David A. Bednar

Template:Latter Day Saint biography/David A. Bednar David Allan Bednar (born June 15, 1952) is a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). An educator by profession, Bednar was president of Brigham Young University–Idaho from 1997 to 2004.

Bednar was sustained as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve on October 2, 2004, the youngest man named to that body since Dallin H. Oaks in 1984. He was ordained an apostle on October 7, 2004, by church president Gordon B. Hinckley. Bednar and Dieter F. Uchtdorf were called to fill the vacancies created by the July 2004 deaths of quorum members David B. Haight and Neal A. Maxwell. As a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, Bednar is accepted by the church as a prophet, seer, and revelator. He is currently the ninth most senior apostle in the church. As of August 2017, among his other assignments, Bednar serves on the Church Board of Education and Boards of Trustees.

Early life

Bednar was born in Oakland, California to Lavina Whitney Bednar and Anthony George Bednar. His mother came from a long line of Latter-day Saints, but his father did not join the church until Bednar was in his late twenties. He served as a full-time missionary in Southern Germany and then attended Brigham Young University, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in communication in 1976 and a Master of Arts degree in organizational communication in 1977. He received a doctorate degree in organizational behavior from Purdue University in 1980.

Career and church service

From 1980 to 1984, Bednar was an assistant professor of management in the Sam M. Walton College of Business (then College of Business Administration) at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas. He was an assistant professor of management at Texas Tech University from 1984 to 1986. He returned to the University of Arkansas in 1987, serving as the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies in the Sam M. Walton College of Business until 1992, and was then the director of the Management Decision-Making Lab from 1992 to 1997. In 1994, he was recognized as the outstanding teacher at the University of Arkansas and received the Burlington Northern Foundation Award for Excellence in Teaching. He was twice the recipient of the Outstanding Teacher Award in the College of Business Administration.

Bednar served as the president of Ricks College/BYU–Idaho in Rexburg, Idaho, from July 1, 1997, to December 1, 2004. There, he oversaw and managed the transition of the school from, what was at the time, the largest private junior college in the United States, Ricks College, to a four-year university, BYU–Idaho.

Bednar has served in the LDS Church as a bishop (Fayetteville Ward, 1987), twice as stake president (Fort Smith Arkansas Stake, 1987–91 and Rogers Arkansas Stake, 1991–95), regional representative (1994–95), and area seventy (1997–2004).

In late 2009, the BYU–Idaho choirs and orchestras performed an oratorio with words by Bednar and music by Robert Cundick.

Personal life

Bednar married Susan Kae Robinson in the Salt Lake Temple on March 20, 1975. He and his wife are currently living in the Salt Lake area. The Bednars have three sons.

Bednar at the April 2008 BYU Commencement with Cecil O. Samuelson, Elaine S. Dalton, and W. Rolfe Kerr

Bednar at the April 2008 BYU graduation ceremony

Works

Books

• White, Donald D.; Bednar, David A. (1991), Organizational Behavior: Understanding and Managing People at Work, Allyn & Bacon, ISBN 0-205-12851-3
• Sims, Ronald R.; White, Donald D.; Bednar, David A. (1992), Readings in Organizational Behavior, Allyn & Bacon, ISBN 0-205-12857-2
• Bednar, David A. (2011), Increase in Learning, Deseret Book Company, ISBN 978-1-60908-943-6
• Bednar, David A. (2012), Act in Doctrine, Deseret Book Company, ISBN 978-1-60907-227-8
• Bednar, David A. (2014), Power to Become: Spiritual Patterns for Pressing Forward with a Steadfastness in Christ, Deseret Book Company, ISBN 978-1-60907-859-1

