President of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, and the church's foremost religious figure, from 1999 to 2010.
He served as Vice President of the General Conference for four years under his predecessor.
He strengthened the church with dialogues on science and faith, as well as outreach to the younger generation.
He had three children with his wife of over 50 years, Kari Trykkerud.
Art Blakey, the jazz Drummer, also came from a devout Seventh day Adventist family.
