John S. Tanner worked as professor of English at Florida State and then BYU. He also served as the associate academic vice president and later the academic vice president of BYU in 2004. In 2015, he was invited to serve as the president of BYU–Hawaii.
Tanner has fulfilled numerous Church callings throughout his life, including bishop, stake president, mission president of the Brazil São Paulo South Mission and counselor in the Sunday School General Presidency.
He received a bachelor’s degree in English from BYU and a doctorate in English from the University of California, Berkeley. He has published numerous articles about literature and religion and, as a lover of music and poetry, authored the hymn “Bless Our Fast, We Pray.”
Susan Winder Tanner graduated in humanities from BYU, with an emphasis in English and French. She was also very interested in nutrition. She loves to read, run, hike, cook and sew.
She is the mother of five children, one son and four daughters. More than anything, she loves being a wife, mother, and grandmother. She has 22 grandchildren, including a pair of twin girls and a special needs grandson.
Susan Tanner has presided in all the women's organizations at both the ward and stake level and has been a temple ordinance worker. She has been on Church writing committees, and was a member of the Relief Society General Board for a few months before being called as Young Women General President in 2002. In 2009 she was called to write a book about the history and purpose of Relief Society, “Daughters in My Kingdom.”