Paul P. Harris - Founder of Rotary 
Paul P. Harris - Founder of Rotary 
Paul P. Harris(1868-1947), a lawyer, was the founder of Rotary, the world's first and most international service club. Rotary is an organization of business and professional leaders united worldwide who provide humanitarian service, promote high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build good will and peace in the world.
Born in Racine, Wisconsin, U.S.A. on 19 April 1868, Paul was the second of six children to George N. Harris and Cornelia Bryan Harris. At age 3 he moved to Wallingford, Vermont where he grew up in the care of his paternal grandparents. Married to Jean Thomson Harris(1881-1963), they had no children. He received an LL.B. from the University of Iowa and received an honorary LL.D. from the University of Vermont.
Paul Harris worked as a newspaper reporter, a business teacher, stock company actor, cowboy, and traveled extensively in the U.S.A. and Europe selling marble and granite. In 1896, he went to Chicago to practice law.
One evening Paul went with a professional friend to his suburban home. After dinner, as they strolled through the neighborhood, Paul's friend introduced him to various tradesmen in their stores. This reminded Paul of his New England village and it occured to him "Why not have a fellowship composed of businessmen from different occupations, without restrictions of politics or religion?
On 23 February, 1905, Paul Harris formed the first club with three other businessmen: Silvester Schiele, a coal merchant; Gustavus Loehr, a mining engineer; and Hiram Shorey, a merchant tailor. Paul Harris named the new club "Rotary" because members met in rotation at their various places of business. Club membership grew rapidly. Many members were form small towns and in the Rotary club they found an opportunity for camaraderie. When Paul Harris became president of the club in its third year, he was convinced that the Rotary club could be developed into an important service movement and strove to wxtend Rotary to other cities.
The second Rotary club was founded in San Francisco in 1908. In August, 1910, when there were 16 clubs, the National Association of Rotary Clubs was organized. When clubs were formed in Canada and Great Britain, the name was changed to the International Association of Rotary Clubs in 1912, and was later shortened to Rotary International in 1922. Paul Harris was the first president of both the National Association and the International Association. As Rotary spanned the globe, branch offices were opened in wars changed the face of Rotary - Eastern Europe was closed to Rotary until 1989 when clubs were re-established in Poland and Hungary. In 1990 the first club was opened in the Soviet Union.
When President emeritus Paul Harris passed away on 27 January 1947 his dream had grown from and informal meeting of four to some 6,000 clubs brought together through the service and fellowship of Rotary.
Worldwide, Rotarians lend their time, expertise and resources to a number of vocational programs, and community and international service projects. The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International carries out some US$60 million annually in international education and humanitarian programs, providing grants which save lives and improve conditions throughout the world; and sponsors international ambassadors of good will through educational awards to university students and teachers, and through international exchange of business and professional people. Today, the Rotary Foundation scholarships program is the world's largest privately-funded international scholarships program, approximately 1,000 scholarships are awarded annually. Through its PolioPlus Program, Rotarians raised some US $230 million to purchase polio vaccine and to support "social mobilization", the motiavation of public and private sectors and thousands of volunteers to perform immunization campaigns.
Paul was also prominent in other civic and professional work. He served as ther first chairman of the board of the National Easter Seal Society of Crippled Children and Adults in the U.S.A. and of the International Society for Crippled Children. He was a member of the board of managers of the Chicago Bar Association and its representative at the International Congress of Law at the Hague, and a committee member of the American Bar Association. He received the Silver Buffalo Award from the Boy Scouts of America for distinguished service to youth, and was decoreated by the governments of Brazil, Chile, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, France and Peru.
HistoryFebruary 23, 1905, The airplane had yet to stay aloft more than a few minutes. The first motion picture theater had not yet opened.
Norway and Sweden were peacefully terminating their union.
