He created 60 stakes during his service in the Twelve and another in England when he was church president.

He also served as a stake president's counselor, president of the East Mill Creek Stake and a member of the Sunday School General Board. He was called as Liberty Stake Sunday School superintendent the year before his marriage.

President Hinckley received the 1985 Utah Lifetime Achievement Award from Southern Utah State College on May 6, 1985. And in February 1986 he was given the Silver Beaver award by the Great Salt Lake Council, Boy Scouts of America.

Other awards and recognitions included an honorary doctorate from Brigham Young University, where he served as chairman of the executive committee of the board of trustees. He received nine other honorary doctorates, seven from other Utah colleges or universities, one from BYU-Idaho and one from BYU-Hawaii.

President Hinckley joined at least three other Utahns who have received the nation's highest civilian award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, when he was honored with it in June of 2004.

In May 1986, he received an honorary doctorate of humanities from Utah State University. That same month, he was awarded an honorary doctorate of laws at Westminster College. He also received an honorary doctorate from Southern Utah University in 1994 and Weber State University in 1999.

He also was president and board member of Deseret News Publishing Co.; and an officer or director of Beneficial Life Insurance Co., Bonneville International Corp., Radio World-Wide New York Inc., KSL Inc., KIRO Inc. of Seattle, Deseret Management Corp., Utah Power and Light Co. and Zions First National Bank.

After several years as a board member, he was named president and chairman of the Deseret News Publishing Co.'s executive committee in June 1971. He was released in early spring 1977 when President N. Eldon Tanner, then first counselor in the First Presidency, became concerned about President Hinckley's workload.

At the time of his appointment, the paper faced declines in circulation and profitability, but when he was released the paper was financially stronger than ever in its history.

Also while on the Deseret News board, he helped organize the annual Mark E. Petersen Awards Banquet to honor staff members for writing, service and other accomplishments.

President Hinckley wrote and edited a number of books as well as numerous church magazine articles, study manuals, pamphlets and scripts.