Becoming a District Governor

 

Serving as Governor for an entire Rotary district is an incredible honor. Individuals that serve in this capacity are recognized leaders, nominated by their clubs to fill this important role. As Governor, you are the official representative of Rotary International in your region. As Governor, your mission is to lead clubs, inspire Rotary members, and engage the general public in the important role fulfilled by Rotary in our community. District Governors serve for one full Rotary year, from July 1 to June 30, and are very actively engaged in District decision-making leading up to their year as Governor.

 

 

The process of becoming a District Governor begins long before your year as Governor. In fact, District Governors are typically selected three years before they actually serve as Governor. Applicants for the position must fulfill certain requirements, including 1) having previously served as President of a Rotary club, and 2) being a member of Rotary for at least seven years by the time they become District Governor.

 

In addition, applicants are strongly encouraged to become active within the District. There are numerous ways to serve in both leadership and volunteer capacities within District 5340. More importantly, when you become active at the District level, you are becoming acquainted with members from other clubs, expanding your network and making new connections and relationships along the way. 

 

 

Nominations for District Governor are not made by individuals, but by Rotary clubs. The District is a 501(c)(4) not-for-profit that exists for one purpose: to help support Rotary clubs. As such, the clubs submit members as candidates to be considered for the role of District Governor. Rotary clubs must submit a Governor Data Form, as well as a formal club resolution proposing their candidate. Candidates proposed by clubs must be active members of that club; clubs may not propose members from other clubs as their candidate. Most nomination forms are submitted during the late Fall or early Winter. Public notices will be sent to all clubs requesting nominations, with more information on deadlines.

 

 

Candidates for Governor whose paperwork is received by the deadline in good order will be invited to meet for an in-person interview. The interview will be conducted before the Selection Committee, which is created in accordance with the provisions of Rotary International Bylaws Article 13. The immediate Past District Governor serves as chair of the Selection Committee, made up of Past District Governors and members of the District Governor line. Interviews typically last 45-60 minutes, and will cover a wide range of topics. Interviews conclude and, as their name implies, the Selection Committee "selects" their proposed candidate for District Governor Designate.

 

 

After a candidate for Governor has been chosen, the chair of the Selection Committee issues a public announcement to all clubs as a formal notification of the nomination. This is done per Rotary International Bylaws, Article 14.020.6, which permits notification electronically. Clubs have fourteen days from that date of notification to set forth any challenges, in accordance with Rotary International Bylaws, Article 14.020.8. If no challenges are received by the deadline, the selection by the committee of the District Governor Designate becomes official.

 

 

Rotary District 5340 has a long history of contributing to the Rotary world. Major programs and initiatives, from Rotarians at Work Day and Paul Harris Society, to MatchingGrants.org and Millions for HOPE, all began within our District. Past, current, and future Governors within our District enjoy positive, constructive working relationships together. When you are selected to serve in the role as Governor, you will find a wealth of resources and support available to help make your year of leadership the best ever. 

 

Serving as District Governor is an incredibly enriching, life-changing experience. In addition to visiting each club in your district, Governors are given wide flexibility to make a lasting impact on Rotary in their region. In the build-up to their year, Governors assemble their own teams of volunteers, including Assistant Governors, Committee Chairs, and District Resource Leaders. And during their year, the Governor manages committees, provides fiscal oversight, schedules events, leads training programs, and develops new initiatives within the District. As the sole representative of Rotary International in District 5340, the Governor is given tremendous latitude while acting in the best interests of the over 60 Rotary clubs within our region.

 

Learn more about serving as District Governor by downloading Lead Your District: Governor, published by Rotary International. 

 

Serving as Governor is an incredible honor. Governors have the opportunity to make a difference, to be the inspiration, and to have a positive impact on fellow Rotary members. The relationships you forge and the experiences you make as District Governor will last a lifetime.