ROTARY HISTORY

• Ross was inducted into the Rotary Club of Nanaimo in 1987 with the classification of "Education Administration".
• Since joining he has served on several committees and has chaired the Vocational Committee and Assistance to Youth Committee.
• As a member of the Fellowship Committee, he assisted with the co-ordination of the 80th anniversary of the Nanaimo Club in May 2000.
• In 1995 Ross became a Director of the Nanaimo Club and was responsible for a variety of committees and in 1997 was installed as president.
• During his presidency, the club sponsored world community service and community projects with other key activities that entitled the club to receive a Presidential Citation.
• He and his wife Pam have hosted a youth exchange student from Australia and entertained other exchange students.
• At the district level, he was a member of the Vocational Committee and was appointed Assistant Governor in 1999.
• As a member of the District Council, Ross was a participant of the policy review committee that made extensive changes for the management of the district.
• He initiated and co-chaired the first mini-assembly for Areas 2A and 2B in District 5020.
• Ross and Pam are Paul Harris Fellows and benefactors to The Rotary Foundation.

EDUCATION AND CAREER

• Ross hails from Quebec, where he trained as a teacher at MacDonald College of McGill University, St. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec.
• He later earned his Bachelor of Arts degree; his Master of Education degree and his Ph.D. with a major in curriculum and administration.
• As an educational administrator he worked at elementary, secondary, and university levels.
• During his Association with the Nanaimo-Ladysmith School District he held several senior administrative positions and served as Superintendent/CEO from 1989 until his retirement in December 1995.
• While an administrator in Quebec and British Columbia, Ross served on a variety of local, provincial and national professional organizations.
• One of his career highlights was his secondment to the Canadian Department of National Defence (1983-86) where he served as Assistant Director of Education for Dependant's Education Overseas in Lahr, Germany.
• Since retirement Ross has been an educational consultant for the BC Ministry of Education, school boards, University of Victoria, and in association with other consulting groups.
• Recently he has worked for the Employment Insurance Board of Referees as Appeals Chairman.

PERSONAL AND FAMILY

• Ross and his family moved to Nanaimo in 1977.
• Ross has served as vice-president of the Nanaimo White Rapids Swim Club and was a member of the session for St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church.
• For the past five years Ross and his wife Pam enjoyed meeting people from all over the world while they operated a Bed and Breakfast.
• Some outside interests include being members of the Nanaimo Port Theatre Society (Ross volunteers at the theatre), stained glass projects, bridge lessons and swimming for fitness.
• Ross and his wife Pam celebrated their 41st wedding anniversary this year.
• They have three children and five grandchildren:
  • Jeff (and Anne, daughter Megan age 12) is a regional manager for transborder services of an International Transportation Brokerage Company;
  • Marcia (and Rob, son Thomas age 2, daughter Rebecca age 9 mos.)is an elementary teacher;
  • Randy (and Tracy, sons Zachary age 6 and Austin age 3) is a teacher at both the elementary and high school levels, specializing in Math, Science and Computers.
• They feel fortunate to have served in a World Community Service project in Dec. 2001 at Rotary Project Amigo in Colima, Mexico where they saw first-hand the Rotary Foundation and World Community service in action.

ABOUT PAM

• Pam is a retired elementary teacher, focusing mostly at the Grades 4 and 5 levels, and often teaching several classes of beginners' French.
• Currently she volunteers as an information counsellor with Tourism Nanaimo.
• She has many additional interests, chiefly sewing, quilting, traveling, RV-ing, reading, swimming, and singing.
• Visiting with her grandchildren and children as often as possible is vitally important to her.
• Currently she is organizing and coordinating the construction of a Polio Eradication Quilt by the clubs in the district, a fund-raiser which is to be raffled at the District Conference in Nanaimo in May.
• View the Polio Plus Quilt

CONCLUSION

• Both Ross and Pam are honoured to have this opportunity to serve Rotary in District 5020 as the first District Governor couple from Nanaimo.
• They recognize that they will have many varied experiences as they fulfill this commitment but anticipate that they will develop a greater appreciation of Rotary and how this District serves the wider community.
• They look forward to meeting all Rotarians in our district, and to making new and lasting friendships.