Both Mr. Semple and Mr. Martin had extensive experience in the Faith's activities before their election to the nine-member council, which has its Seat on Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel.

Born in 1928 in England, Mr. Semple did his national service in the British Army from 1947-50 during which period he earned a commission in the Royal Corps of Signals.

He studied at Pembroke College, Oxford, obtaining a BA in German and French Language and Literature in 1952 and an MA in 1955. He subsequently studied accounting in the City of London, qualifying as a Chartered Accountant in 1955 and becoming a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.

Mr. Semple has delivered many addresses on the history and teachings of the Baha'i Faith. He is married to Mrs. Louise Semple (nee Gloor) and they have three children.

Mr. Douglas Martin was born in 1927 in Ontario, Canada. He holds a Bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Western Ontario and a Master's degree in history from the University of Waterloo, Ontario. His wife, Mrs. Elizabeth Martin, passed away in 1999.

Mr. Martin was a consultant in advertising and public relations until he devoted himself exclusively to Baha'i administration and scholarship.

He was a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Canada from 1960-85, serving as its general secretary from 1965-85. From 1985-93 he was director-general of the Baha'i International Community's Office of Public Information at the Baha'i World Centre in Haifa.

With Dr. William S. Hatcher, he co-authored "The Baha'i Faith: The Emerging Global Religion," published by Harper & Row and later by the US Baha'i Publishing Trust. He has also published articles and scholarly monographs and lectured widely on the Baha'i Faith.

He is a former editor-in-chief of "One Country," a Baha'i international news magazine, and "The Baha'i World," a series of annual reference volumes. He was a founding member of the Association for Baha'i Studies, serving on its international executive committee from 1974-85.