Not THAT president silly - OUR CNY Rotary President for 2027-28! Nominations are now open!
Read on for more details.
We don't talk politics in Rotary and we don't hold elections, but we do have nominations and are looking for nominees interested in serving as our CNY Rotary President for 2027-28. The position comes with a long ramp of education and hands-on learning opportunities, working as a team with our board that leads the region. 
 
To qualify for this position, you must be a member in good standing for a minimum of seven years, and you must have completed one year as a club president - both before taking office. You also have to agree to complete the role and all the preparation it requires.
 
I am announcing nominations in my Blazing Trails blog because I wanted to share a little bit about how it's gone so far for me. I am the only person who has ever been in this new role of President, and it's still very new for me too, but I hope to provide some insight into the experience to help you know if this could be a good fit for you. 
 
Overall, this role has been the honor of a lifetime for me. I am part of a team of experienced leaders that I get to learn from and lean on. We are also welcoming new volunteer leaders to expand the bench along the way. I've met many passionate members that care deeply about a variety of issues that we work on and solve in Rotary - hunger, literacy, disease prevention, peace and more. I've attended some REALLY fun events where we get to connect over our love of Rotary and share the important work our clubs are doing. All of that energizes me!
It is busy, but I work a full time job and so far so good. I work remotely, so I am mainly working from home and can do my job from anywhere in CNY. It's pretty much work during the day, Rotary in the evenings, and Sundays off. I practice self care with regular spa appointmets, dinners with my husband, cooking, and cuddles with my pets. The zoom meetings and prep are work, but the time with clubs is so fun that it sure doesn't feel like work at all!
In working out the new Area Visits, we've been trying to schedule them to be grouped in the same general area to hopefully help future leaders with a manageable schedule. While CNY is big to us, what you learn through meeting other leaders from around the world is that we really aren't that big at all. It's just a new and different challenge for us, but by no means insurmountable or only meant for the retired among us. In fact, both of my successors are also working people, so we've really structured the role with that in mind.
 
Some other things that I think would help to know if you are considering this role:
-You will be part of the leadership team on day one, expected to attend (as much as possible) the bi-weekly executive meetings and monthly leadership council meetings to stay informed and be part of the process. It is more than just the one year in which you will be President, with specific responsibilities in your President Nominee and President Elect years.
-There are mandatory training events that require air travel.
-Most of your costs are covered by RI, but you have to front them and get reimbursed, which can sometimes mean expending a good amount of your own money until your official allocation money comes in to reimburse you. 
-What we do involves a lot of technology with most everything done via email, zoom, and Google Drive/docs.
-It's pretty important to have a strong Rotary IQ because you are going to be a leader on learning opportunities and you get a lot of questions from members. This is something you can start working on now in the Learning Center, and will pick up as you attend more events and learning sessions in the lead up to your term.
-By the time we reach this nominee's term in 2027, this could all be totally different as we are always looking to grow and adapt as needed. You would be part of that process too!
 
The biggest thing to know is that this is not just any volunteer position. It is a lifestyle and involves sacrifice for those who are selected. I think any Past District Governor would tell you that is true, but that it was also well worth it. So far, I certainly agree and I still have so much to look forward to in the coming months.
 
If you know of someone that you think would make a great President, ask them if they would like to be nominated. Send them this article to help them know what to expect.
If you think this is something that would bring you joy, you should make sure you get nominated.
The nomination form should be completed by your club's secretary, but you can initiate the process if you want to be up for consideration.
Nominees submitted by the October 31st deadline can expect to be interviewed by the nominating committee (via zoom) in November.
 
Click here for more information and the nominating documents, which will need to be submitted by October 31st to nominations@cnyrotary.org
 
If you are interested, but would like to speak with me directly to see if it would be a good fit for you, I'm always up for a zoom or a cup of coffee to chat with you. Just reach out to me at rotarylizzy@gmail.com.
 
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We are also seeking leaders to be part of the nomating committee!

We need three Past District Governors, three Area Reps, and three Past Club Presidents to make up our nominating committee. Put your name in the hat to help out by October 15th by emailing nominations@cnyrotary.org.