Past General Officers of Rotary International From District 6670
Bruce A. Cook* PDG 81-82 Cincinnati
Director, 1987-89
Rotary was founded in 1905 in Chicago. Ohio has six (6) of the first 100 clubs that were chartered including Cincinnati in 1910; Cleveland in 1911; and Columbus, Toledo and Dayton in 1912. Springfield completed the group in 1914. Districts were first formed in 1916 and all of Ohio was placed in District 7 at the time.
Our Past District Governors
District 7 (Ohio, West Virginia, Lower Michigan)
1915-16 C. F. Laughlin* Cleveland
1916-17 Jacob A. Oswald* Dayton
1917-18 Ed. R. Kelsey* Toledo
District 10 (Entire state of Ohio)
1918-19 Charles H. Brown* Columbus
1919-20 John R. Bentley* Cleveland
1920-21 Samuel H. Squire* Elyria
1921-22 Robert Patterson* Dayton
District 22 (Southern half of Ohio)
1922-23 George C. Mitchell* Coshocton
1923-24 James A. Maddox* Columbus
1924-25 Charles D. Simeral* Steubenville
1925-26 Samuel C. Carnes* Cambridge
1926-27 Carroll H. Petermann* Cincinnati
1927-28 Frank L. Beggs* Newark
1928-29 Robert D. Hughes* Dayton
1929-30 Carl E. Steeb* Columbus
1930-31 Meeker Terwilliger* Circleville
1931-32 Frank B. Pauly* Middletown
1932-33 Fred H. Johnson* Zanesville
1933-34 Wm. R. Diehl* Columbus
1934-35 Homer C. Selby* Portsmouth
1935-36 Dr. E. A. Baber* Cincinnati
1936-37 Thomas J. Summers* Marietta
District 159 (Southernmost area of Ohio)
1937-38 Robert R. Bangham* Wilmington
1938-39 Bert F. Downey* Springfield
1939-40 Joseph W. Fichter* Hamilton
1940-41 Orville B. Littick* Zanesville
1941-42 Herman Balthaser* Lancaster
1942-43 Colin C. Campbell* Washington C. H.
1943-44 Charles C. Evans* Chillicothe
1944-45 Walter D. Schultz* Cincinnati
1945-46 William A. Miller* Xenia
1946-47 Carl M. Everson* Columbus
1947-48 John L. Snook* Portsmouth
1948-49 Louis S. Jacobson* Dayton
1949-50 Vernon Burkhart* Barnesville
District 231 (Southwestern Ohio)
1950-51 Roy Paterson* Middletown
1951-52 George Waddell* Greenfield
1952-53 Kenneth R. Symons* Piqua
1953-54 James F. Bell* London
Rotary Is Hope in Action
1954-55 Ernest D. Davis* Hamilton
1. Glean from the past and act; 2. Share with others; 3. Build with Rotary’s 4-Way Test; 4. Serving youth; 5. International good will; 6. Good Rotarians are good citizens
1955-56 Harold D. Nichols* Batavia
Develop Our Resources
1956-57 Curtis W. Holder* Troy
1. Keep Rotary simple; 2. More Rotary in Rotarians; 3. Learn more about each other
The idea of Annual Themes adopted by Rotary International presidents grew out of a statement of principles in 1949. After 1953, each RI president presented the theme for that Rotary year. We show those themes for each year along with the names of our Past District Governors.
District 667 (Southwestern Ohio)
1957-58 William H. Hiestand* Eaton
Enlist — Extend — Explore — Serve
1958-59 Walter E. Shade* West Carrollton
Help Shape the Future
1959-60 Don J. Meeks* Hamilton
Vitalize! Personalize! Build Bridges of Friendship!
1960-61 Harvey “Ben” Fuller* Cincinnati
You are Rotary — Live It! Express It! Expand It!
1961-62 Robert “Bob” M. Hepler* Sidney
Act — Aim for Action, Communicate for Understanding, Test for Leadership
1962-63 Carl C. Burns* Miamisburg
Kindle the Spark Within
1963-64 R. David Warner* (Mary) Xenia
Meeting Rotary’s Challenge in the Space Age
1964-65 Charles “Charlie” E. Fry* Springfield
Live Rotary
1965-66 Robert McGee* Hillsboro
Action, Consolidation, and Continuity
1966-67 Charles Messmer* (Alberta) Lebanon
A Better World through Rotary
1967-68 William “Bill” M. Gabel (Dottie) Tipp City
Make Your Rotary Membership Effective
1968-69 Thomas “Tom” B. Hamler* West Milton
Participate!
