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Steven J. Lund
Steven J. Lund
Steven J. Lund
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Steven J. Lund (born October 30, 1953) is an American businessman, lawyer, and religious leader who served as the 23rd Young Men (YM) General President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from April 2020 to August 2025.

Key Information

Lund worked as an attorney before co-founding and later becoming CEO of Utah-based Nu Skin Enterprises, a multilevel marketing company that develops and sells personal care products and dietary supplements.[2][3]

Lund served as a full-time LDS Church missionary in the Netherlands Amsterdam Mission. He attended Brigham Young University, where he obtained both a degree in communications and a juris doctor degree from the J. Reuben Clark Law School.[4] He served in the U.S. Army and was assigned to Frankfurt, Germany where he met his future wife.[1]

LDS Church service

[edit]

Lund has served in the LDS Church as president of the Georgia Atlanta Mission from 2003 to 2006, area seventy, and member of the YM general board.

Lund was called as YM general president in April 2020. As president, he spoke in the church's General Conference three times.

In the October 2020 general conference, Lund gave an address centered on the faith of his 12-year-old son dying of cancer.[5]

Lund's other general conference talks were in October 2022 and April 2025.

In December 2020, Lund helped announce the creation of the new youth-based magazine, For the Strength of Youth and remarked, "We really need to place virtuous things front and center in our lives".[6]

Lund's release as YM general president was announced in the church's April 2025 general conference, and became effective August 2025.

Personal life

[edit]

Lund married Kalleen Kirk in 1980 and they have four children.[1] He is a former regent of the Utah System of Higher Education.[7]

In 2012, Lund was a major donor to presidential candidate Mitt Romney and was connected to Eli Publishing Inc., a political action committee.[8][9]

References

[edit]
[edit]
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Steven J. Lund

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Steven J. Lund (born October 30, 1953) is an American businessman, attorney, and religious leader who served as the 12th Young Men General President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from April 2020 to August 2025. Born in , and raised in , Lund earned a B.A. in fine arts and communication from and a J.D. from its before practicing law. He co-founded , a firm specializing in personal care and nutritional products, and has served as its executive chairman, previously holding roles including president and CEO. In church service, Lund progressed from ward Young Men president to the Young Men general board in 2015, culminating in his general presidency role where he emphasized priesthood duties, youth development through programs like Children and Youth, and seminary education. Married to Kalleen S. Lund, he is the father of four children.

Early Life and Education

Childhood and Family Origins

Steven J. Lund was born on October 30, 1953, in Mesa, Arizona, to Jay Norman Lund and Toy Ellen Openshaw Lund. He grew up as the second of eight children in a Latter-day Saint family, with an older brother approximately one year his senior. The Lund household, centered in the heavily Mormon community of Mesa during his infancy, reflected the era's emphasis on large families and religious devotion typical of mid-20th-century Church members in the American Southwest. Shortly after his birth, the family relocated to , where Lund spent his formative years amid regional shifts driven by post-World War II economic expansion and opportunities in and industry. He resided in both , particularly Santa Rosa, and , including Long Beach, during the and . These transitions exposed him to diverse California locales, from rural Sonoma County settings to urban coastal environments, within active Church wards that reinforced familial stability and communal ties. The multidirectional family moves underscored broader patterns of Mormon migration for employment and growth, yet maintained a consistent emphasis on shared household responsibilities among siblings, fostering early habits of and in a faith-oriented setting.

Academic Background

Steven J. Lund earned an undergraduate degree in communications from . He later obtained a degree from the at the same institution, completing formal legal training that encompassed core areas such as contracts, , and mechanisms. This educational pathway provided foundational competencies in and , empirically demonstrated through the structured curriculum of a accredited law program emphasizing practical application over theoretical abstraction.

Professional Career

After earning a degree from Brigham Young University's , Steven J. Lund was admitted to the State Bar and the Arizona State Bar in 1984, along with admission to the U.S. District Court for the District of . He commenced his legal career in private practice at a firm in , where he specialized in litigation and products liability law. Lund's practice encompassed corporation law, interstate business law, international law, and general practice, reflecting a focus on commercial and cross-jurisdictional matters amid the expanding U.S. economy of the mid-1980s. This expertise in business-oriented legal areas positioned him to address real-world commercial disputes and issues, building practical skills in and contractual negotiations. No major litigated cases directly attributable to his representation are publicly documented in available records, consistent with the often confidential nature of products liability and corporate disputes during that era. The demands of the burgeoning direct sales and consumer products sectors, including heightened needs for legal structuring in ventures, contributed to Lund's shift from full-time legal practice to business leadership opportunities by the late . His foundational legal acumen in liability defense and international thus informed subsequent entrepreneurial pursuits in Utah's growing entrepreneurial landscape.

