Randy Simon, Albuquerque Quality Network, spoke to our club on the 23rd. The mission of AQN is to educate the Albuquerque business community on quality principles and processes to improve organizational performance. They were founded in 1991.
50 Things Every Rotarian Should Know About Rotary
16TOLERANCE OF DIFFERENCES
Occasionally there is a temptation to criticize the laws, customs and traditions of another country which may seem strange or contrary to our own. In some instances illegal practices or customs of one nation are completely lawful and acceptable in another.
As members of an international organization dedicated to world understanding and peace, it behooves Rotarians to exercise restraint in judging our Rotary friends and citizens from other countries when their behavior seems unusual to us. A Rotary policy has existed for more than half a century relating to this dilemma of international relationships.
The statement, adopted in 1933, says that because it is recognized that some activities and local customs may be legal and customary in some countries and not in others, Rotarians should be guided by this admonition of tolerance:
"Rotarians in all countries should recognize these facts and there should be a thoughtful avoidance of criticism of the laws and customs of one country by the Rotarians of another country." The policy also cautions against "any effort on the part of Rotarians of one country to interfere with the laws or customs of another country."
As we strive to strengthen the bonds of understanding, goodwill and friendship, these policies still provide good advice and guidance.
100 Famous Rotarians
The following show the diversity of the intellectual, cultural, industry, and governmental leaders Rotary has attracted.
Ten spaces remain for you to add Rotarians well-known in your geographic region.
1. Asgeir Asgeirsson, President, Iceland (RC Reykjavík)
2. Prince Axel of Denmark (RC Copenhagen)
3. Jose Belloni, sculptor, Uruguay (RC Montevideo)*
4. Eduard Benes, President, Czechoslovakia
(RC Prague)*
5. Harry A. Blackmun, U.S. Supreme Court Justice
(RC Rochester, Minn.)*
6. Frank Borman, U.S. astronaut (RC Space Center,
Houston, Tex.)*
7. John Briggs, British concert pianist (RC Bingley,
England)
8. Admiral Richard E. Byrd, Arctic explorer
(RC Winchester, Va., USA)*
9. Josep Ma. Vayreda Canadell, Spanish painter
(RC Gerona)
10. Alcino Cardoso, Secretary of State, Portugal
(RC Porto-Douro)
11. Roger Chapelain-Midy, French painter (RC Paris)*
12. Max Cointreau, owner, Cointreau liquor enterprise
(RC Paris, France)*
13. Holly Compton, 1927 Nobel Prize recipient for
physics (RC St. Louis, Mo., USA)*
14. Gordon Cooper, U.S. astronaut (RC Space Center,
Houston, Tex.)*
15. Michel Debré, Foreign Minister and Minister of
Finance, France (RC Amboise)*
16. Cecil B. De Mille, motion picture director
(RC Hollywood, Ca., USA)*
17. Maurice Denuzière, French writer (Louisiana)
(RC Vitry-Sud-Est de Paris)*
18. Jorge Fidel Duron, Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Honduras (RC Tegucigalpa; past RI vice president)
19. Marcelo B. Fernan, Chief Justice, Supreme Court,
Philippines (RC Cebu West)
20. Raymond F. Firestone, chairman and chief executive
officer, Firestone Tire and Rubber Co. (RC Akron,
Ohio, USA)*
21. Greve Af Rosenborg Flemming, Danish Count
(RC Copenhagen)
22. J. William Fulbright, U.S. Senator from Arkansas
(RC Fayetteville, Ark.)*
23. Hans-Dietrich Genscher, Foreign Minister, Germany
(RC Bonn Süd-Bad Godesberg)
24. Zbigniew Gertych, Polish Ambassador to Great
Britain (RC London, England)
25. Edgar A. Guest, American journalist and poet
(RC Detroit, Mich.)*
26. Dr. Lorenzo Guerrero Gutierrez, President, Nicaragua
(RC Granada)
27. Warren G. Harding, U.S. President
(RC Washington, DC)*
28. Reijiro Hattori, chairman, Seiko (RC Tokyo Ginza,
Japan)
29. Steingrimur Hermannsson, Prime Minister, Iceland
(RC Reykjavík)
30. Ko Hirasawa, Japanese anatomist and president of
Kyoto University (RC Kyoto East)*
31. Sydney G. Holland, Prime Minister, New Zealand
(RC Christchurch)*
32. John F. Kennedy, U.S. President (RC Hyannis, Mass.)*
33. Abdulla Khalil, Prime Minister, Sudan
(RC Khartoum)*
34. Chung Yul Kim, Prime Minister, Korea (RC Hanyang)
35. Karl Kobelt, President, Swiss Confederation
(RC St. Gallen)
36. Tapio Korjus, 1988 Olympic Gold Medal winner
(javelin) (RC Lapua Kiviristi, Finland)
37. Chucri Kouatly, President, Syria (RC Damascus)
38. Hans Küng, theologian (RC Reutlingen-Tübingen,
Germany)
39. Jean Leclant, French Egyptologist (RC Paris)
40. Franz Lehar, Austrian composer (RC Vienna)*
41. Connie Mack, Baseball Hall of Fame manager and
team owner (RC Fort Myers, Fla., USA)*
42. Thomas Mann, German novelist, 1929 Nobel Prize
recipient for literature (RC Munich)*
43. Robert Manuel, director, Marigny Theatre, Paris
(RC Paris, France)*
44. Guglielmo Marconi, inventor of the wireless, 1909
Nobel Prize recipient for physics (RC Bologna, Italy)*
45. Jan Masaryk, Foreign Minister, Czechoslovakia
(RC Prague)*
46. Konosuke Matsushita, president, Matsushita Electric
Co. (RC Osaka, Japan)*
47. Dr. Charles H. Mayo, co-founder, Mayo Clinic
(RC Rochester, Minn., USA)*
48. Cesare Merzagora, President of the Senate, Italy
(RC Milano)