On this particular day, a Chicago lawyer, Paul Pl Harris, called three friends to a meeting. What he had in mind was a club that would kindle
fellowship among members of the business community. It was an idea that grew from his desire to find within the large city the kind of friendly
spirit that he knew in the villages where he had grown up. The four businessmen didn't decide then and there to call themselves a Rotary club,
but their get-together was, in fact, the first meeting of the world's first Rotary club. As they continued to meet, adding others to the group
they rotated their meetings among the members' places of business, hence the name. Soon after the club name was agreed upon, one of the new
members suggested a wagon wheel design as the club emblem. It was the precursor of the familiar cogwheel emblem now worn by Rotarians around the
world. By the end of 1905, the club had 30 members.
The second Rotary club was formed in 1908 half a continent away from Chicago in San Francisco, California. It was a much shorter leap across
San Francisco Bay to Oakland, California, where the third club was formed. Others followed in Seattle, Washington, Los Angeles, California, and
New York City, New York. Rotary became international in 1910 when a club was formed in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. By 1921 the organization was
represented on every continent, and the name Rotary International was adopted in 1922.
What is now The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International grew from a small endowment fund started in 1917. It became the Rotary Foundation in
1928 but grew only modestly until 1947 when it received a number of gifts in memory of Paul Harris upon his death on Jan. 27 of that year. Accelerated
growth in recent years has made it a major source of activities to provide humanitarian assistance, to enhance education and promote international
understanding and peace. Since 1917, contributions to the foundation have totaled $824.3 million including $61.7 million in 1994-95.
A major source of the Foundation's recent growth, and of Rotary's increasing membership, has been the burgeoning of the Rotary movement in Asia.
Also growing is the bumber of new Rotary clubs in countries formerly in the Communist-governed bloc of eastern Europe. Countries where there were no
Rotary clubs in 1987 now have more than 220.
Among programs that Rotary has undertaken in recent years, the largest is PolioPlus, whose goal is the eradication of the disease polio throughout
the world. To achieve that goal, Rotary is working in coalition with the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, and the Task Force for Child Survival and Development, supplying funds for vaccine purchase and manpower for polio immunization campaigns
in polio-endemic countries. If the disease is eradicated by the year 2000, the achievement will be certified in time for Rotary to celebrate the 100th
anniversary of its birth in a polio-free world.
R.I. President and President-Elect 1996-97 Rotary International President
Luis Vicente Giay, Arrecifes, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Theme: Build the Future with Action and Vision
Emphases for the year: Working with youth (New Generations), AIDSS education and awareness, urban peace
Luis Vicente Giay, born in Arrecifes, Argentina, is a certified public accountant who graduated from the University of Buenos Aires. He owns an
accounting firm and is a member of the board of directors of several businesses, including Giay Agropecuaria, S.A., of which he is president and chairman.
Recognizing the impact of Mr. Giay's extensive travels, the government of Aargentina has apponted Mr. Giay Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
his country. The Intercountry committee of the nations of Argentina and Chile has honored Mr. Giay with the Condor of Andes AWard, presented annually to
individuals and institutions which have worked for peaceful relations among nations in the region. The governments of Italy and the Dominican Republic have
granted Mr. Giay their highest honors. He has also received awards from the governments of several other countries and from many civic and professional
organizations.
Mr. Giay is a member of the Professional Council of Economic Sciences in the Federal Capital of Buenos Aires and in Buenos Aires province. He is also president
of the Public Accountants Association of Bartolom Mitre. In addition, he is a consultant for the Arrecifes Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and is president of
the Arrecifes branch of the Argentina Automobile club. He is an active member of a number of charitable and civic organizations. He serves as national advisor to
the Argentine Boy Scout Association and assists the Taller Protegido, a local sheltered workshop for the handicapped.
