FamilySearch Announces New CEO
15 November 2011
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| Brimhall |
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| Verkler |
SALT LAKE CITY—
FamilySearch International announced today a change in
its chief executive officer. Effective January 2, 2012, Dennis C.
Brimhall will succeed Jay L. Verkler as CEO of FamilySearch. Mr.
Verkler will continue in a consulting capacity for a few months to
ensure a smooth transition.
It is the business culture and practice of FamilySearch, as an
organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints, to regularly rotate its senior leaders. This pattern assures the
forward momentum of its core programs.
Over the past decade under Mr. Verkler’s leadership, FamilySearch has
shifted its vast stores of genealogical records and resources to a
digital, worldwide, internet-based focus. FamilySearch has developed
partnerships with many genealogy and technology industry organizations,
helping form a broad and deep industry community including companies,
societies, and archives.
FamilySearch has helped make the world’s historic records easier to
access online, publishing over 2.4 billion names in historic records at
familysearch.org,
including 870 collections from over 50 countries indexed by over
250,000 volunteers. During this period, FamilySearch has also created an
unprecedented, free global service organization that engages over
70,000 volunteers who provide needed local and online support to
research patrons and the genealogical community. FamilySearch has
pioneered genealogical search, record linkage, imaging, crowd-sourcing,
and digital preservation technologies.
“It has been a career highlight for me to work in such a significant and
meaningful effort,” said Jay L. Verkler regarding his time at
FamilySearch’s helm. “I have had the privilege to work with countless
great individuals, organizations, and companies, all striving to provide
the best of user experiences.”
Mr. Brimhall comes to FamilySearch with a deep background in
management. He is a graduate of Brigham Young University and
Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. He recently
served for 17 years as president and CEO of the University of Colorado
Hospital in Denver from 1988 until 2005. Since then Mr. Brimhall has
held positions of increasing responsibility in The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints.
“I am very excited to help lead the work of FamilySearch, to continue
the great things that have been done and move forward in new directions
as appropriate,” said Brimhall. “FamilySearch provides services to
millions of people worldwide. We really need to understand our
customers’ needs and satisfy them. Our focus will be to ensure that
FamilySearch’s customer experiences are really first rate.”
FamilySearch looks forward to further strengthening its commitment to
the global genealogical community, to publishing and digitizing the
world’s records, and encouraging all people to discover, preserve, and
share their family histories.
About FamilySearch
FamilySearch International is the largest genealogy organization in the
world. FamilySearch is a nonprofit, volunteer–driven organization
sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Millions
of people use FamilySearch records, resources, and services to learn
more about their family history. To help in this great pursuit,
FamilySearch and its predecessor organizations have been actively
gathering, preserving, and sharing genealogical records worldwide for
over 100 years. Patrons may access FamilySearch services and resources
free online at FamilySearch.org or
through over 4,600 family history centers in 132 countries, including
the main Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.
