Meet Our Newest Member - Gary McDonald

Gary McDonald is sponsored by Steve Horton and Steve Raymond. He is a past member of the Colorado Springs Downtown Rotary Club (2005-2007), where he chaired the new member orientation committee.

Gary is the State Executive Director of MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving).

Gary founded Feeding America San Diego, a national model for food banks serving 350,000 people a year, touting a 98% dollar cost benefit with revenues exceeding $24 million dollars a year, prompting the Mayor of San Diego to proclaim Easter Sunday (April 4, 2010) as “Gary McDonald Day” in the city. (The same day, by the way, that the great San Diego 7.2 earthquake struck).

Gary’s list of community services and accolades is extensive, including significant internationally focused humanitarian projects in El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Thailand. His seven year rotational crop system project even caught the attention and praise of the King of Thailand.

He served at the invitation of the White House on the Community and Faith based Initiative Panel, is a past Board member of FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Association) and currently serves on the Board of the iCAN Foundation, the interfaith Disaster Council and several other related organizations.

Gary holds a Master of Arts Degree in Counseling from the University of Colorado and a Bachelors of Business Administration in both Marketing and Finance.

In his “spare” time he has travelled to over 25 third world countries, has trekked the mountainous 23 mile Inca Trail to Macchu Picchu and yes…he won the rattlesnake eating contest in Sweetwater Texas. Gary also hopes to reach Everest Base Camp someday.

Gary is married to his lovely wife Minerva, and they enjoy their daughter Amber, a practicing attorney in Washington D.C.