Executive Committee
Gary was born and reared in Fitzgerald, Georgia where he continues to reside with his wife Sue.
He was graduated from Fitzgerald High School in 1967, Middle Georgia College in 1969, and the University of Georgia in 1971 where he attained a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration in Management. Following graduation he began his career in public service with the Ben Hill County Department of Family and Children Services as a caseworker. Gary became Director of the agency in 1986 and worked in that capacity until his retirement in 2003 serving the last 2 years of employment as Director of the Ben Hill and Irwin County agencies.
He was graduated from Fitzgerald High School in 1967, Middle Georgia College in 1969, and the University of Georgia in 1971 where he attained a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration in Management. Following graduation he began his career in public service with the Ben Hill County Department of Family and Children Services as a caseworker. Gary became Director of the agency in 1986 and worked in that capacity until his retirement in 2003 serving the last 2 years of employment as Director of the Ben Hill and Irwin County agencies.
Gary’s community activities have included other civic organizations in the past. He has served on the board of Communities in Schools as member and chair and the Fitzgerald Downtown Development Authority as member and chair. He is currently serving his sixth four-year term as an elected member of the Ben Hill County Board of Education where he serves as its chairman. He also served on the Governor Nathan Deal’s Education Advisory Board and the Georgia School Board Rural Education Task Force.
Both Gary and Sue are active in the community being founding members of the Fitzgerald-Ben Hill County Historic Commission and founding members of Fellowship Baptist Church where they each hold various leadership roles and are members of the choir. They are also active in the local Habitat for Humanity chapter.
Gary became involved in the Rotary Club of Fitzgerald in 1996, served on the board of directors for two years, and served as club president in 2005 – 2006. He currently serves as club web-master, project director for the club’s End Meningitis Now campaign and club foundation and grants chair. He is a Multiple Paul Harris Fellow (15) and a Sustaining Member, a Will Watt Fellow and Sustaining Member. Sue is a Rotarian and a Paul Harris Fellow. He and Sue are Rotary Foundation Benefactors, members of the Bequest Society, members of the Paul Harris Society and Major Donors to the Rotary Foundation. He and Sue have honored all of their children and grandchildren with Paul Harris Fellowships. He was the recipient of the Fitzgerald Rotary Club’s Service Above Self Award for 2010 – 2011.
Gary has served District 6920 as an Assistant Governor for the years 2008 – 2011 and District Chair for Benefactor and Bequest Society for 2010 – 2011. He also served as the District’s Future Vision Chair and Annual Programs Fund Chair. He had the pleasure of serving as Governor of District 6920 for 2013 – 2104 during the 100-year anniversary of Rotary in the State of Georgia. He served as the District 6920 representative on the Host Organizing Committee for the 2017 Rotary International Convention in Atlanta; Zone 34 Rotary Has Heart Coordinator; Rotary International Director Advisory Council 2014 – 2016; 2016 – 2018; 2015 Zone Institute Chair of Registration and Information Desk. He currently serves as the District 6920 representative on the P.E.T.S. Executive Committee serving as chair of the committee 2018 – 2020.
Gary enjoys the Arts, listening to music, high school sports, University of Georgia Football, do-it-yourself projects, classic cars, and golf.
Gary and Sue were married in 1975 and have two sons and daughter who are married and four grandchildren.
Cheryl joined the Roswell Rotary Club in 1994 and served as President for the 2005-2006 Rotary year. Prior to serving as President of the club, she held the officer positions of Secretary, Treasurer, and President Elect. Cheryl also held several committee positions including Chairman of the Aubrey Greenway Golf Tournament, the Club’s annual fund raiser. She has traveled and worked with other club members on three different international projects in Costa Rica.
As Club President, Cheryl led the club to the Best Club recognition as well as being individually awarded the District 6900 Sheffield Leadership Award. She is a Major Donor, Paul Harris Fellow, Paul Harris Society Member, Bequest Society Member, a Will Watt fellow, and a Hue Thomas Fellow.
Cheryl became involved at the District Level by coordinating the attendance of the District 6900 clubs at the international convention in Salt Lake City in 2007. She served as the awards chairman for 2007-2008 and was the District Treasurer from July 1, 2008 through June 30, 2011. Cheryl served as the co-conference chair for the 2016 District Conference. She also has completed the course work for RLI, is a RLI Discussion Leader and served as the RLI Director for District 6900 from 2013-2016. She has served on the Peach State PETS committee since 2014 and was the Chair of the committee for 2016-2018. Cheryl will be serving as the District 6900 Rotary Foundation Chair for 2019 to 2022.
Professionally, Cheryl is a CPA. Cheryl feels blessed to be a second generation Rotarian. Her father was in the Roswell Rotary club from the early 1960’s until his death in 1991. He was President of the Roswell club for 1976-1977. She loves traveling and reading. She used to do a lot of white water rafting. One of her most favorite vacations was white water rafting through the Grand Canyon.
Gene was born in Pembroke Georgia and grew up on the farm in Laurens County, GA. He graduated from Dublin high school. Gene joined the Navy shortly after high school graduation, became an electronics technician and volunteered for submarine service. He served on board the USS Thornback (SS 418) till he was Honorable Discharged.