Business Executive Roles

Steven J. Lund co-founded in 1984 with an initial investment of $5,000 alongside Blake Roney and Sandie Tillotson, establishing the company in , to market skincare and nutritional products through a direct-selling model. He assumed the role of executive vice president of Nu Skin International in 1985, overseeing early operational expansion, and later served as president and from 1996 to 2003. During his CEO tenure, the company pursued aggressive international , entering Asia via in 1991, as its first overseas market, and in 1998 amid there, which facilitated rapid distributor network growth in emerging economies. This period marked Phase III of Nu Skin's evolution, characterized by robust revenue increases in international segments and the 1996 of Nu Skin Asia Pacific on the , raising $209.3 million through 9.1 million shares priced at $23 each. Lund's strategic decisions emphasized scalable distributor incentives tied to product sales volumes, contributing to Nu Skin's transition from a domestic startup to a global entity operating in over 50 markets by the early 2000s, with sustained revenue growth driven by lines like ageLOC. He continued in leadership as vice chairman of the board from 2006 to 2012 before becoming executive chairman in May 2012, a position he holds, focusing on amid ongoing global operations that generated approximately $1.97 billion in annual revenue as of recent filings. Beyond Nu Skin, Lund has held no prominent executive roles in unrelated ventures, though his board service underscores entrepreneurial commitments to risk-managed scaling in competitive consumer goods sectors. Nu Skin's multi-level marketing structure, under Lund's oversight, prioritizes retail product sales to end consumers over pure recruitment, with compensation plans allowing up to 30% retail profit margins on verifiable customer purchases without requiring inventory loading. The company has complied with U.S. Federal Trade Commission regulations, avoiding pyramid scheme designations by maintaining product-focused transactions that exceed recruitment revenues, as affirmed in state laws distinguishing legitimate direct-selling models from illegal schemes. While facing isolated investigations—such as a 1997 FTC settlement for unsubstantiated product claims resulting in a $1.5 million penalty and a 2014 Chinese probe resolved without operational halt—Nu Skin has not been ruled an unlawful pyramid by regulators. Participant earnings distributions reflect high entrepreneurial variance: in 2017, active U.S. distributors receiving commissions averaged $976 monthly ($11,714 annually), but approximately 82% of affiliates earned no commissions in a given month, with total U.S. sales compensation reaching $122 million in 2024 across participants, underscoring rewards for top performers amid widespread low or net losses after expenses. This data aligns with economic realities of commission-based models, where success correlates with sales volume and network retention rather than guaranteed returns.

Church Service

Local and Regional Leadership

Steven J. Lund served as of a singles ward shortly after completing his and beginning his professional career as an attorney. He also acted as a counselor in a Young Single Adult and as a high councilor overseeing young and single adults within a stake. Additional ward-level callings included ward clerk and elders quorum president, which involved coordinating administrative and priesthood quorum activities at the local level. At the regional level, Lund was called as an Area Seventy in the South Area, where he supported stake and leaders across multiple congregations in administrative and doctrinal matters prior to his mission presidency assignment. These roles, primarily in the pre-2000s period, provided foundational experience in congregational governance, member welfare, and priesthood leadership within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' hierarchical structure.

International Mission Presidency

Steven J. Lund served as president of the Georgia Mission from March 2003 to 2006. In this role, he provided administrative and spiritual leadership to full-time missionaries proselytizing in Georgia and portions of , with his wife, Kalleen S. Lund, serving alongside him in supporting capacities typical of mission president's spouses, including mentoring missionaries and facilitating training. Lund's approach emphasized obedience and personal conduct as exemplars for conversion efforts, drawing on foundational principles of leading by example to foster authentic experiences among investigators. While specific baptismal or retention metrics for the Georgia Atlanta Mission during his tenure are not publicly detailed in church records, the period aligned with broader LDS Church emphases on measurable proselytizing outcomes amid regional cultural contexts in the American South, where competed with established religious traditions.

