The Africa South Area Presidency

S. Mark Palmer, President

Elder S. Mark Palmer was serving as a member of the Sixth Quorum of the Seventy in the North America Southwest Area when he was called to be a General Authority Seventy at the April 2016 general conference.

Elder Palmer received a Bachelor of Commerce degree in 1979 from the University of Auckland and a Master of Business Administration in 1982 from Brigham Young University. He was the founder of SMP Ventures, a real estate development company, and has served as president since 1993.

Elder Palmer has served in a number of Church callings, including full-time missionary in the New Zealand Wellington Mission, elders quorum president, high councilor, high priests group leader, counselor in a bishopric, bishop, counselor in a stake presidency, stake president, mission president and Area Seventy.

Stanley Mark Palmer was born in Te Puke, New Zealand, on February 11, 1956. He married Jacqueline Ann Wood in 1981. They are the parents of six children.

Edward Dube, First Counselor

Elder Edward Dube was sustained as a General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 6, 2013. At the time of his call, he had been serving as a member of the Third Quorum of the Seventy in the Africa Southeast Area. He is currently serving as the Second Counselor in the Africa West Area Presidency. Prior to this assignment, Elder Edward Dube was serving at Church headquarters in various departments.

Elder Dube received a diploma in education in 1992 from Zimbabwe D.E. College and studied entrepreneurship at the University of South Africa in 2003. He has worked in many positions for the Church Educational System in Africa for over 15 years.

Elder Dube has served in several Church callings, including full-time missionary in Zimbabwe, district president, branch president, stake president, president of the Zimbabwe Harare Mission, and Area Seventy.

Edward Dube was born in Chiramanzu, Zimbabwe, on May 12, 1962. He married Naume Keresia Salizani on December 9, 1989. They are the parents of four children.

Ciro Schmeil, Second Counselor

Elder Ciro Schmeil was sustained as a General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 4, 2020. At the time of his call, he had been serving as a branch president. He served as an Area Seventy and a member of the Seventh Quorum of the Seventy in Brazil from 2013 to 2016 and a member of the Sixth Quorum of the Seventy in the North America Central Area from 2016 to 2017.

Elder Schmeil received a Bachelor of Arts degree in architectural studies from the University of Utah in 1995. In 2010 he received a Master of Business Administration degree from Ohio University. He has worked in Walmart’s corporate office in several positions, including director of real estate and vice president. He has also worked as chief operating officer of Scopel and general manager of Cia City. At the time of his call as a General Authority, he had been working as head of real estate for JBS S.A.

Elder Schmeil has served in a number of Church callings, including full-time missionary in the Utah Ogden Mission, elders quorum president, bishop, counselor in a stake presidency, stake president, and branch president.

Ciro Schmeil was born in Ponta Grossa, Brazil, on April 16, 1971. He married Alessandra Machado Louza in 1994. They are the parents of two children.