Eric B. Shumway

Who is Eric B. Shumway?

Eric B. Shumway was the president of Brigham Young University–Hawaii from 1994 to 2007. After completing his service as university president, he served as president of the Nuku'alofa Tonga Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Shumway was born in Holbrook, Arizona. From 1960 to 1962 he served as a missionary for the LDS Church in Tonga. After his mission, Shumway married Carolyn Merrill, and they are the parents of seven children.

Shumway received bachelors and masters degrees in English from Brigham Young University in 1964 and 1966 and a Ph.D. in English from the University of Virginia in 1973. Shumway began his association with BYU-Hawaii in 1966 as an instructor in the English Department.

Shumway has served in many leadership positions within the LDS Church. In 1968, Shumway became the first bishop of the church's Hauula 2nd Ward. From 1973 to 1977 he served on the high council of the Laie Hawaii Stake. In 1977, when the first student stake at BYU-Hawaii was organized, Shumway became the stake president. From 1986 to 1989 Shumway served as president of the Tonga Nukuʻalofa Mission. From 2004 to 2007, Shumway served as an area seventy in the church's North America West Area, which included Hawaii and California.