Young Men General Presidency (2020–2025)

Steven J. Lund was sustained as the 23rd Young Men General President of on April 4, 2020, during the church's April general conference, with and Michael T. Nelson serving as his counselors. In this role, Lund held administrative responsibility for the global Young Men organization, which supports males ages 12 to 18 ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood, facilitating their preparation for priesthood duties, leadership, and across the church's international congregations. His presidency coincided with the onset of the , requiring rapid shifts to virtual and home-centered activities to maintain youth engagement amid widespread restrictions on in-person gatherings beginning in March 2020. Throughout his tenure, Lund emphasized the preparatory nature of the Aaronic Priesthood, underscoring duties such as administering ordinances, caring for the poor, and building faith, as outlined in church doctrine and reinforced in his general conference addresses. Adaptations included promoting online resources and virtual equivalents for programs like For the Strength of Youth conferences, which were suspended in physical form during peak periods to prioritize health guidelines while sustaining spiritual instruction on topics such as and resilience. These measures aligned with broader church directives for home-based gospel learning, enabling continuity in priesthood operations despite global disruptions from 2020 to 2022. Lund's release was announced during the April 2025 general conference, with his service concluding effective August 1, 2025, paving the way for a new presidency to assume oversight. Prior to his departure, he highlighted the youth's pivotal role in the church's emphasis on gathering through faithful service, reflecting a consistent focus on priesthood authority as foundational to their contributions.

Key Initiatives in Youth Ministry

Under Lund's leadership as Young Men General President, a central initiative involved advancing the Church's Children and Youth program, launched in 2020 to guide youth along the covenant path via self-reliance goals, service projects, and testimony-building activities tailored to individual and family needs. This program emphasized practical priesthood application, such as Aaronic Priesthood holders performing ordinances and ministering, to cultivate resilience against contemporary challenges like digital distractions and secular influences. In September 2024, Lund supported the announcement of the 2025 youth theme, "Look unto Christ," derived from 6:36, intended to direct youth focus toward Jesus Christ as a foundational anchor for and spiritual discernment. This theme, discussed in a January 2025 worldwide youth devotional featuring Lund alongside other leaders, promoted scriptural meditation and peer accountability to foster covenant-keeping amid cultural pressures. Lund's April 2025 General Conference address, "Divine Authority, Sublime Young Men," served as a devotional exhortation on the Aaronic Priesthood's preparatory role, urging youth to exercise in daily service—such as sacrament preparation and welfare assistance—to experience divine empowerment and counter apathy through tangible outcomes like strengthened family bonds and community impact. To enhance family-centric engagement, Lund's October 18, 2024, devotional at , titled "God's Plan for Us Includes Families," positioned familial relationships as the paramount investment for youth, advocating structured home evenings and parental mentorship to build eternal perspectives over transient pursuits. Complementing this, his September 2024 ministry in highlighted integrating technology—via apps, online resources, and For the Strength of Youth conferences—to amplify application, enabling youth to disseminate light amid global uncertainties. These efforts prioritized causal mechanisms like priesthood service and Christ-centered themes to promote self-mastery, with anecdotal reports from regional visits indicating heightened youth participation in goal-setting and ordinances, though comprehensive empirical data on retention or attendance shifts remains unpublished by the Church.

Personal Life and Values

Marriage and Family

Steven J. Lund married Kalleen Kirk in the on August 8, 1980, following their meeting in , . The couple's partnership has involved international relocations associated with ecclesiastical assignments, contributing to a resilient structure sustained over more than four decades. Lund and his wife are parents to four children, with the family expanding to include at least eleven grandchildren by 2025. This multi-generational household exemplifies empirical patterns of familial stability, where intact, two-parent unions correlate with reduced risk for offspring—children from married-couple families facing nearly five times lower odds of impoverishment compared to those from single-parent homes, per referenced studies. In a 2024 devotional address, Lund characterized family as "the most valuable investment" individuals can pursue, prioritizing it above professional or educational pursuits and advocating practices like collective , scripture study, and mutual to transmit across generations. He underscored God's design for enduring families capable of thriving amid adversity, drawing on personal observations of resilience in unified households to illustrate causal links between covenant-based commitments and sustained well-being.

Personal Interests and Philanthropy

Lund maintains a collection of religious paintings and historical texts, reflecting a disciplined approach to personal enrichment that avoids displays of ostentatious wealth. In , Lund and his wife Kalleen established the Steven J. and Kalleen Lund Foundation in 2006, a private independent foundation focused on supporting initiatives aligned with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including temporal welfare programs emphasizing and . The foundation's grantmaking, totaling modest annual distributions such as $25,000 in contributions reported in recent filings, prioritizes church-related causes over broad secular endeavors. Lund's charitable patterns extend to political contributions, with entities linked to him, such as Eli Publishing L.C.—where he served as —donating $1 million in 2011 to Restore Our Future, a super PAC supporting Mitt Romney's presidential bid; additional reports tie him to a further $1 million via related firms, demonstrating targeted support for candidates aligned with conservative and LDS-compatible values. These actions underscore a strategy rooted in LDS teachings on and welfare, favoring modesty and purposeful giving amid professional success.

