Don R. Clarke
Encyclopedia
Don Ray Clarke has been a general authority
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) since 2006. He has been a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy of the LDS Church since 2011.
In the 1960s, Clarke served as an LDS Church missionary
in Argentina
. He has a bachelors degree from Brigham Young University
and an MBA from Washington State University
.
Although he began his career with Ford Motor Company
, Clarke spent most of his career as an executive in retail companies. By the mid-1980s he was serving as chairman of May Department Store's Venture operation. He was chairman and CEO of Caldor Corporation from 1986 to 1998, both before and after it split from May Department Stores
in 1989. Clarke then returned to work for May as president of Lord & Taylor
. Clarke also served as a volunteer professor of business at Southern Virginia University
and was involved with Ascend Humanitarian Alliance in beginning microcredit
operations in Bolivia
. Clark also served as an advisor to President Rodney Smith
on Southern Virginia University's finances.
Prior to being called as a general authority Clarke served in several local LDS Church positions including as a bishop and stake president. He was a mission president
in Bolivia
from 2001 to 2004.
Clarke became a general authority
in 2006 when he became a member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy. In 2011, he was made a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy. Clarke served for a time as president of the LDS Church's Central America Area
and while in this position presided at the ground-breaking ceremony for the San Salvador El Salvador Temple
. He also conducted the ground-breaking ceremony for the Quezaltenango Guatemala Temple.
Clarke and his wife Mary Ann Jackson are the parents of six children.
General authority
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a general authority is a member of certain leadership organizations who are given administrative and ecclesiastical authority over the church...
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) since 2006. He has been a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy of the LDS Church since 2011.
In the 1960s, Clarke served as an LDS Church missionary
Mormon missionary
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the most active modern practitioners of missionary work, with over 52,000 full-time missionaries worldwide, as of the end of 2010...
in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. He has a bachelors degree from Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
and an MBA from Washington State University
Washington State University
Washington State University is a public research university based in Pullman, Washington, in the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1890, WSU is the state's original and largest land-grant university...
.
Although he began his career with Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
, Clarke spent most of his career as an executive in retail companies. By the mid-1980s he was serving as chairman of May Department Store's Venture operation. He was chairman and CEO of Caldor Corporation from 1986 to 1998, both before and after it split from May Department Stores
May Department Stores
The May Department Stores Company was a national department store chain in the United States, founded in 1877 by David May. The company ceased to exist in 2005 when it was merged with Federated Department Stores, Inc . Prior to the merger it was headquartered in Downtown St. Louis, Missouri...
in 1989. Clarke then returned to work for May as president of Lord & Taylor
Lord & Taylor
Lord & Taylor, colloquially known as L&T, or LT, based in New York City, is the oldest upscale, specialty-retail department store chain in the United States. Concentrated in the eastern U.S., the retailer operated independently for nearly a century prior to joining American Dry Goods...
. Clarke also served as a volunteer professor of business at Southern Virginia University
Southern Virginia University
Southern Virginia University is a liberal arts college located in Buena Vista, Virginia that promotes standards and values of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints while not being owned nor operated by the Church...
and was involved with Ascend Humanitarian Alliance in beginning microcredit
Microcredit
Microcredit is the extension of very small loans to those in poverty designed to spur entrepreneurship. These individuals lack collateral, steady employment and a verifiable credit history and therefore cannot meet even the most minimal qualifications to gain access to traditional credit...
operations in Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
. Clark also served as an advisor to President Rodney Smith
Rodney Smith
Rodney Smith was a hospice caregiver for a number of years, and is currently an author and the guiding teacher of the Seattle Insight Meditation Society, an organization he founded in 1993. Smith was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan and drafted during the Vietnam War, serving in Belgium as a medic...
on Southern Virginia University's finances.
Prior to being called as a general authority Clarke served in several local LDS Church positions including as a bishop and stake president. He was a mission president
Mission president
Mission president is a priesthood leadership position in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . A mission president presides over a mission and the missionaries serving in the mission...
in Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
from 2001 to 2004.
Clarke became a general authority
General authority
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a general authority is a member of certain leadership organizations who are given administrative and ecclesiastical authority over the church...
in 2006 when he became a member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy. In 2011, he was made a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy. Clarke served for a time as president of the LDS Church's Central America Area
Area (LDS Church)
An area is an administrative unit of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which typically is composed of multiple stakes and missions...
and while in this position presided at the ground-breaking ceremony for the San Salvador El Salvador Temple
San Salvador El Salvador Temple
Announced in 2007, construction began on the San Salvador El Salvador Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in September 2008. Ground was broken for the temple and the site was dedicated by Don R. Clarke, of the Seventy, Area President of the Central America on 20 September 2008...
. He also conducted the ground-breaking ceremony for the Quezaltenango Guatemala Temple.
Clarke and his wife Mary Ann Jackson are the parents of six children.