49. Toyohiko Mikimoto, Mikimoto Pearl Co.
(RC Tokyo, Japan)
The Organization of Rotary
Rotary is essentially a grassroots organization, with most of its service efforts being carried out at the club level. The district and international structure is designed to support the clubs and help them provide more service in their local communities and abroad.
Clubs
Rotarians are members of Rotary clubs, which belong to the global association Rotary International (RI). Each club elects its own officers and enjoys considerable autonomy within
the framework of Rotary’s constitution and bylaws.
Districts
Clubs are grouped into 530 RI districts, each led by a district governor, who is an officer of RI. The district administration, including lieutenant and assistant governors and various committees, guides and supports the clubs.
Zones
Approximately 15 Rotary districts form a zone. A zone director, who serves as a member of the RI board of directors, heads two zones. The zone director is nominated by the clubs in the zone and elected by the convention for the term of two consecutive years. Zones are responsible for training the District Governors.
RI Board
The 19-member RI Board of Directors, which includes the RI president and president-elect, meets quarterly to establish policies. Traditionally, the RI president, who is elected annually,
develops a theme and service emphases for the year.
The Secretariat
Rotary International is headquartered in the Chicago suburb of Evanston, Illinois, USA, with seven international offices in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, India, Japan, Korea, and Switzerland.
The Secretariat’s chief operating officer is the RI general secretary, who heads a 740-member staff working to serve Rotarians worldwide. The General Secretary functions like a Chief Operating Officer and is responsible for the following areas: finance, communications, technology, programs, strategic planning and oversight of The Rotary Foundation.
Council on Legislation
Functions as Rotary's "Parliament." They convene every three years to review and approve proposed legislation. Each District appoints a representative to serve on the Council on Legislation.
Why am I a Rotarian
Did you ever ask yourself or has someone asked you why you are a Rotarian? What did you say? Here's my why:
My uncle, a past president of a small Missouri Rotary club, gave me my first opportunity to experience a Rotary meeting. I was ten years old and visiting my aunt and uncle during summer vacation. Everyone introduced themselves to me, shook my hand and made me feel like I was someone important. It left a lasting impression.
Some 35 years later at the end of my Air Force career, I was ready to settle down and give back to the community. I remembered how much my uncle valued Rotary and how going to that one meeting made me feel. A friend introduced me to the Del Sol club that had just chartered so I called the president and went for a visit. The rest is history.
Rotary heals the sick, provides food and water to the hungry and takes on seemingly impossible projects like eradicating Polio that even governments can't do and succeeds. With Rotary, I am part of something bigger, something that changes lives and makes the world a better place. Rotary has also given me the best friends anyone could ever hope to have.
Why am I a Rotarian? It's because I have found the meaning of life with the words "Service Above Self."
Zone Institute Coming to Albuquerque
After an absence of 15 years, the Zone 26/27 Institute will be held in Albuquerque next October 23-25, 2025. This is a wonderful opportunity to experience Rotary beyond our communities and our District… Every Rotarian is welcome to attend the Institute but, based on my experience as a Club President and Governor, Club and District leaders will especially benefit from the Zone Institute experience!
You'll meet Zone leadership as well as Rotary International and Rotary Foundation leaders. You'll meet Rotarians from our Zones with lots of programs and ideas. Rotarians from West Texas to Hawaii, from New Mexico to the northern border (even Vancourver, BC) will be there.
Experience peer-to-peer sessions, presentations on topics as diverse as AI, experiences of our Peace Fellow, a Polio Day project, dedicating a Peace Pole and presentation of District 5520 Governor-elect Jeff Weinrach and his wife Clare.