Elder Dean M. Davies
General Authority Seventy
While driving home from work in 1989, Elder Dean M. Davies was caught in an earthquake in San Francisco, California, USA, that violently shook his car. Later, as he pondered the resulting damage to the area, he was reminded of the importance of building our lives on a sure foundation.
“None of us would knowingly construct our homes, places of work, or sacred houses of worship on sand or rubble or without appropriate plans and materials,” he said. “Let us accept the Savior’s invitation to come unto Him. Let us build our lives upon a safe and a sure foundation.”1
Elder Davies, who had served in the Presiding Bishopric since April 2012, was sustained as a General Authority Seventy on October 3, 2020. In the Presiding Bishopric, Elder Davies served as Second Counselor to Bishop Gary E. Stevenson until Bishop Stevenson was sustained as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on October 3, 2015. Elder Davies was then sustained as First Counselor to Bishop Gérald Caussé, who replaced Elder Stevenson as the new Presiding Bishop.
Dean Myron Davies was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, in 1951. After serving as a full-time missionary in the Uruguay/Paraguay Mission, he married Darla James in 1973 in the Salt Lake Temple. They have 5 children and 17 grandchildren.
In July 1995, he began working for the Church, where he was managing director of the Special Projects Department, with responsibility for special-purpose real estate, temple design, and temple construction. Previous to Church employment, Elder Davies worked for High Industries, Inc., of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA, and Bechtel Investments, Inc., of San Francisco. He earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics at Brigham Young University and completed advanced executive programs at Stanford and Northwestern Universities.
Bishop Davies has served as president of the Puerto Rico San Juan Mission, mission president’s counselor, stake president, stake president’s counselor, stake executive secretary, high councilor, and in several bishoprics.