Don R. Clarke
Don Ray Clarke is a General Authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, sustained as a member of the First Quorum of Seventy on April 2, 2011. He had previously served in the Second Quorum of the Seventy since April 1, 2006, where he served as president of the Central America Area from 2007 to 2011. He was a counselor in the presidency from 2006 to 2007.
Clarke was born on December 11, 1945, in Rexburg, Idaho. He earned an associate’s degree from Ricks College, a bachelor’s degree in business from Brigham Young University, and a master’s degree in business administration from Washington State University. Before his full-time Church service, he first worked for the Ford Motor Company, then worked in retail, serving in several executive positions. Clarke served as a volunteer professor of business at Southern Virginia University and served as an advisor on finances to Rodney K. Smith who was president of SVU. He and his wife, Mary Anne, are the parents of six children.
He has served in the LDS Church in many capacities, including full-time missionary in Argentina, assistant director of Church Hosting, stake president, high councilor, bishop, and elders quorum president. He presided over the Bolivia Santa Cruz Mission from 2001 to 2004.