1969-70 Curtis “Curt” Reynolds* Piqua
Review and Renew
1970-71 Allan L. Johnston* Dayton
Bridge the Gaps
1971-72 William H. Strautman* Fairborn
Good Will Begins with You
1972-73 Raymond “Ray” W. Brown* Middletown
Let’s Take a New Look — and Act
1973-74 Robert “Bob” C. Haigler* Washington Court House
A Time for Action
1974-75 James Valentine* (Lillian) Vandalia
Renew the Spirit of Rotary
1975-76 Robert “Bob” W. Richards* Dayton
To Dignify the Human Being
1976-77 Arthur Vollmer* Miamisburg
I Believe in Rotary
1977-78 Lloyd C. Miller* Greenville
Serve to Unite Mankind
1978-79 Robert “Bob” J. Miller (Jerri) Oxford
Reach Out
1979-80 Jack P. Swagler (Cindy) Hamilton
Let Service Light the Way
1980-81 Glenn C. Brandon* Miamisburg
Take Time to Serve
1981-82 Bruce A. Cook* (Betty) Cincinnati
World Understanding and Peace through Rotary
1982-83 Rodger O. Borror* (Phyllis) Wilmington
Mankind is One-Build Bridges of Friendship Throughout the World
1983-84 Byron M. Shepard (Barbara) Troy
Share Rotary-Serve People
1984-85 Douglas “Doug” L. Hoge* Cincinnati
Discover a New World of Service
1985-86 John D. Louis* (Peggy) Washington Court House
You are the Key
1986-87 Harvey Smith (Carolyn*) Centerville
Rotary Brings Hope
1987-88 Richard “Dick” Adams (Sandy) Piqua
Rotarians — United in Service — Dedicated to Peace
1988-89 William “Bill” Beavers* (Mary) Brookville
Put Life into Rotary-Your Life
1989-90 John “Jack” H. Schaefer* (Shirley) Cincinnati
Enjoy Rotary
1990-91 William “Bill” A. Harrison* (Nonny) Middletown
Honor Rotary with Faith and Enthusiasm
District 6670 (Southwestern Ohio)
1991-92 Lawrence “Larry” Brazie (Sylvia) Vandalia
Look Beyond Yourself
1992-93 J. “Russ” Brinkman* (Judy) Centerville
Real Happiness is Helping Others
1993-94 Robert J. “Bob” Hadley* (Judy) Kettering
Believe in What You Do-Do What You Believe In
1994-95 Luis Octavio Riva Saleta Cincinnati
Be a Friend
1995-96 Garth Errington (Katy) Blue Ash/Montgomery
Act with Integrity-Serve with Love-Work for Peace
1996-97 Marion S. Penich* Beavercreek
Build the Future with Action and Vision
1997-98 Charles “Chuck” Sweeting (Andrea) Urbana
Show Rotary Cares
1998-99 Tom “Tommy” H. Cobb* (Jean) Oakwood
Follow Your Rotary Dream
1999-2000 Arlo “Bud” D. Ragan* (Marty*) Kettering
Rotary 2000: Act with Consistency-Credibility-Continuity
2000-01 John Schmidt* (Vickie) Cincinnati
Create Awareness-Take Action
2001-02 Thomas A. Powell (Carolyn) Cincinnati
Mankind is Our Business
2002-03 Orville Bantz (Susan) Farmersville
Sow the Seeds of Love
2003-04 Karen Rosnell (Ken) Blue Ash/Montgomery
Lend a Hand
2004-05 Katy Errington (Garth) Mason/Deerfield
Celebrate Rotary
2005-06 Sivaji Subramaniam (Elvessa) Centerville
Service Above Self
2006-07 Susan Bantz (Orville) Farmersville
Lead the Way
2007-08 John Beals* (Sally) Centerville
Rotary Shares
2008-09 W. Patrick “Pat” Edwards Franklin/Springboro/Carlisle
Make Dreams Real
2009-10 Hans (J) Berkel* (Mae) Centerville
The Future of Rotary is in Your Hands
2010-11 Norma Berry (Dennis) Mason-Deerfield
Building Communities - Bridging Continents
2011-12 Ute Päpke (Hans) Cincinnati
Reach Within to Embrace Humanity
2012-13 Peter Weiglin* (Jeanne) Batavia
Peace Through Service
2013-2014 George (Mac) Hickman, Batavia
Engage Rotary Change Lives
2014-2015 Eric Marcus (Lela) Beavercreek
Light Up Rotary
2015-2016 William Shula (Nancy) Cincinnati
Be a Gift to the World
2016-2017 Mike Kelly (Melinda) Mason-Deerfield
Rotary Serving Humanity
2017-2018 Rotary: Making A Difference
2018-2019 William Shula (Nancy) Cincinnati Being the Inspiration
2019-2020 Sigrid Solomon, Wilmington AM Rotary Connects the World
2020-2021 Greg Birkemeyer, Dayton Rotary Opens Opportunities
2021-22 Carol Hughes, Springboro, Serve to Change Lives
2022-23 Frank Scott, Dayton, Imagine Rotary