Elder James J. Hamula was sustained a General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 5, 2008, at age fifty. From 2009 to 2014, he served in the Pacific Area Presidency, serving as Area President from 2011 to 2014.  Elder Hamula was serving as Assistant Executive Director of the Church History Department. Since then, Elder Hamula has been called to serve in the Church Correlation Department effective August 1, 2016. Elder Hamula graduated magna cum laude from Brigham Young University in 1981 with a BA in political science and philosophy. In 1985, he received both an MA in political philosophy and a JD degree from Brigham Young University. From 1985 until his call to be a General Authority, Elder Hamula practiced law. He has served in a number of Church callings, including full-time missionary in the Germany Munich Mission, bishop, elders quorum president, high councilor, stake Young Men president, stake president, president of the Washington DC South Mission, and Area Seventy. Elder Hamula was born in Long Beach, California, on November 20, 1957. He married Joyce Anderson in April 1984. They are the parents of six children.