A Rotarian since 1961, he is a member and past president of the Rotary Club of Arrecifes. He has served Rotary International as district governor, information
Institute counselor, international assembly instructor and moderator, member and chairman of numerous committees, director(1987-89), treasurer(1988-89), aide to the
president (1990-91) and Rotary Foundation trustee(1990-93). In 1989, Mr. Giay was convenor of the South American Conference for Development and in 1993 he coordinated
the Presidential Salute to PolioPlus, both of which took place in Iguaz Argentina. He was the RI President's Representative to the 1993 Regional Conference in Uruguay
celebrationg 75 years of Rotary in South America.
Mr. Giay is a benefactor of The Rotary Foundation and is the recipient of The Rotary Foundation's Citation for Meritorious Service and the Distinguished Service Award
for his support of its educational and humanitarian programs. Mr. Giay is married to Cellia Elena Cruz, writer, composer, journalist and dedicated Rotarian, and they
have four sons: Luis Rodolfo, Gustavo, Fernando and Diego. Mr. and Mrs. Giay recently welcomed the arrival of their first granddaughter, born to son Luis Rodolfo and
his wife.
1997-98 Rotary International President-Elect
Glen W. Kinross Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Glen W. Kinross is president-elect of Rotary International(RI), serving on the global service association's board of directors in 1996-97. He will assume the presidency of RI on 1 July 1997
Describing Rotary International as a network of professional men and women who care deeply about their local and world communities, Mr. Kinross has commented
that "if it were not for the needs of people, there would be no need for Rotary." Whether by cleaning a polluted river bank, supporting a program for people with AIDS,
of providing grant money for humanitarian projects in the developing world, he sees Rotary as an organization charged with making the world a better place in which to
live.
Recognizing that approximately one-third of the world's population cannot read or write, the promotion of literacy and numeracy will be a major focus of Mr. Kinross's
tenure. These are the skills he believes people need to lift themselves from poverty and begin a life of dignity.
A Rotarian since 1960, Mr. Kinross counts his service as Youth Exchange chairman, when the number of district participants increased tenfold, among his most rewarding
Rotary Experiences. Today, some 7,000 youth annually visit a country other than their own through Rotary's Youth Exchange, experiencing what Mr. Kinross calls "the world
family of people...defined without border, without culture, without nationality."
Mr. Kinross is a member and past president of the Rotary Club of Hamilton, Brisbane, Queensland. He has served Rotary International as district governor, information
institute counselor, consultative group member, International Assembly instructor and International Convention committee member. Mr. Kinross was a member of the board of
directors of Rotary International from 1982-84, serving as vice president in 1983-84, Prior to his election to the RI presidency, he served one year as a trustee of The
Rotary Foundation of Rotary International.
A joint proprietor of John Kinross & Company, Ltd., a furniture manufacturing firm established by his family in 1911, Mr. Kinross has served as chairman of the Australlian
Council of Furniture Manufacturers and is a life member and past president and councilor of the Queensland Guild of Furniture Manufacturers. He has represented the Furniture
industry in negotiations with various levels of government. He and his wife Heather make their home in Brisbane.
Rotary International Theme, 1996-97 
Emblem Rotary's early emblem was a simple wagon wheel (in motion with dust). It was designed in 1905 by Montague M. Bear, a member of the Rotary Club of Chicago who was an engraver
He designed the emblem to represent both civilization and movement. Most of the early Rotary clubs adopted the wheel in one form or another.
In 1922, the organization decided to create and preserve an emblem for the exclusive use of all Rotarians, and the following year, the present emblem, a gearwheel with 24 cogs
and six spokes, was adopted. A keyway was added to signify the usefulness of the gearwheel. An official descriptin of the emblem was adopted at the 1929 International Convention.
Royal blue and gold were chosen as the official Rotary colors and the flag of Rotary was designated as a white field with the emblem emblazoned in its center. The emblem, worn as
a lapel pin, now identifies Rotarians around the world.
The Rotary emblem is a trademark owned by Rotary International and is protected throughout the world by the international association. The emblem is a registered trademark in
more than 30 countries to date.
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