida Amador Reyes. Jorge Alberto Chirinos Alonso, 33, computer factory worker, Red Key Industries; wife, Idalia Maria Ortiz Chirinos.
A new stake has been created from the Lubumbashi Democratic Republic of the Congo Stake. The Ruashi Democratic Republic of the Congo Stake, which consists of the Bel-Air, Bongonga, Kawama, Luano, Ruashi 1st, and Ruashi 2nd Wards, was created by Elder S. Mark Palmer, General Authority Seventy, and Elder Elie K. Monga, an Area Seventy.
RUASHI DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO STAKE (October 22, 2017): President—Ndalamba Ilunga, 43, hydrocarbon lab director, United Petroleum; wife, Lyly Mwepu Mufuka. Counselor—Patrice Mukendi Wa Mukendi, 43, entrepreneur; wife, Kandey Mukendi Christiane Bankanuna. Narcy Kantenga Wa Rega, 42, seminary and institute coordinator, LDS Church; wife, Jacqueline Wemba Shana.
A new stake has been created from the Hattiesburg Mississippi, New Orleans Louisiana, Gulfport Mississippi, and Denham Springs Louisiana Stakes. The Slidell Louisiana Stake, which consists of the Amite and Bogalusa Branches and the Covington, Hammond, Picayune, Slidell, and Waveland Wards, was created by Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and Elder R. Randall Bluth, an Area Seventy.
SLIDELL LOUISIANA STAKE (October 15, 2017): President—Michael Francis Dohm, 58, regional manager, Self-Reliance Services; wife, Sharon Lynn Dohm. Counselors—Rulon Stirland McKay, 55, change manager, Shell Oil; wife, Martha Wright McKay. Jared Blaine Grover, 47, mechanical test engineer, NASA; wife, Melissa Ann Johnson Grover.
Reorganized stakes
AMMON IDAHO NORTH STAKE (November 11, 2017): President—Christopher Michael Kunz, 39, trust and wealth advisor, Bank of Idaho; succeeding F. Dennis Stevens; wife, Charity Lynn Price Kunz. Counselors—Robert Ursel Hale, 54, director of IT, Eastern Idaho Medical Center; wife, Lisa J. Hale. Phil Winger Simpson, 58, CEO, Taylor and Sons; wife, Trudi Kaye Tueller Simpson.
BILLINGS MONTANA STAKE (November 11, 2017): President—Dale Wardell, 50, chiropractor; succeeding Spencer E. Zaugg; wife, Danielle Rae Anderson. Counselors—Scott Edward Sears, 45, physician; wife, Robin Lyne Coalwell Sears. Daniel Wadley Wells, 45, general contractor; wife Julane Worthington Wells.
BRIGHTON COLORADO STAKE (November 11, 2017): President—Jeremy Scott Leavitt, 46, director, IHS Markit; succeeding Rex A Johnson; wife, Tamara Jo Brennan Leavitt. Counselors—Joel Clare Barrow, 41, hearing instrument specialist; wife, Lisa Cottle Barrow. Ian Scott Gagon, 45, insurance agent, Allstate; wife, Cassandra Joy Agnew Gagon.
COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS UTAH WASATCH STAKE (November 11, 2017): President—Stephen Seaton Haslam, 59, dentist; succeeding J. Ray Hicken; wife, Susan Ludwig Haslam. Counselors—Jay Samuel Fisher, 43, business development director, Yesco; wife, Michelle Bourgeois Fisher. Richard Ephraim Frankauser, 54, contract consultant; wife, Suzanne Braby Fankhauser.
FORTALEZA BRAZIL SOUTH STAKE (September 3, 2017): President—Francisco Alexsandro Oliveira Unias, 36, transit agent; succeeding Francisco Carlos Felix de Lima; wife, Maria Rochele Gomes Vieira Unias. Counselors—Reginaldo Mariano dos Santos, 47, entrepreneur; wife, Maria Regina Freitas da Cruz. Francisco Ribamar dos Santos, 43, construction worker; wife, Aline Pammela Mendes dos Santos.
