Two prominent leaders within the Utah Area Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, John A. McCune and Brian K. Taylor, are currently serving in high-level capacities following years of specialized religious and professional service.
Service History of John A. McCune
Elder John A. McCune currently serves as a member of the Utah Area Presidency. According to official church records, McCune was sustained as a General Authority Seventy on April 6, 2019.
Prior to his current assignment, McCune served as an Area Seventy and was a member of the Fifth Quorum of the Seventy in the Utah South Area. His extensive religious service includes roles as a full-time missionary in the Japan Fukuoka Mission, as well as serving as a bishop, stake president, counselor in a branch presidency, counselor in a ward Young Men presidency, and counselor in a bishopric. He also previously served as the president of the Utah Provo Mission.
Professional and Personal Background
The professional background of Elder McCune is rooted in finance and business administration. He earned a bachelor of science degree in finance from Brigham Young University.
Following his undergraduate studies, he attended the University of California Los Angeles, where he received a master of business administration in finance in 1992. His corporate career included a lengthy tenure as a managing director and senior vice president for Capitol Investment Advisors, a position he held from 1997 until 2012, when he was called to serve as a mission president.
Leadership of Brian K. Taylor
Elder Brian K. Taylor also serves in the Utah Area Presidency. Church records indicate that Taylor was sustained as a General Authority Seventy on April 1, 2017.
At the time of his call to the Seventy, Taylor was serving as the president of the Texas Dallas Mission. His leadership within the church has since expanded to include service as President in the Central America Area.
Technology Executive Career
Before his recent church assignments, Elder Taylor established a career as an entrepreneur and executive in the technology sector. After studying at Brigham Young University, he co-founded and led several companies.
Notably, Taylor served as the chief executive officer of a software company that provides services to United States 9-1-1, homeland security, and public safety agencies.
Personal and Family Details
The personal histories of both men reflect deep ties to Utah and the broader United States. John A. McCune was born in Santa Cruz, California, on June 20, 1963. He married Debbra Ellen Kingsbury in 1984, and the couple has four children.
Brian K. Taylor was born in Utah to parents Lowell Moon and Marie King Taylor on April 15, 1964. He married Jill Featherstone on April 30, 1987, and they are the parents of seven children.
Current Standing
Both men continue to hold the title of General Authority Seventy within the organization. While their paths to the Utah Area Presidency involved different international missions and distinct professional industries—finance for McCune and software for Taylor—both have transitioned from specialized corporate leadership into high-level ecclesiastical administration.
