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Council of Governors

Meet The Governors

Learn more about our Past District Governors from interviews that were completed in 2021.

Nelson French, 1987-88

William Stout, 1990-91

Roger Viers, 2000-01

 

Past General Officers of Rotary International From District 6690

Carl E. Steeb, PDG – Columbus
Director, 1932-33

Theodore D. Griley II, PDG – Newark
Director, 1990-92
Trustee, TRF – 2001-05

Richard F. Slager, PDG – Upper Arlington
Director, 1994-95
Vice President, 1995-96

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.


Past District Governors

DISTRICT 7 (8 clubs – number of members unknown in 1915)

  • 1915  Charles F. Laughlin*, Cleveland
  • 1916  Jacob A. Oswald*, Dayton
  • 1917  Ed R. Kelsey*, Toledo

During 1918-1919, District 7 was changed to District 10.

DISTRICT 10 (21 clubs – 2,397 members in 1918)

  • 1918  Charles H. Brown*, Columbus
  • 1919  John R. Bentley*, Cleveland
  • 1920  Samuel H. Squire*, Elyria
  • 1921  Robert Patterson*, Dayton

During 1922-1923, Ohio was divided into two districts. The northern part of Ohio was placed in District 21 while the rest of Ohio was placed in District 22.

DISTRICT 22 (27 clubs – 2,157 members in 1922)

  • 1922  George C. Mitchell*, Coshocton
  • 1923  James A. Maddox*, Columbus
  • 1924  Charles D. Simeral*, Stubenville
  • 1925  Samuel C. Carnes*, Cambridge
  • 1926  C. H. Peterman*, Cincinnati
  • 1927  Frank L. Beggs*, Newark
  • 1928  Robert D. Hughes*, Dayton
  • 1929  Carl E. Steeb*, Columbus
  • 1930  Meeker Terwilliger*, Circleville
  • 1931  Frank B. Pauly*, Middletown
  • 1932  Fred H. Johnson*, Zanesville
  • 1933  William H. Diehl*, Columbus
  • 1934  Homer C. Selby*, Portsmouth
  • 1935  E. A. Baker*, Cincinnati
  • 1936  Thomas J. Summers*, Marietta

During 1936-1937, Ohio was divided into three (3) districts. Most of central and southern Ohio was placed in District 159.

DISTRICT 159 (45 clubs – 2,765 members in 1937)

  • 1937  Robert R. Bangham*, Wilmington
  • 1938  Bert F. Downey*, Springfield
  • 1939  Joseph W. Fichter*, Oxford (RC of Hamilton)
  • 1940  Orville B. Littick*, Zanesville
  • 1941  Hermann K. Balthaser*, Lancaster
  • 1942  Colin C. Campbell*, Washington Court House
  • 1943  Charles C. Evans Jr.*, Chillicothe
  • 1944  Walter D. Shultz*, Cincinnati
  • 1945  William A. Miller*, Xenia
  • 1946  Carl M. Everson*, Columbus
  • 1947  John Lloyd Snook*, Portsmouth
  • 1948  Louis S. Jacobson*, Dayton

During 1949-1950, districts were renumbered and District 159 became District 231.

DISTRICT 231 (59 clubs – 4,128 members in 1949)

  • 1949  Vernon Burkhart*, Barnesville

During 1950-1951, District 159 was divided into two (2) separate districts. District 232 was created and included most of southeastern Ohio including Delaware, Licking, Coshocton, Guernsey and Belmont Counties south to the Ohio River.

DISTRICT 232 (31 clubs – 1,890 members in 1950)

  • 1950  James W. Blair*, Delaware
  • 1951  Harold V. Tom*, Zanesville
  • 1952  Harry B. Reese*, Wellston
  • 1953  Nicholas H. Holmes*, Chillicothe
  • 1954  Phil A. Floyd*, Lancaster
  • 1955  Charles T. Stewart*, Zanesville
  • 1956  Merrill R. Patterson*, Marietta

During 1957-1958, Ohio’s four (4) districts were separated into five (5) districts and all renumbered. District 232 became District 669.

DISTRICT 669 (31 clubs – 2,066 members in 1957)