GODOY CRUZ ARGENTINA STAKE (June 4, 2017): President—Matias Fernando, Munives, 34, property manager, LDS Church; succeeding Jorge D. Pedot; wife, Lorena Fernanda Artaza Muniver. Counselors—Adrian German Vargas, 45, property administrator, LDS Church; wife, Graciela Alejandra Lorca. Omar Rafael Montenagro, 55, technical information manager, Lüjan de Cuyo Municipality; wife, Patricia Noemi Espinoza.
GULFPORT MISSISSIPPI STAKE (October 15, 2017): President—David James Perkes, 60, director, Mississippi State University; succeeding Michael F. Dohm Sr.; wife, Linda Vail Perkes. Counselors—Melvin Perry Reynolds, 67, business owner; wife, Brenda Lou Broone Reynolds. Christopher Lanier Morgan, 53, CEO, Health Strategies; wife, Christine Marie Tucker Morgan.
IDAHO FALLS WEST STAKE (November 11, 2017): President—Steven George Zollinger, 61, employer relations manager, BYU–Idaho; succeeding Nathan D. Jacobson; wife, Geri Anne Monson Zollinger. Counselors—Paul Corbett Chambers, 51, social worker, University of Utah; wife, Andrea Gubler Chambers. Michael Preston Dunbar, 42, international HR director, Melaleuca, Inc.; wife, Meggan Marie Ferry Dunbar.
LOUISVILLE KENTUCKY STAKE (November 5, 2017): President—Jonathan D. Nelson, 50, tech manager, GE Appliances; succeeding Kirk M. Chadwick; wife, Lori Ann Vernon Nelson. Counselors—Brian Spencer Shumway, 42, professor; wife, Rebekah June Sawaya Shumway. Roger Lee Cude, 56, HR executive, Humana Inc.; wife, Kathryn Lee Markle Cude.
MEXICO CITY IXTAPALUCA STAKE (October 29, 2017): President—Rubén Gutierrez Hernandez, 43, chief, Department of Labor; succeeding Arturo Alvarez Zamudio; wife, Rosalinda Morena Paredes. Counselors—Everardo Valdez González, 37, professor; wife, Nickte Ha Cuevas Valdez Martinez. José Alfredo Hernández Guadiano, 39, operations manager, LDS Church; wife, Arith Vianey Navarrete Suárez.
WEST JORDAN UTAH YSA STAKE (October 15, 2017): President—Michael Hawkes Metcalf, 50, orthopedic surgeon; succeeding Richard M. Marsh; wife, Jane Ivory Metcalf. Counselors—Gary Lee Hansen, 51, engineering manager, Sorenson Communications; wife, Andrea Livingston Hansen. Christopher Hal Neddo, 45, senior client adviser, Cynosure Group; wife, Sarah Christine Schwitzer Neddo.
WEST POINT UTAH STAKE (September 17, 2017): President—Mark Bennett Reid, 56, IT director, Davis School District; succeeding Alan R. Parrish; wife, Joy Lyn Schiffman Reid. Counselors—Jay Hal Ritchie, 60, vice president, Geneva Rock; wife, Paula Hatch Ritchie. Kirk Hal Rasmussen, 54, design engineer, Autoliv Inc.; wife, Ida Mae Hansen Rasmussen.
WEST RICHLAND WASHINGTON STAKE (November 5, 2017): President—John Andrew Hunt, 49, project controls specialist, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory; succeeding Brent A. Pulsipher; wife, Rebecca Ruth Beecroft Hunt. Counselors—Howard Oscar Jensen, 54, general manager, Sunheaven Farms; wife, Arianne Mildred Straley Jensen. Lyndon Dahle Porter, 45, research plant pathologist, USDA-ARS; wife, Lori Hall Porter.
