Stories

The PDGs & Friends Fellowship Speaker Series connects Past District Governors with Rotary's current priorities and leadership through engaging, informative, and collaborative conversations. Each session gives members a chance to learn, exchange ideas, and stay closely tied to the work of Rotary around the world.

On November 17, 2026, the Fellowship is pleased to welcome Past District Governor Chuck Corrigan, Rotary District 6450, and Chair of the Board of the Paul and Jean Harris Home Foundation. His session is titled "Paul & Jean Harris Home."

Chuck is a member of the Rotary Club of Naperville Downtown and a Past District Governor of Rotary International District 6450, the Birthplace of Rotary. After completing his term as District Governor, he joined the Foundation's Board of Trustees, helping to restore the Chicago home of Rotary's founder. As Chair, he oversees the use of this historic landmark and helps raise the funds needed to preserve it for future generations. Chuck also serves on the host committee for the 2030 Rotary International Convention in Chicago, which will celebrate Rotary's 125th anniversary, and as a Director of the Artificial Intelligence Rotary Fellowship.

Chuck will share the story of Comely Bank, where Paul Harris and his wife, Jean Thomson Harris, lived from 1912 to 1947. He will discuss the Foundation's work to keep the home a place where Rotary members from around the world can connect with the organization's early history and reflect on the ways Paul and Jean embodied Rotary's spirit and values.

As always, the session will be interactive. Past District Governors are encouraged to bring their questions and share their own perspectives and experiences. The discussion reflects the Fellowship's mission of keeping Past District Governors engaged with one another and with Rotary.

Sessions like this one strengthen the friendships among past district governors and keep them connected to Rotary's heritage and its international initiatives. We look forward to another inspiring conversation.

The PDGs Fellowship Speaker Series continues to connect past district governors with Rotary's current priorities and leadership through engaging, informative, and collaborative conversations.

On Tuesday, September 1, 2026, the Fellowship will welcome Geeta Manek, Past Trustee of The Rotary Foundation and current Chair of the Rotary Peace Centers Committee, for a session titled Supporting the Rotary Peace Centers.

Geeta brings decades of Rotary leadership to the conversation, including her service as a Foundation Trustee from 2020 to 2024, where she chaired the Executive, Programs, and Stewardship Committees, and her long record of leadership in humanitarian and peacebuilding initiatives around the world. In this session, she will explore the vital role of the Rotary Peace Fellowship program, outline meaningful ways members can support the eight Rotary Peace Centers, and clarify the distinctions between the Master's Degree Program and the Professional Development Certificate Program. She will also walk attendees through the process for nominating candidates to the program – equipping past district governors with practical tools to expand Rotary's peacebuilding reach.

As with every Speaker Series event, the session will be interactive, giving past district governors the opportunity to ask questions and share their own perspectives and experiences directly with a respected Rotary leader.

Sessions like this one reflect what the PDGs Fellowship is all about: strengthening friendships among past district governors while keeping members engaged in Rotary's international initiatives and continued service to the organization's highest priorities.

The PDGs Fellowship Speaker Series continues its commitment to connecting past district governors with Rotary’s current priorities and leadership through engaging, informative, and collaborative conversations.

On May 21, the Fellowship welcomes back Brian King, Director of Membership Development at Rotary International, for an interactive session titled: Innovations to Reach Our Membership Goals by 2030.

King will share updates and slides on the latest efforts underway at Rotary International, with a focus on strategies and approaches to strengthen and grow membership worldwide as the organization works toward its 2030 goals.

True to the Fellowship's mission of fostering meaningful engagement among past district governors, the session is designed to be highly interactive. Participants are encouraged to come with questions and experiences to share as the group explores practical solutions together.

The PDGs Fellowship Speaker Series strengthens friendships among past district governors while providing opportunities for continued involvement in Rotary's international initiatives.