  • 1957  Darrell S. Jones*, Newark
  • 1958  Homer E. Felty*, Ironton
  • 1959  Fred D. Learey*, Columbus
  • 1960  C. E. “Chic” Jacoby*, Granville
  • 1961  Hayward W. Strecker*, Marietta
  • 1962  Frederick Stecker*, Columbus
  • 1963  Wilmer H. “Bill” Driggs*, Cambridge
  • 1964  Lawrence G. Worstell*, Athens
  • 1965  Arthur L. Schultz*, Westerville
  • 1966  George H. Chamblin*, Columbus
  • 1967  James W. Miller*, Lancaster
  • 1968  Charles R. Duncan*, Martins Ferry
  • 1969  Edgar E. Barnett*, Columbus
  • 1970  Robert C. Battat*, Newark
  • 1971  Robert G. Smith*, Circleville
  • 1972  Carl H. Roberts*, Athens
  • 1973  Edwin H. Harman*, Columbus
  • 1974  Charles W. Morrison*, Zanesville
  • 1975  Joseph M. Christner*, Wellston
  • 1976  Theodore D. Griley II, Newark
  • 1977  Raymond E. Mason Jr*, Columbus
  • 1978  Frank B. Amrine Jr.*, Marietta
  • 1979  Michael H. Williams*, Portsmouth
  • 1980  Richard F. Slager*, Upper Arlington
  • 1981  George F. Kramer*, Zanesville
  • 1982  Thomas C. Fitzpatrick*, Columbus
  • 1983  Carl G. Dahlberg, Wellston
  • 1984  James C. Taylor*, Cambridge
  • 1985  Howard N. Stevenson, Circleville
  • 1986  George A. Drach*, Athens
  • 1987  Nelson French, Columbus
  • 1988  Donn E. Alspach, Newark
  • 1989  George F. Renkert*, Upper Arlington
  • 1990  William A. Stout, Circleville

During 1990-1991, districts were renumbered and District 669 became District 6690.

DISTRICT 6690 (45 clubs – 3,789 members in 1991)

    • 1991  Richard W. Siegel*, Westerville
    • 1992  Richard F. Thompson, Ironton
    • 1993  Michael J. Knilans*, Upper Arlington
    • 1994  Ponney G. Cisco*, Jackson
    • 1995  David Lusty, Athens
    • 1996  Morris F. Briggs*, Westerville
    • 1997  G. Roger Wells*, Whitehall-Bexley
    • 1998  Mel P. Simon, Gallipolis
    • 1999  Dennis O. Cook, Marietta
    • 2000  Roger F. Viers*, Gahanna
    • 2001  Richard M. Brixner, Cambridge
    • 2002  Brian E. Stanfill, Delaware
    • 2003  Robert H. McGaughy, Newark
    • 2004  George M. Hale, Jr., Hilliard
    • 2005  Peggy D. Murgatroyd, Cambridge
    • 2006  J. Luke McCormick, Columbus
    • 2007  James G. Flaherty, Westerville Sunrise
    • 2008  Thomas L. Kokensparger, Lancaster
    • 2009  Atmaram “Ram” Gawande*, Athens
    • 2010  Calvin T. Gebhart, Circleville Sunrise
    • 2011  Brent D. Rosenthal, Westerville
    • 2012  Michael R. Brown, Olentangy
    • 2013  Bart Mahoney, Whitehall-Bexley
    • 2014  Randy Davies, Chillicothe, First Capital
    • 2015  Tara Craaybeek, Lancaster-Sherman
    • 2016  Steve Sandbo, Upper Arlington
    • 2017  Shane Pyle, Coshocton
    • 2018 Craig Maxey, Reynoldsburg-Pickerington
    • 2019 Gary Vaughan, Columbus Short North
    • 2020 Steve Heiser, Columbus
    • 2021 Maryjane Shackelford, Zanesville Daybreak

 *Deceased

 David A. Uhl
Year of Service: 2023-24



 Price D. Finley
Year of Service: 2022-23



 Maryjane Shackelford
Year of Service: 2021-22



 Steven L. Heiser
Year of Service: 2020-21



 Gary R. Vaughan
Year of Service: 2019-20



 Craig G. Maxey
Year of Service: 2018-19



 Shane A. Pyle
Year of Service: 2017-18



 Stephen D. Sandbo
Year of Service: 2016-17



 Tara L. Craaybeek
Year of Service: 2015-16



 Michael R. Brown
Year of Service: 2012-13



 Brent D. Rosenthal
Year of Service: 2011-12



 Calvin T. Gebhart
Year of Service: 2010-11



 Thomas L. Kokensparger
Year of Service: 2008-09



 James G. Flaherty
Year of Service: 2007-08



 J. Luke McCormick
Year of Service: 2006-07



 Peggy D. Murgatroyd
Year of Service: 2005-06



 George M. Hale Jr.
Year of Service: 2004-05



 Robert H. McGaughy
Year of Service: 2003-04



 Brian E. Stanfill
Year of Service: 2002-03



 Richard M. Brixner
Year of Service: 2001-02



 Dennis O. Cook
Year of Service: 1999-00



 Mel P. Simon
Year of Service: 1998-99



 Richard E. Thompson
Year of Service: 1992-93



 William A. Stout
Year of Service: 1990-91



 Donn E. Alspach
Year of Service: 1988-89



 Nelson French
Year of Service: 1987-88



 Theodore D. Griley II
Year of Service: 1976-77