Reception and Impact

Achievements and Contributions

As Young Men General President from April 2020 to August 2025, Lund oversaw the implementation of the Church's Children and Youth program for Aaronic Priesthood holders, emphasizing personal goal-setting, service projects, and covenant path progression to foster and spiritual resilience among youth. In his October 2020 general conference address, he highlighted how youth participation in helping others through this program cultivates joy in Christ and strengthens testimonies, aligning with the program's design to integrate faith development across Church activities. Subsequent talks, such as his April 2025 message on divine authority, underscored the responsibilities of young men in priesthood service, including duties and preparation, to build capacities. Lund's business leadership paralleled themes of evident in his efforts. As co-founder of in 1984 and CEO from 1998 to 2003, he guided the company's expansion into a global direct-selling model, achieving public listing on the and establishing operations in multiple international markets focused on skincare and wellness products. This entrepreneurial framework, which empowered independent distributors through performance-based incentives, generated substantial economic activity, with the company reporting ongoing revenue from a network promoting individual initiative akin to welfare self-sufficiency principles without direct institutional linkage.

Criticisms and Debates

Some critics, particularly in online forums frequented by former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, have questioned Lund's appointment to the Young Men General Presidency given his executive role at , a (MLM) company he co-founded in 1984 and led as president and CEO. These detractors argue that the MLM model's emphasis on over product sales resembles schemes, potentially conflicting with principles of taught to , and cite the church's elevation of such figures as evidence of institutional flaws. However, has maintained compliance with U.S. guidelines for MLMs, distinguishing itself through substantial retail sales volumes reported in SEC filings, and has weathered legal challenges without convictions for illegal operations. Nu Skin faced a class-action lawsuit alleging operations and violations of securities and laws, which the company contested as "absurd," leading to efforts to dismiss the $75 million claim; the suit was ultimately resolved without admission of wrongdoing. Further scrutiny arose from reports of regulatory issues in and U.S. media portrayals linking Nu Skin backers to political figures, portraying the model as high-risk for participants despite the company's public trading status on the NYSE since and ongoing operations. Lund has not been personally implicated in these disputes, and no evidence has emerged of direct conflicts between his business and church roles during his presidency from April 2020 to July 2025. Debates within and around the church have occasionally touched on Lund's initiatives modernizing programs, such as the revised For the Strength of Youth guide emphasizing personal choice over strict rules, with some traditionalists preferring prescriptive standards amid broader cultural shifts. Yet, these discussions remain minor, lacking organized opposition, and Lund's tenure—spanning five years—produced no major scandals, ethical breaches, or internal church rebukes, underscoring a record of uncontroversial service focused on engagement and mission preparation. External skepticism from ex-member communities persists but is rebutted by Lund's documented personal integrity, including volunteer leadership predating his general presidency and the absence of verified improprieties.

