Biography Information:

Marion D. Hanks

Marion D. Hanks is one of the General Authorities of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

He served for several years as a Presidential Appointee on the United States President’s Citizens Advisory Committee on Children and Youth, and on the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. In 1978 he was presented the Distinguished Service Award of the President’s Council “in recognition of outstanding contributions to the National Program of Physical Fitness and Sports.” He has been a speaker and consultant at youth conferences throughout the United States and in foreign countries and has participated in a number of White House Conferences on Children and Youth.

In Scouting, Elder Hanks serves as a member of the National Executive Board, as Chairman of the National Camping and Outdoors Committee, and as a member of the Business and Finance Committees of the Boy Scouts of America. He has been awarded the Silver Beaver, the Silver Antelope, the Order of the Arrow, and in 1973 was presented the first honorary award of the National Eagle Scout Association “in recognition of his distinguished service to scouting.”

Past president of Salt Lake City Rotary Club, he was District Governor of Rotary for 1977–78.

Among his civic services, Elder Hanks was the first chairman of the Utah Committee on Children and Youth, board member of Weber State College and Southern Utah State College, and member of the Snow College Institutional Council. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees of Brigham Young University and the Church Board of Education. He has served on numerous civic boards and committees, and holds the Minuteman Award from the Utah National Guard.

Elder Hanks holds a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Utah. He has been for many years a teacher and has been awarded honorary degrees or awards from Utah State University, Weber State College and Ricks College. He and his family spent several years in England and Europe in Church leadership there.

During World War II Elder Hanks served aboard a submarine chaser in the Pacific. He has since visited servicemen at their bases in many parts of the world. He is now serving as Military Relations Representative of the Church; and has served as Director of the Youth Program, worldwide.

Elder Hanks married Maxine Christensen in the Mormon Temple in Hawaii. They are the parents of four married daughters and one son.