Academic articles

• Bednar, David A; Roach, David W (1997), "The Theory of Logical Types: A Tool for Understanding Levels and Types of Change in Organizations", Human Relations, 50 (6), SAGE Publications: 671–699, doi:10.1177/001872679705000603, OCLC 437562507
• Reeves, Carol A; Bednar, David A (1996), "Keys to Market Success -- A Response and Another View", Journal of Retail Banking, 18 (4), Arlington, VA: Consumer Bankers Association in cooperation with the McIntire School of Commerce, University of Virginia: 33, OCLC 91490898
• Bednar, David A; Reeves, Carol A; Lawrence, R Cayce (1995), "The Role of Technology in Banking -- Listen to the Customer", Journal of Retail Banking, 17 (3), Arlington, VA: Consumer Bankers Association in cooperation with the McIntire School of Commerce, University of Virginia: 35, OCLC 91801203
• Reeves, Carol A; Bednar, David A (1995), "Quality as Symphony", The Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, 36 (3), Ithaca, NY: School of Hotel Administration, Cornell University: 72–79, doi:10.1177/001088049503600323, OCLC 87629925
• Reeves, Carol A; Bednar, David A (July 1994), "Defining Quality: Alternatives and Implications", Academy of Management Review, 19 (3): 419–445, doi:10.5465/amr.1994.9412271805, JSTOR 258934, OCLC 482675183
• White, Donald D.; Bednar, David A. (Winter 1984), "Locating problems with quality circles", National Productivity Review, 4 (1): 45–52, doi:10.1002/npr.4040040106, OCLC 4663049108
• Bednar, David A.; Curington, William P. (April 1983), "Interaction Analysis: A Tool for Understanding Negotiations", Industrial and Labor Relations Review, 36 (3): 389–401, doi:10.2307/2523018, JSTOR 2523018, OCLC 424819759
• Bednar, David A (Fall 1982), "Relationships between Communicator Style and Managerial Performance in Complex Organizations: A Field Study", Journal of Business Communication, 19 (4): 51–76, doi:10.1177/002194368201900404, OCLC 424921115

Religious articles

• Bednar, David A. (March 2014), "Faithful Parents and Wayward Children: Sustaining Hope While Overcoming Misunderstanding", Liahona
• —— (November 2013), "The Windows of Heaven", Liahona
• —— (October 2013), "Becoming a Preach My Gospel Missionary", Liahona
• —— (May 2013), "We Believe In Being Chaste", Liahona
• —— (November 2012), "Converted Unto the Lord", Liahona
• —— (May 2012), "The Powers of Heaven", Liahona
• —— (April 2012), "The Atonement and the Journey of Mortality", Liahona
• —— (November 2011), "The Hearts of the Children Shall Turn", Liahona
• —— (October 2011), "Lehi's Dream: Holding Fast to the Rod", Liahona
• —— (May 2011), "The Spirit of Revelation", Ensign
• —— (November 2010), "Receive the Holy Ghost", Ensign
• —— (September 2010), ""Line upon Line, Precept upon Precept" (2Nephi 28:30)", New Era
• —— (June 2010), "Things as They Really Are", Ensign
• —— (May 2010), "Watching with All Perseverance", Ensign
• —— (February 2010), "Learning to Love Learning", Ensign
• —— (November 2009), "More Diligent and Concerned at Home", Ensign
• —— (May 2009), "Honorably Hold a Name and Standing", Ensign
• —— (November 2008), "Pray Always", Ensign
• —— (June 2008), "Special Witness: Our Bodies Are Temples, and the Spirit of the Lord Should Dwell There and Shine Through", Ensign
• —— (May 2008), "Ask in Faith", Ensign
• —— (January 2008), "Steadfast and Immovable, Always Abounding in Good Works", Ensign
• —— (November 2007), "Clean Hands and a Pure Heart", Ensign
• —— (October 2007), "The Glory of God Is Intelligence", The Friend
• —— (September 2007), "Seek Learning by Faith", Ensign
• —— (May 2007), "Ye Must Be Born Again", Ensign
• —— (December 2006), "Quick to Observe", Ensign
• —— (November 2006), "And Nothing Shall Offend Them", Ensign
• —— (June 2006), "Marriage Is Essential to His Eternal Plan", Ensign
• —— (May 2006), "That We May Always Have His Spirit to Be with Us", Ensign
• —— (April 2006), "Because We Have Them before Our Eyes", New Era
• —— (November 2005), "Becoming a Missionary", Ensign
• —— (October 2005), "Be Honest", New Era
• —— (May 2005), "The Tender Mercies of the Lord", Ensign
• —— (November 2004), "In the Strength of the Lord", Ensign
• —— (September 2001), "'Ye Are the Temple of God'", Ensign

Awards

• Burlington Northern Foundation Award for Excellence in Teaching (1994)

See also

• Council on the Disposition of the Tithes

References

• "Elder David A. Bednar", Newsroom, LDS Church
• "Biography: David A. Bednar", Past Presidents, BYU-Idaho, archived from the original on 2008-05-11 {{citation}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
• Eyring, Henry B. (March 2005), "Elder David A. Bednar: Going Forward in the Strength of the Lord", Ensign: 17

External links

• "General Authorities: Elder David A. Bednar", lds.org
• Grampa Bill's G.A. Pages: David A. Bednar
• Bednar on Special Witnesses of Christ