MEET OUR NEW NATIONAL PRESIDENT-ELECT, VAL PARRISH

We would like to introduce you to our new National President-Elect who was sworn into office at this most recent National Encampment held in St. George. Val was born in Ogden, Utah; grew up in Clearfield and currently lives in Taylorsville. He married and was sealed to Allison Phillips in the Salt Lake Temple in 1982. They are the parents of three children and have 6 grandchildren. Val earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Utah State University with a major in marketing and a minor in Japanese.

Val served as President of the Salt Lake Pioneer Chapter for 5 years, which included organizing and conducting the Days of ’47 Sunrise Service Celebration in the Assembly Hall on Temple Square each of those years, and served as Chairman of the 2022 National Encampment in Salt Lake City. Val has also represented the Sons of Utah Pioneers on the Pioneer Park History Committee and led the efforts to replace the SUP Pioneer Square Monument at Pioneer Park. Val received the Modern Pioneer Award in 2021.

In his service to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Val is currently serving as the 1st Counselor in the Fayette Branch, supporting those who are experiencing homelessness in the Salt Lake valley. Prior to this calling, he served as the Branch President of the Oxbow Branch Correctional Facility and served on the Salt Lake County Prisoner Services Committee. Other church callings have included Bishop, High Counselor, Stake Mission Leader, Stake Employment Specialist, Elders Quorum President and full-time missionary in the Japan Nagoya mission.

Val has received the Silver Beaver Award, District Award of Merit, and the James E. West Fellowship Award – Diamond Level from the Boy Scouts of America. He currently serves as the Chair of District Operations on the Executive Committee for the Crossroads of the West Council. Prior to this position, he was the Vice President of Alumni, helped write several national training programs, and was the Chairman of Daily Stage Shows and Associate Chairman of the Merit Badge Midway at National Jamborees in Virginia.

Professionally, Val worked at Fidelity Investments for 25 years until retiring in 2017. He was most recently the Director of Learning and Development and was the national lead facilitation director for the New Manager Program and led the Principal Facilitator Manager team across the country.