Elder John A. McCune

General Authority Seventy

Early in his business career, Elder John A. McCune had a conversation with his boss during which it quickly became evident that the man didn’t know much about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His boss asked Elder McCune why Latter-day Saints didn’t dance or eat cookies.

“Obviously I eat cookies,” Elder McCune told his boss with a smile, rubbing his stomach. “I think you have us confused with somebody else.”

As they talked, Elder McCune clarified misconceptions about the Church. That chat led to other conversations about the gospel of Jesus Christ and reaffirmed for Elder McCune the importance of always being ready to share the gospel.

“We are disciples of the Savior Jesus Christ, wherever we are, in any setting, in any opportunity,” Elder McCune says. “We have jobs and careers, but they’re there to support our families and put us in situations to share the gospel. That’s our primary responsibility as disciples of Jesus Christ.”

John Allen McCune was born in Santa Cruz, California, USA, on June 20, 1963, to Clifford and Joan Schulthies McCune. He was raised primarily in Nyssa, Oregon, USA.

After serving a full-time mission in Fukuoka, Japan, Elder McCune married Debbra Ellen Kingsbury in the Salt Lake Temple in 1984. They are the parents of four children and live in Midway, Utah, USA.

Elder McCune received a bachelor of science degree in finance from Brigham Young University and later a master of business administration degree in finance from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He worked as the senior vice president and managing director for Capital Investment Advisors from 1997 to 2012. He then served as president of the Utah Provo Mission before becoming donor liaison for principal gifts with LDS Philanthropies.

Elder McCune was serving as an Area Seventy at the time of his new calling. He has also served as a stake president, bishop, counselor in a bishopric and in a branch presidency, and elders quorum president.