RLI International eBulletin June 2009

The Rotary Leadership Institute
International eBulletin June 2009
www.rotaryleadershipinstitute.org

The Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) is a multi-district, grassroots leadership development program of member districts organized into regional divisions in various parts of the world. It is not an official program of Rotary International and is not under its control. The RLI seeks to have Rotary Clubs in member districts identify those Rotarians who seem to have the POTENTIAL for future club leadership (not necessarily as club presidents) and provide those so identified with a quality education in Rotary knowledge and leadership skills for voluntary organizations.
NOTE: This concludes the RLI International eBulletins for the 2008-9 Rotary Year. The next issue will appear towards the end of August, 2009.

SPECIAL CONVENTION REPORT

District 9120 is RLI's 200th Member District

The organization of the Nigeria Division of four districts brought RLI to its 200th member district, District 9120 in Northern Nigeria. Accepting a Recognition Plaque from International Chair David Linett at the Annual RLI Convention Breakfast in Birmingham UK was Dr. A. O. Funsho, PDG, Chair of the new Division. It was announced at the breakfast that RLI now has 202 member districts and that it has adopted an expansion goal of 250 member districts by the end of June, 2010. The recognition of the 100th member district took place at the Salt Lake City Convention.

Past R.I. President Cliff Dochterman Was Principal Speaker
at RLI BREAKFAST


Those participating in the June 24 RLI Breakfast Meeting at the Crowne Plaza NEC in Birmingham, were both entertained and inspired by the words of Past R.I. President Cliff Dochterman of California, USA. With his always good humor and great Rotary insight, President Cliff spoke on the topic of "Good Leaders Need Good Followers" and provided RLI members with much "food for thought" about the nature of the leadership/follower relationship. RLI is grateful to Past President Cliff for his words of wisdom and support for RLI.

Other excellent speakers at the Breakfast were Rotary International Vice-President Monty Audenart of Red Deer, Alberta, Canada and Rotary International Director and Treasurer for 2009-10, Michael Colasurdo, Sr. of Jackson Township, New Jersey USA. Both spoke of the great need for club leadership development and the history of how RLI evolved over the past years. RLI was fortunate to have such a great trio of speakers for this important event.

RLI ANNUAL AWARDS PRESENTED AT BREAKFAST

Presentations of three RLI "Pioneer" Awards and an RLI Distinguished Service Award were a highlight of the RLI Breakfast Meeting.

RLI's Pioneer Awards recognize those Rotarians who initiated RLI in new regions of the world and who made important contributions to the early development of RLI. Recipients were PDG Rudy Estrellado of the Philippines who initiated RLI in all ten districts of the Philippines, PDG Hoe-Beng Fong of Singapore, who initiated RLI in South East Asia and now serves as Intl. RLI Regional Vice-Chair for South East Asia, and Past R.I. Vice-President Frank C. Collins, Jr. of East Hartford, Connecticut, USA who used his professional skills to develop the RLI Faculty Orientation Program that is substantially in use today. The award for PDG Estrellado was presented by Intl. Chair David Linett at a special RLI session in Manila this past fall. In Rudy's absence at the breakfast, Past R.I. Director Rafael Hechanova of the Philippines spoke of Rudy's achievements for RLI.

The Distinguished Service Award is given annually for outstanding current service for RLI. The 2009 recipient was PDG Frank E. Wargo of New Milford, Connecticut USA, International Vice-Chair for Training, who traveled to 25 countries, many for multiple visits, mostly at his own expense, to conduct faculty orientation sessions and assist new divisions in developing their procedures and systems for a successful program. Wherever Frank Wargo went, he created great enthusiasm for RLI and Rotary and helped to lay a solid foundation for the future RLI program. The recognition crystal, hand blown by the well know Vandermark-Merritt Company of Readington, New Jersey, was inscribed in part, "RLI AMBASSADOR TO THE WORLD".

