Mark Willes served as President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, President of General Mills, Chairman and CEO of Times Mirror in Los Angeles, President of Deseret Management Company in SLC, and was also publisher of the Los Angeles Times.  Mark was a professor of Finance at the University of Pennsylvania.  He received a bachelor’s degree from Columbia University and his PhD from the Columbia Graduate School of Business.  Mark served with his wife as mission president of the Hawaii Honolulu Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Laura Willes has authored four books, including including Christmas with the Prophets, and Miracle in the Pacific, a History of the Polynesian Cultural Center. She earned her BA degree at the University of Minnesota.  Laura and Mark are the parents of five children and 20 grandchildren.