References

  1. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/learn/steven-j-lund?lang=eng
  2. https://speeches.ensign.edu/devotional/steven-j-lund-09-2025
  3. https://www.nuskin.com/en_DE/culture/company_history/founders/steve_lund.html
  4. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/callings/aaronic-priesthood-quorums/meet-the-young-men-general-leaders/steven-lund?lang=eng
  5. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/liahona/2020/05/news-of-the-church/steven-j-lund?lang=eng
  6. https://bunkerfuneral.com/obituary/jay-norman-lund/
  7. https://speeches.byuh.edu/devotional/and-thus-we-see-the-great-call-of-diligent-men-and-women-to-labor-in-the-vineyards-of-the-lord
  8. https://speeches.byu.edu/speakers/steven-j-lund/
  9. https://thechurchnews.com/leaders/2023/4/7/23671485/young-men-general-presidency-michael-nelson-new-counselor-april-2023-general-conference/
  10. https://www.martindale.com/attorney/mr-steven-j-lund-1714149/
  11. https://www.nuskin.com/en_PH/Community/company_history/founders/steve_lund.html
  12. https://ushe.edu/new-regent-steven-j-lund-approved-by-the-senate-education-committee/
  13. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/caselawrence_utahbusinesshistory-entrepreneurship101-activity-7358604842199629824-G2OQ
  14. https://www.deseret.com/1998/7/1/19389008/nu-skin-now-doing-business-in-poland-eyeing-s-america/
  15. https://www.nytimes.com/1996/11/23/business/nu-skin-asia-pacific-stock-soars-in-first-day-of-trading.html
  16. http://media.corporate-ir.net/media_files/IROL/10/103888/Investor%2520Day%25202012%2520%28FINAL%2520-print%29.pdf
  17. https://www.nuskin.com/en_HK/about/company/the-history.html
  18. https://www.comparably.com/companies/nu-skin-enterprises/steve-lund
  19. https://ir.nuskin.com/static-files/84225910-6ff2-4a21-8978-1785fc06f376
  20. https://www.nuskin.com/global/library/pdf/distearnings.pdf
  21. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1021561/000114036124008111/ef20015265_10k.htm
  22. https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/1997/08/nu-skin-pay-15-million-penalty-resolve-ftc-charges-over-fat-loss-claims-supplements
  23. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-01-21/nu-skin-to-review-practices-in-china-after-pyramid-claim
  24. https://www.nuskin.com/content/dam/office/n_america/shared/en/business_materials/distributorCompensationSummary.html
  25. https://www.nuskin.com/vi_US/join/financial_rewards/distributor_compensationsummary.html
  26. https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/steven-j-lund/flashes-of-light/
  27. https://www.thechurchnews.com/podcast/2025/07/15/episode-249-young-men-general-president-steven-j-lund-kalleen-lund-sacrifice-service/
  28. https://www.thechurchnews.com/2003/3/29/23240627/new-mission-presidents-233/
  29. https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/departing-young-men-general-president-lund-sister-lund-share-insights-from-a-consecrated-life
  30. https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders/2025/07/17/finding-purpose-through-service-steven-kalleen-lund-consecrated-life/
  31. https://www.thechurchnews.com/2020/7/2/23216408/steven-lund-new-young-men-general-president/
  32. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/learn/young-men-general-presidency?lang=eng
  33. https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/october-2019-general-conference-youth-organizations
  34. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2025/04/22lund?lang=eng
  35. https://www.thechurchnews.com/2021/6/15/23265443/episode-35-children-and-youth-program-president-cordon-lund/
  36. https://www.thechurchnews.com/2020/11/3/23217364/young-women-young-men-changes-cordon-lund/
  37. https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders/2025/04/09/learn-about-new-young-men-general-presidency-sustained-april-2025-general-conference/
  38. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2020/10/23lund?lang=eng
  39. https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/look-unto-christ-is-2025-theme-for-latter-day-saint-youth
  40. https://www.thechurchnews.com/members/2025/01/01/president-steven-lund-emily-belle-freeman-2025-youth-theme-look-unto-christ/
  41. https://www.thechurchnews.com/general-conference/2025/04/05/president-lund-april-2025-general-conference-divine-authority-sublime-young-men/
  42. https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/young-men-general-president-lund-family-most-valuable-investment-byu-pathway
  43. https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders/2024/09/20/young-men-general-president-steven-lund-monterrey-mexico-lds-fsy/
  44. https://www.thechurchnews.com/2020/4/10/23216165/new-young-men-general-presidency-april-2020/
  45. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=116014417244722&id=112021644310666&set=a.116014460578051
  46. https://www.byupathway.edu/speech/gods-plan-for-us-includes-families
  47. https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/young-men-general-president-lund-family-most-valuable-investment-byu-pathway/
  48. https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/fdo-grantmaker-profile/?collection=grantmakers&activity=result&key=LUND025
  49. https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/donation-helps-romney-get-some-skin-in-the-presidential-game/2011/08/25/gIQAlvctNK_story.html
  50. https://sunlightfoundation.com/2012/02/01/super-pac-filings-show-who-big-donors-2011-were/
  51. https://www.nuskin.com/content/corpcom/en_US/company/management_biographies/founders.html
  52. https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenjlund
  53. https://www.reddit.com/r/exmormon/comments/11bwc5k/the_fact_the_steven_lund_founder_of_mlm_nuskin_is/
  54. https://www.reddit.com/r/mormon/comments/174l3ny/why_are_church_members_willing_to_throw_tim/
  55. https://seekingalpha.com/article/2861956-5-problems-with-nu-skin
  56. https://www.deseret.com/1991/9/19/18942020/class-action-suit-accuses-nu-skin-of-operating-a-pyramid-scheme/
  57. https://www.deseret.com/1991/10/3/18944400/nu-skin-seeks-to-kill-75-million-suit/
  58. https://harbert.auburn.edu/binaries/documents/center-for-ethical-organizational-cultures/cases/nu-skin.pdf
  59. https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2011/09/mitt-romney-nu-skin-mormon-church/
  60. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/broadcasts/miscellaneous-events/2023/05/40-the-new-for-the-strength-of-youth-guide?lang=eng
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