BYU Management Society Scholarship Banquet will be held on February 28, 2025, at 6:00pm at the St. George Courtyard Marriott. We will be honoring S. Gifford Nielsen, Emeritus General Authority that night. See bio below. Tables and event sponsorships for the event are available. 

Tables (8 seats) are $480.00

Individuals - $60.00

Sponsorships

(1) Gold $2,250 (table of 8 up front, added publicity)

(1) Silver $1,750 (table of 8 up front, added publicity)

(1) Bronze $1,200 (table of 8, logo in program)

About S. Gifford Nielsen

S. Gifford Nielsen played professional football for the Houston Oilers in the National Football League for six seasons. After retiring, he was the sports director for KHOU-TV in Houston, Texas from 1984 until March 31, 2009. He was called as a general authority of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in April 2013.

Football career High School

Nielsen grew up in Provo, Utah, and attended Provo High School, playing both football and basketball. The Bulldogs took second in the State in football and won the State Championship in basketball his senior season.

College career

Nielsen remained in Provo and attended Brigham Young University, where he was an All-American quarterback for the Cougars under head coach LaVell Edwards. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1994.

NFL career

Nielsen was selected in the third round of the 1978 NFL draft (73rd overall) by the Houston Oilers, the team with which he spent his entire NFL career, six seasons as quarterback. Nielsen served as backup to Dan Pastorini in 1978 and 1979 and to Ken Stabler in 1980 and 1981. He played the most games in his last two seasons, 1982–1983, when he shared quarterbacking duties with Archie Manning and Oliver Luck. From 1984 to 1987, he served as a color commentator on Oilers radio broadcasts.

TV sports anchor

Nielsen was the sports director at CBS affiliate KHOU in Houston from 1984 to 2009.

Church Service

Elder S. Gifford Nielsen was sustained as a General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 6, 2013. He was granted Emeritus status effective August 1, 2024. At the time of his call, he had been serving as a member of the Sixth Quorum of the Seventy in the North America Southwest Area. Elder Nielsen has served as an Assistant Executive Director in the Missionary Department and in the Pacific, North America Northeast, North America Central and Africa West Area Presidencies.

Personal Life

S. Gifford Nielsen was born in Provo, Utah, on October 25, 1954. He married Wendy Olson in April 1975. They are the parents of six children and 25 grandchildren.