The Nominating Committee for the President for the year 2016 – 17 has chosen John Germ from Rotary Club of Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA.
John Germ, a graduate of the University of Tennessee, is the president and chief executive officer of Campbell & Associates, Inc., consulting engineers. He joined Rotary in 1976 and has served Rotary International as President of the Rotary Club of Chattanooga 1993-94, District Governor 1996-97, and International Assembly Training Leader 2000-01.John served on the RI Board of Directors for 2003-05 and was Vice President 2004-05, member of the International Assembly Committee and Chairman of the Council on Legislation, Vice Chair – Rotary Centers Major Gift Initiative. He was Aide to President Wilf Wilkinson and Vice Chairman of the International Convention, 2012.
In 2013, The White House honored John Germ as one of 12 Rotary International members who are "Champions of Change". John is an active member of the Chattanooga community, where he has served as president of the Chamber of Commerce, Junior Achievement, and Boy Scouts and as campaign chairman of United Way. He has also served as president of the Tennessee Jaycees and is a recipient of the Boy Scouts of America Silver Beaver Award.John and his wife Judy are Major Donors to The Rotary Foundation.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS NAMED TO NOMINATE 2016-17 RI PRESIDENT
The following Rotarians served on the 2014-15 Nominating Committee for President of Rotary International in 2016-17. The committee met on 4 August 2014.
Zone 2
Kazuhiko Ozawa, Rotary Club of Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan Zone 4 Yash Pal Das, Rotary Club of Ambala, Haryana, India Zone 6 Shekhar Mehta, Rotary Club of Calcutta-Mahanagar, West Bengal, India Zone 8 Barry E. Thompson, Rotary Club of Padstow, New South Wales, Australia Zone 10 Juin Park, Rotary Club of Suncheon, Jeonranam, Korea Zone 12 Carlo Monticelli, Rotary Club of Milano Net, Italy Zone 14 Ekkehart Pandel, Rotary Club of Bückeburg, Germany
Zone 16 Barry Matheson, Rotary Club of Jessheim, Norway Alternate: Ómar Steindórsson, Rotary Club of Keflavík, Iceland Zone 18 Keith Barnard-Jones, Rotary Club of The Island & Royal Manor of Portland, Dorset, England Alternate: David C.J. Liddiatt, Rotary Club of Clifton (Bristol), Bristol, England Zone 20 Samuel Owori, Rotary Club of Kampala, Uganda Zone 22 José Antonio F. Antiório, Rotary Club of Osasco, São Paulo, Brazil
Zone 24 John Eberhard, Rotary Club of London, Ontario, Canada Zone 26 Kenneth R. Boyd, Rotary Club of Kerman, California, USA Alternate: Ronald L. Beaubien, Rotary Club of Coronado, California, USA Zone 28 Thomas M. Thorfinnson, Rotary Club of Eden Prairie Noon, Minnesota, USA Zone 30 T.D. Griley, Rotary Club of Newark, Ohio, USA Alternate: Thomas A. Branum, Rotary Club of Indianapolis Northeast, Indiana, USA
Zone 32 Michael Colasurdo Sr., Rotary Club of Brick Township, New Jersey, USA Alternate: Kenneth W. Grabeau, Rotary Club of Nashua West, New Hampshire, USA Zone 34 John C. Smarge, Rotary Club of Naples, Florida, USA Alternate: Robert Menconi, Rotary Club of Davie/Cooper City, Florida, USA Rotary News JOHN GERM SELECTED AS 2016-17 ROTARY PRESIDENT John F. Germ, a member of the Rotary Club of Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA, and chair of the International PolioPlus Committee, is the selection of the Nominating Committee for President of RI in 2016-17. He will become the president-nominee on 1 October if there are no challenging candidates.
For Rotary to thrive, Germ says, members must face current and future challenges and opportunities with "passion, enthusiasm, perseverance, and above all, integrity."
"I envision Rotary boldly and creatively engaging the success of polio eradication, membership and identity issues, strengthening clubs, work with youth – our future lifeblood, and the creation of critical, strategic partnerships," says Germ. "The 2016-17 Rotary year offers a tremendous opportunity for Rotary International and the Foundation partnership unified and thriving, on all levels, via the six areas of focus."
Germ says no one should ever have to ask, "What is Rotary?"
"We will enhance Rotary's public image by successfully and enthusiastically marketing who we are, what amazing things we are doing, and incredibly, have done locally and globally," says Germ.
With the global economy still unpredictable, Germ says Rotary must make participation affordable and "also be unfailing diligent in efforts to ensure we spend every dollar effectively and efficiently," he says.
In 1965, after four years in the U.S. Air Force, Germ, an engineer, joined Campbell and Associates Inc., an engineering consulting firm. He now serves as the company's board chair and chief executive officer.
He also serves on the boards of several organizations including the Public Education Foundation, Orange Grove Center Inc., and the Blood Assurance Inc. He is the founder and treasurer of the Chattanooga State Technical Community College Foundation and is president of the Tennessee Jaycee Foundation.
In 1970 he was recognized as Tennessee Young Man of the Year, Engineer of the Year, and Volunteer Fundraiser of the Year in 1992.
A Rotary member since 1976, Germ has served Rotary as vice president, director, Foundation trustee and vice chair, chair of Rotary's US$200 Million Challenge, and RI president's aide. He is a recipient of Rotary's Service Above Self Award and The Rotary Foundation's Citation for Meritorious Service and Distinguished Service Award. He and his wife, Judy, are members of the Arch Klumph Society.
"Rotary will adapt to a rapidly changing world by embracing innovation within the guidelines of our tradition and values," says Germ. "By aggressively embracing new technologies, social media, and new opportunities, individuals and businesses will see that Rotary helps promote a good civic and public image while adding credibility to their people."
The Nominating Committee members are T.D. Griley, Newark, Ohio, USA (chair); José Antonio F. Antiório, Osasco, São Paulo, Brazil; Keith Barnard-Jones, The Island & Royal Manor of Portland, Dorset, England; Kenneth R. Boyd, Kerman, California, USA; Michael Colasurdo Sr., Brick Township, New Jersey, USA; Yash Pal Das, Ambala, Haryana, India; John Eberhard, London, Ontario, Canada; Barry Matheson, Jessheim, Norway; Shekhar Mehta, Calcutta-Mahanagar, West Bengal, India; Carlo Monticelli, Milano Net, Italy; Samuel Owori, Kampala, Uganda; Kazuhiko Ozawa, Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan; Ekkehart Pandel, Bückeburg, Germany; Juin Park, Suncheon, Jeonranam, Korea; John C. Smarge, Naples, Florida, USA; Barry E. Thompson, Padstow, New South Wales, Australia; and Thomas M. Thorfinnson, Eden Prairie Noon, Minnesota, USA.