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Ray Klinginsmith to Lead Rotary

Ray Klinginsmith of the Rotary Club of Kirksville, Missouri, USA, is the selection of the Nominating Committee for President of Rotary International in 2010-11. Klinginsmith became the President-nominee on October 1.

Klinginsmith earned degrees in business and law at the University of Missouri and completed graduate studies at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, as a Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholar. He was general counsel and professor of business at Northeast Missouri State University in Kirksville (now Truman State University) from 1973 until his retirement in 1995, and also held the post of dean of administration for five years.

Klinginsmith, who now operates a law office, served as an elected county commissioner from 2001 to 2004. He has been a director of the Macon Atlanta State Bank since 1971 and president of the Chariton Valley Association for Handicapped Citizens since 1982.

He and his wife, Judie, have two children and three grandchildren.

A Rotarian since 1961, Klinginsmith has served Rotary as District governor and as chair of the 1998 Council on Legislation in New Delhi and the 2008 Los Angeles Convention Committee.

He was a member of the RI Board of Directors for 1985-87 and chaired its executive committee in 1986-87.  Klinginsmith joined The Rotary Foundation Trustees in 2002, serving as vice chair in 2005-06, and was a member of the Future Vision Committee from 2005 to 2008. Klinginsmith, a Major Donor, is a recipient of the Foundation’s Citation for Meritorious Service and Distinguished Service Award.

In addition, Klinginsmith has earned many honors in his community, including the Parent/Caretaker Award from the Missouri Planning Council for Developmental Disabilities; the Thomas D. Cochran Award for Community Service, an annual statewide award by the Young Lawyers Section of the Missouri Bar; and the Silver Beaver Award from the Great Rivers Council of the Boy Scouts of America, of which he is a former member of the executive board.

Klinginsmith believes that Rotary’s best days are still ahead. “The reputation and ability of Rotarians to impact the world positively is better than ever, and the future of Rotary is bright,” he says. “The RI Strategic Plan and The Rotary Foundation Future Vision Plan are good roadmaps to the future. However, the decisions about the selection of strategic partners, the recruitment of younger members, and the facilitation of District change to enable younger leaders to serve as District governors will continue to require leaders of uncommon vision and wisdom.”