After completing his naval service Gene attended Middle Georgia College receiving an AA in Business and then the University of Georgia where he received a Bachelor of Business Administration. He later received his Master of Business Administration with honors from the University of Georgia.
Gene has been a Rotarian since 1984 and has maintained perfect attendance since he joined Rotary. He has served Rotary and many capacities; including Club Classification Chair, Club President, District Membership Director, District Services Director, District Disaster Relief Chair, Assistant District Gov., District Gov. of District 6910 (2010 – 2011) and District 6910 Rotary Leadership Institute District Director. He is currently Peach State PETs Co-Chair and the District 6910 Coins for Alzheimer’s Research Trust (CART) Chair.
He and his wife, Denise are Major Donor’s to The Rotary Foundation and Bequest Society Members. And he is a GRSP Will Watt Fellow.
He has also served Rotary beyond the district as a member of the Rotary International Director Nominating Committee, a member of the Zone Institute Registration Committee and is a member of the Board of Directors of the 2017 International Convention Host Organizing Committee.
Appointees
Margie was born in Flint, Michigan but moved with her family to Southern California when her Father was offered a position in the aircraft industry rather than staying in the auto industry. She grew up in the Hollywood area of Los Angeles and attended school with what are now known as “celebrities” but to me and my sisters, they were just kids whose parents worked in the entertainment field.
When Margie married Chuck Forbes thirty years ago, she also married two teen-age daughters. Chuck practiced law in Los Angeles for fifty years and then decided he was ready to retire. Their daughters are both teachers in private schools in Southern California, both of their husbands have their own businesses and each family blessed them with two grandsons each. Needless to say, all four are absolutely wonderful, handsome and very smart. Their visits every summer are the highlight of the year for not only the boys but especially the grandparents.
Margie became a member of one of the largest Rotary Clubs in Los Angeles in 1993, called L.A. #5. When she joined they had almost over eight hundred members. She left the club when we moved to Georgia and in 2003 she was invited to visit the Greene-Putnam Counties Club. When she realized they had 17 members, she realized that unlike Los Angeles where you could “fly under the radar”, if she joined, she was going to work, so she joined anyway. She became a Board member in 2003-04; Vice- President 2004-05; President Elect 2005-06; President 2006-07; Chair of the Twinning Clubs 2007-09; Assistant District Governor, Area VIII, 2008-2011 and District Membership Chair 2010-2012. Margie served on over twenty hospital and charitable organizations in the greater Los Angeles area throughout her banking career and since moving to Georgia continues to serve her community in many ways.
Karl has more than 40 years of experience in both tax and corporate finance consulting services. He is a retired shareholder of Elliott Davis.
Mr. Jordan has actively worked with Rotary for over 25 years. He has held various Club and District positions. He is a member of the Dalton Morning Club, Carpet City Rotary Club.
He is a Certified Public Accountant and a Chartered Global management accountant.
Rotary is a huge part of Margie’s life. She joined Rotary as a charter member of the Rotary Club of Lake Spivey on February 16, 1998 and served as President in 1999-2000. She joined the Rotary Club of Stone Mountain July 2006 where she served as President in 2016-17. She is a Major Donor, Bequest Society member and is very honored to have been named District Rotarian of the Year in 2008.
Margie is self-employed with her husband, Ron Kersey, as financial and estate planners. They specialize in working with owners of timberland. Prior to heading out on her own, she spent 20 years in retail including 10 at Toys R Us as an operations Director. Training was a big part of her job and soon after leaving Toys, she went to work with Dale Carnegie Training traveling most of South Georgia. She has also worked as a trainer for the Calvin Center in Hampton, GA providing leadership and teamwork challenges in an “Outward Bound” type program.
Ron and Margie live in Lawrenceville, Georgia where they attend wine tastings whenever they can.
Elwyn was raised in Roswell, GA attending kindergarten, elementary and high school in the Fulton County public schools. After graduating in 1969 from the University of Georgia with a BBA Degree, Elwyn entered the Navy and became a Naval Aviator. Departing the Navy after two tours, Elwyn worked for a surgical instrument manufacture as a technical rep and a product manager. But the call to the skies was too great so in May, 1978 he joined Southern Airways as a pilot. Three mergers, one leveraged buyout, and one bankruptcy he was bloody, but still standing. Retiring in December 2006 as a Captain from Northwest Airlines, Elwyn devoted more of his time to his wife, Lynne, The First Baptist Church of Roswell where he is a Deacon, and Rotary.
Elwyn served District 6900 as an Assistant Governor 2011-2014, being recognized with the “Follow Me” Award for 2013-2014, served on numerous district conference committees and co-chairing the 2014 district conference, served on the Rotary International 2017 Convention Executive Committee, and served as the Rotary Leadership Institute Director for D6900 during 2016-2019.
Elwyn and Lynne have been married for 48 years and they have two grown daughters living with their families in the Atlanta/North Georgia area with two grandsons and three Fur Grand Dogs.