Quentin L. Cook
Encyclopedia
Quentin LaMar Cook is a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Currently, he is the thirteenth most senior apostle in the ranks of the Church.
, Utah
, Cook is among three children of Bernice Kimball and J. Vernon Cook. He is a great-great grandson of LDS Church apostle Heber C. Kimball
and great-grandson of David Patten Kimball
.
From 1960 to 1962, Cook served as an LDS Church missionary
to England
, where he and Jeffrey R. Holland
served as companions. After his return, he married his high school sweetheart, Mary Gaddie, in the Logan Utah Temple
on November 30, 1962. He graduated from Utah State University
in 1963 with a bachelor's degree in political science
and from Stanford Law School
in 1966.
The Cooks moved to Hillsborough, California
, where they had three children. Cook worked for 27 years as a corporate attorney, becoming a managing partner of Carr, McClellan, Ingersoll, Thompson and Horn in the San Francisco Bay area
; for three years as president and chief executive officer
of California Healthcare System (CHS); and then for some time as vice chairman of Sutter Health System
. Cook also volunteered for 14 years as city attorney.
, an area seventy in the North American West Area
, and Executive Director of the Missionary Department during his service as a general authority
.
Cook was called to the Second Quorum of the Seventy on April 6, 1996, to the First Quorum of the Seventy on April 5, 1998, and to the Presidency of the Seventy on August 1, 2007.
Filling a vacancy created by Henry B. Eyring
being called to be a member of the First Presidency
, he was sustained
to be a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on October 6, 2007 . As a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, Cook is accepted by the church as a prophet, seer, and revelator
.
Biographical background
Born in LoganLogan, Utah
-Layout of the City:Logan's city grid originates from its Main and Center Street block, with Main Street running north and south, and Center east and west. Each block north, east, south, or west of the origin accumulates in additions of 100 , though some streets have non-numeric names...
, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, Cook is among three children of Bernice Kimball and J. Vernon Cook. He is a great-great grandson of LDS Church apostle Heber C. Kimball
Heber C. Kimball
Heber Chase Kimball was a leader in the early Latter Day Saint movement. He served as one of the original twelve apostles in the early Latter Day Saint church, and as first counselor to Brigham Young in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his...
and great-grandson of David Patten Kimball
David Patten Kimball
David Patten Kimball was an early Mormon leader, one of the three young men of the Sweetwater handcart rescue, and the son of Heber C. Kimball.Kimball was born on August 23, 1839, in Nauvoo, Illinois...
.
From 1960 to 1962, Cook 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...
to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, where he and Jeffrey R. Holland
Jeffrey R. Holland
Jeffrey Roy Holland is an American educator and religious leader. He served as the ninth President of Brigham Young University and is a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . As a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, Holland is accepted by...
served as companions. After his return, he married his high school sweetheart, Mary Gaddie, in the Logan Utah Temple
Logan Utah Temple
The Logan Utah Temple is the 4th constructed and 2nd operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Located in the city of Logan, Utah, it was the second LDS temple built in the Rocky Mountains .The LDS temple in Logan was announced on May 18, 1877, just after the dedication...
on November 30, 1962. He graduated from Utah State University
Utah State University
Utah State University is a public university located in Logan, Utah. It is a land-grant and space-grant institution and is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities....
in 1963 with a bachelor's degree in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
and from Stanford Law School
Stanford Law School
Stanford Law School is a graduate school at Stanford University located in the area known as the Silicon Valley, near Palo Alto, California in the United States. The Law School was established in 1893 when former President Benjamin Harrison joined the faculty as the first professor of law...
in 1966.
The Cooks moved to Hillsborough, California
Hillsborough, California
Hillsborough is an incorporated town in San Mateo County, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area. Hillsborough is one of the wealthiest communities in America and has the highest income of places in the United States with populations of at least 10,000...
, where they had three children. Cook worked for 27 years as a corporate attorney, becoming a managing partner of Carr, McClellan, Ingersoll, Thompson and Horn in the San Francisco Bay area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
; for three years as president and chief executive officer
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of California Healthcare System (CHS); and then for some time as vice chairman of Sutter Health System
Sutter Health
Sutter Health is a not-for-profit health system in Northern California, headquartered in Sacramento. Serving patients and their families in more than 100 Northern California cities and towns, Sutter Health doctors, hospitals and other health care service providers join resources and share expertise...
. Cook also volunteered for 14 years as city attorney.
Church service
Within the LDS Church, Cook has served as a member of the presidency of the Pacifica Stake, San Francisco Stake, a regional representativeRegional representative of the Twelve
Regional representative of the Twelve, commonly shorted to regional representative or regional rep, was a priesthood calling in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints between 1968 and 1995...
, an area seventy in the North American West 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 Executive Director of the Missionary Department during his service as 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...
.
Cook was called to the Second Quorum of the Seventy on April 6, 1996, to the First Quorum of the Seventy on April 5, 1998, and to the Presidency of the Seventy on August 1, 2007.
Filling a vacancy created by Henry B. Eyring
Henry B. Eyring
Henry Bennion Eyring is an American educational administrator, author, and religious leader. In 2008 Eyring became First Counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . Eyring was the Second Counselor to Gordon B. Hinckley in the First Presidency from October...
being called to be a member of the First Presidency
First Presidency (LDS Church)
The First Presidency is the presiding or governing body of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . It is composed of the President of the Church and his counselors. The First Presidency currently consists of President Thomas S. Monson and his two counselors, Henry B...
, he was sustained
Common consent
Common consent is a democratic principle established by the Latter Day Saint movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr., who taught in 1830 that "all things must be done in order, and by common consent in the church, by the prayer of faith." As it is most frequently used by the Church of Jesus Christ of...
to be a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on October 6, 2007 . As a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, Cook is accepted by the church as a prophet, seer, and revelator
Prophet, seer, and revelator
Prophet, seer, and revelator is an ecclesiastical title used in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that is currently applied to the members of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles...
.