OUR GOVERNORS
DISTRICT GOVERNOR 2023-24
David Uhl has been a member of the Rotary Club of Lancaster since 2010 (former member of Circleville Sunrise club). David served as president in the 2017/18 Rotary year during the Lancaster club’s 100th Anniversary. He has held several positions with the club, including Charitable Solicitations Chair, Program Chair, and Nomination Committee Chair. Uhl started the first ever Paul Harris Fellowship group in Lancaster Club, where members pool their money for a fixed period of time and over that period, each person becomes a PHF. He is a current Paul Harris Fellow and Paul Harris Society member, as well as a current 125 Club member.
David led his club in its Centennial year with record giving in the areas of Foundation and local giving. The club completed 12 service projects that focused on 100 acts of service each month during their Centennial year.
David received Presidential Citation and the coveted Golden Spatula Award from PDG Shane Pyle. He served on PGD Craig Maxey’s District Conference Committee, is a past District Conference presenter, a past District Assembly committee member, and a past District Training committee member. He has served as Assistant Governor and as District 6690 PolioPlus/WorldPolio Day Chair.
David is currently serving as City of Lancaster – City Council President. He also serves full time with the FAIRFIELD COUNTY BOARD OF DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES (DD).
David is 42 years old and was born and raised in Lancaster, OH. He has been married to Perla for 20 years and has 2 children, Samantha (12) and Ethan (7). David and his family currently reside in Lancaster.
When not volunteering for Rotary service projects, David and his family have volunteered their time in the Community. David’s daughter Samantha started an Early-act (interact for elementary school) club in her school. They are also active in their church, where David is the pastor.
David has several degrees including a Ph.D., M.S., Education, and a B.A., Religion
DISTRICT GOVERNOR 2024-25
Gary Baker has a Bachelor of Arts, Political Science & Business Administration, from Otterbein College (now University). He owned and operated Baker Media Solutions – a video/multi-media production company from 1985 until 2010, providing professional video production services to central Ohio businesses. In September of 2012, Gary joined the Energy Cooperative as Director of Marketing & PR and is a 2017 graduate of NRECA’s Management Internship Program (MIP). In June of 2019, he was assigned additional responsibilities at the cooperative when named (interim) Director of Member Services.
Gary is active with the Newark Midland Theatre Association Board of Trustees serving as president from 2020-2022 and he is a board member of the Licking County Board of Developmental Disabilities. Gary has been a member of the Newark Rotary Club since 1987. He served as club president in the Rotary year 2011-2012.
Gary lives in Newark with his wife Julie and his daughter Meredith, a recent graduate of The Ohio State University.
DISTRICT GOVERNOR 2025-26
Sandra Knoesel joined the Columbus Rotary Club in 1992 shortly after beginning her career at the State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio as director of Communication Services. She was promoted to deputy executive director of Member Benefits in 1999 and retired from STRS Ohio after 25 years of service. Sandy also was a member of the Rotary Club of Newark.
Sandy first volunteered for District 6690 in 2016 when she was asked to be district grants chair. She enjoys collaborating with club grant coordinators and helping them with the grant process. From July 2017 – June 2020, Sandy served as assistant governor to the Clintonville, Granville, Newark-Heath and Zanesville Daybreak clubs. When the pandemic hit, she was asked to coordinate the district-wide fund-raising project to provide donations to three food banks in District 6690. Through the generosity of our members and clubs, Rotarians donated $100,000 to the food banks plus another $25,000 was contributed through a grant by the Rotary Foundation.
As co-chair of the first district Community Service Projects Committee, she helped organize the Sock-tober initiative. More than 10,670 pairs of socks were donated by 26 clubs to 20 different charities that helped unhoused people in need. Sandy also serves on the district’s Rotary Foundation and Multi-year Planning committees. In 2021, she coordinated the district’s annual Awards Celebration that recognized outstanding achievements by our clubs. She is a member of the District 6690 125 Club, the Polio Plus Society and the Paul Harris Society.
Sandy served as president of the Columbus Rotary Club in 2010-11. She also was chair of the Columbus Rotary Foundation twice, most recently in 2019-2020. She currently is co-chair of the Career Path Awards Committee that provides $2,500 awards to selected graduating seniors from Columbus City Schools who are pursuing a career in the technical trades or other careers that do not require a four-year college degree.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri and an MBA from Ohio University. Sandy lives in New Albany along with her husband, Dr. Bob Kamps, who is a retired physician. They have four grown children and three grandchildren.