Each year, the International Society presents the Distinguished Service Award for international service to an individual whose professional contribution and personal example demonstrate the ideals and objectives espoused by the society.
2019 Recipient
Erlend (“Pete”) D. Peterson, retired, associate international vice president, BYU
2018 Recipient
Valerie Hudson, Professor and George H. W. Bush Chair, Texas A. and M. University
2017 Recipient
Elder Kim Clark, General Authority, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
2016 Recipient
“Rusty” Butler, Associate Vice President, UVU
2015 Recipient
Sandra Rogers, International Vice President, BYU
2013 Recipient
Robert S. Wood, emeritus General Authority for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has most recently served as president of the Boston Massachusetts Temple. Previously, he served in the Second Quorum of the Seventy for ten and half years. While researching an honors thesis in international relations, he came across the book A World Restored by Henry Kissinger. Largely due to the impact of this book, he applied to Harvard where Kissinger was teaching. Wood held faculty positions at Harvard, Bentley College, the universities of Virginia, Tilburg, Groningen, and many others. Perhaps his academic career is most associated with the U.S. Naval War College, where he served for many years in both teaching and administrative capacities. He received a BA in history from Stanford and an MA and a PhD in political science from Harvard. At age twenty, Wood accepted a call to serve a mission in France (1957–59), after which he returned to court Dixie Leigh Jones. They were married in the Idaho Falls Temple in 1961.
2012 Recipient
Elder Anthony D. Perkins, Of the Seventy, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
2011 Recipient
Michael Young, president and chancellor, University of Utah
2010 Recipient
John P. (“Phil”) Colton, Board Member, LDS International Society
2009 Recipient
Blaine Tueller, retired Foreign Service officer
2008 Recipient
Elder Lance B. Wickman, Quorum of the Seventy and general counsel, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
2006 Recipient
William F. Atkin, associate general counsel, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
2005 Recipient
Donald L. Staheli, a former CEO of Continental Grain Company and member of the Second Quorum of Seventy for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is retired chairman and CEO of ContiGroup Companies, Inc. (formerly Continental Grain Company) in New York. Staheli was associated with Swift & Company in various management positions before joining Continental Grain. He also held senior managment positions at Allied Mills, Inc., a Chicago-based feed and food subsidiary of Continental Grain. After retiring in 1997, Staheli was called to serve as a General Authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where he has since been involved full-time in various ecclesiastic, humanitarian, and civic activities of the Church. Some people know him more particularly for his involvement in the China market, as he was chairman of the U.S.–China Business Council and chairman of the International Leaders Advisory Council to the mayor of Shanghai. Importantly, that Shanghai mayor, Zhu Rongji, later became the influential prime minister of the People’s Republic of China, serving with Zhang Zemin. A native of Utah, he received a BS from Utah State University (1953) and MS and doctorate degrees from the University of Illinois (1956).
2004 Recipient
John K. Carmack, director of the Perpetual Education Fund of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was named a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy in April 1984. Carmack has previously served as president of the Europe Central Area, Asia Area, North America Northeast Area, Utah Central Area, Southeast Area, East Area, and Europe West Area. When called to his new assignment, he was president of the Idaho Boise Mission. Prior to that, Carmack had served the as a regional representative for four years and president of the Los Angeles Stake for five years. Carmack received a BS from Brigham Young University. After service in the U.S. Army in Korea (1955–57), he received a JD from the UCLA School of Law (1960). He is fond of history and has twice served as executive director of the Church Historical Department.
Past recipients include:
2003: Stan Taylor, professor of political science, Brigham Young University
2002: Garry Flake, director, Latter-day Saint Charities, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
2001: Alexander B. Morrison, emeritus General Authority, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
2000: Malan Jackson, emeritus director of international studies, Utah Valley State College
1999: Paul Hyer, emeritus professor of history, Brigham Young University
1998: Marion D. Hanks, emeritus General Authority, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
1997: Ray C. Hillam, emeritus professor of political science, Brigham Young University