RLI Leaders Conducted Informal Meetings During the Convention

In order to bring together international officers of RLI, division leaders and prospective RLI members, RLI conducted about 20 or more informal meetings during the course of the Convention. Intl. Chair David Linett said that "there is no substitute for face to face meetings to share ideas and to work together for the benefit of the organization and its mission." Consideration is being given for various meeting formats for the Montreal Convention in June, 2010. Suggestions should be sent to Chair Linett.

RLI'S Annual Report and Supplement Distributed at RLI Breakfast

RLI's second formal Annual Report, edited by PDG Doris Obremski, and a one page supplement of new member districts since May 1, were distributed to each attendee at the Annual Breakfast. The Report included an International RLI financial statement from July 1, 2008 to May 1, 2009. The Rotary year end financial statement will be posted on the RLI website in accordance with R.I. policy. The Annual Report may be seen on the website. Click on RLI Organizational Information and then Annual Reports on the right index.

WELCOME to New Members of RLI INTL.
SENIOR LEADERS ADVISORY BOARD

RLI is proud to announce the addition of three distinguished Senior Leaders to its Intl. Sr. Leaders Advisory Board:

Past R.I. Vice-President and Current Trustee, Louis Piconi of Pennsylvania, USA, an early supporter of RLI;

Past R.I. Director and Aide to President D.K. Lee, John Michael Pinson of Texas, USA.

R.I. Director-Elect Stuart Heals of New Zealand.

These new members bring the Sr. Leaders Advisory Board to 74 members, including nine Past R.I. Presidents.

RLI Welcomes New Member Divisions/Districts

We welcome the new Bolivia Division of RLI. District 4690 covers all of Bolivia. Chair of the Division is PDG Francisco Torrico Hurtado. The Agreement to Form the Division was signed by 2008-9 District Governor Ismael Soriano Melgares. We thank PDG Juan Pedro Torroba of Argentina for his assistance in organizing the new division.

RLI also welcomes the new Shining Water Division in Ontario, Canada and Upstate New York, USA with initial districts 7070 and 7090. PDG Nancy Gilbert of Toronto will chair the new division. Nancy was formerly active in the Atlantic/Atlantique Division in the Canadian Maritimes before moving to Toronto. The unique name of the division is the English translation of the Indian name for Lake Ontario. We thank now Past RIVP Monty Audenart and PDG Chris Offer, Intl. RLI Regional Vice-Chair, for their support and assistance in creating the new division and that of the new Canadian Prairie Division announced below.

RLI is pleased to welcome the Nigeria Division with initial districts 9110, 9120, 9130 and 9140 that cover all of Nigeria. The organizer and Chair of the new division is PDG A.O. Funsho and the Governors who signed the Agreements with RLI are Richard Giwa-Osagie, King A. Nelson Esievo, Bamidele O. Samson and Elizabeth Ogugua Nwankwu, respectively.

We also welcome the new Canadian Prairie Division with initial District 5360 of Southern Alberta, Canada. The Agreement of membership was signed by 2008-9 Governor Mark A. Starratt with the support of 2009-10 Governor J. Stephens Allan.

RLI is very pleased that District 4815 has joined the Argentina Central/South Division chaired by PDG Juan Pedro Torroba. The incoming Governor is Rafael Roque Gomez.

All new divisions are planning faculty orientation sessions for this summer and fall with members of the International RLI Training Team.

Personnel

2009-10 R.I Vice-President Eric Adamson of Virginia, USA will be a "Special Adviser" to RLI during the 2009-10 Rotary year. V.P. Eric was the founding Chair of RLI's Zone 33 Division and previously served as RLI Intl. Regional Vice-Chair for Eastern USA. He has recently been active in RLI expansion projects.

RLI PHILOSOPHY

"Having leadership skills does not alone assure good Rotary leadership. An effective Rotary leader must ALSO have Rotary knowledge, perspective about where Rotary has been, where it is now going and a vision of what Rotary can be."

Michael Rabasca
PRID David Linett
RLI International