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Ron D. Burton, a member of the Rotary Club of Norman, Oklahoma, USA, is the selection of the Nominating Committee for President of Rotary International in 2013-14.

 

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Ron D. Burton, a member of the Rotary Club of Norman, Oklahoma, USA, is the selection of the Nominating Committee for President of Rotary International in 2013-14. Burton will become the president-nominee on 1 October if there are no challenging candidates. 

Burton retired as president of the University of Oklahoma Foundation Inc. in 2007. He is a member of the American Bar Association, as well as the bar associations of Cleveland County and the state of Oklahoma. He is admitted to practice in Oklahoma and before the U.S. Supreme Court.  

"This is an exciting time to be a Rotarian," Burton says. "I believe we are well poised to capitalize on our strengths as we embrace the [RI] Strategic Plan and the Future Vision Plan. My vision is to have every Rotarian appreciate what it means to be a Rotarian. With these two tools, we can make that happen." 

Active in his community, Burton is a founder and past president of the Norman Public School Foundation, and founder and past board member of the Norman Community Foundation. A recipient of the Silver Beaver Award, he is a past vice president of the Last Frontier Council of the Boy Scouts of America.  

Burton believes that Rotary's promotion of high ethical standards is one of the qualities that sets it apart from other organizations.  

"It assures those dealing with us that we can be trusted," he says. "Most of us are in a business or profession that already has a code of ethics. Vocational service in Rotary just adds to that responsibility. We have an obligation to go above and beyond to make sure that all our actions are above reproach."  

A Rotarian since 1979, Burton is vice chair of the Future Vision Committee and a member of the Polio Eradication Advocacy Task Force for the United States. He has served RI as director; Rotary Foundation trustee and trustee vice chair; International Assembly moderator, assistant moderator, and group discussion leader; and district governor. 

His other service to Rotary includes chair of the 2011 New Orleans Convention Committee, vice chair of the Investment Advisory Committee, liaison trustee of the Vocational Service Committee, Permanent Fund national adviser, and regional Rotary Foundation coordinator. He was aide to 2006-07 RI President William B. Boyd.  

Burton has received the RI Service Above Self Award and The Rotary Foundation Citation for Meritorious Service, Distinguished Service Award, and International Service Award for a Polio-Free World.  

Burton and his wife, Jetta, have two children and three grandchildren. 

See a video

The 2011 nominating committee members are John M. Pinson, USA (chair); Eric E.L. Adamson, USA; Lars-Olof Fredriksson, Finland; Serge Gouteyron, France; Jerry L. Hall, USA; Rafael G. Hechanova, Philippines; Toshio Itabashi, Japan; Michael J. Johns, USA; Kwang Tae Kim, Korea; David D. Morgan, Wales; Hans J. Müller-Rech, Germany; M.K. Panduranga Setty, India; Julio Sorjús, Spain; Carlos E. Speroni, Argentina; Robert A. Stuart Jr., USA; Yoshimasa Watanabe, Japan; and C. Grant Wilkins, USA.

 

 

During a trip to Seattle, Washington, USA, Hewko helped pack beans to be distributed through Rotary First Harvest, a Program of Rotary District 5030.

 

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“The more I learn about Rotary, the more in awe I am of what this organization has been able to accomplish.”

That’s John Hewko summing up his first 100 days as Rotary’s general secretary. In just over three months, Hewko has launched two key communications projects, initiated development of a club strategic planning tool, participated in the meetings of numerous committees and the RI Board and Rotary Foundation Trustees, met with Bill Gates to discuss polio eradication, attended his first Rotary institute, listened to dozens of presentations by Rotary staff as part of his "getting to know Rotary" listening tour, and rejoined the Rotary Club of Kyiv in Ukraine, of which he was a charter member.

Hewko began learning about Rotary well before he was on the payroll. “The six-month transition period was tremendously helpful,” he says. “By attending the International Assembly and the convention, and participating in several committee, Board, and Trustee meetings, I was really able to hit the ground running.”

Ending polio a top priority

The RI Board and Foundation Trustees have established some clear priorities for Hewko, with the No. 1 goal being to end polio. “It’s incredible how far we’ve come and all the work Rotary has done. By succeeding, we will not only eradicate a terrible disease, but will position Rotary and the world to take on the next big global challenge,” he says.

Part of that positioning depends on Rotary’s receiving the recognition it deserves for its leadership role in polio eradication. To this end, Hewko met with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in September to discuss joint communications and advocacy strategies and opportunities. “We were able to provide the Gates Foundation staff with a better appreciation of the full spectrum of Rotary's global service and humanitarian activities. I also had very good meetings with Bill Gates and CEO Jeff Raikes. They are very appreciative of all that Rotary has done and are eager to continue to strengthen our joint efforts on polio eradication.”

Future Vision, membership also key

The growing list of other priorities includes the successful launch of The Rotary Foundation’s Future Vision Plan. “The worldwide launch will happen in July 2013, but I have asked my colleagues to have everything in place by January 2013 so that we have six months to implement any last-minute changes,” Hewko says. To ensure that this happens, he has appointed a full-time Future Vision launch manager and established staff teams who are working to ensure a smooth transition to the new grant model.

Other major projects that Hewko has initiated include a thorough review of the Rotary website, a worldwide Rotary brand revitalization effort, and the development of Rotary Club Central, an online strategic planning tool for clubs that will also help Rotary calculate the monetary value of all the organization's service activities and projects around the world. “These initiatives will take time,” Hewko says, “but by the next Rotary year, Rotarians should start seeing the results of many of these efforts."

He adds that Rotarians should already be enjoying benefits from two projects that were recently launched -- one that allows members to receive their recognition points more quickly and another that enables them to make payments in a variety of currencies.

Hewko is stressing the need for a “one Rotary” approach to management and strategic planning. “We’re not Rotary International or The Rotary Foundation. We’re Rotary, and that’s how most Rotarians and the rest of the world see us,” he says, emphasizing the importance of ensuring seamless and effective operations between the two entities.

As he visits clubs and talks to Rotarians, Hewko’s “to-do” list expands. “We also need to focus on membership,” he says, “especially on developing regional membership plans that address issues that are specific to the different parts of the world. And we need to attract younger members so that we build up the base for the future.”

The next 100 days

Hewko will spend much of his second 100 days traveling to Europe, India, Australia, and Washington, D.C., to attend Rotary institutes, visit clubs and projects, and meet with international office staff. Major upcoming events include a USAID conference in Washington, a meeting with the leadership of the Clinton Global Initiative, Rotary-UN Day in New York City, and a World Economic Forum summit in Mumbai, India. He also plans to participate in a National Immunization Day in India.

Hewko is looking forward to meeting more Rotarians in person and to connecting with members through social media. “I’m on Twitter now, and I have a Facebook page. I want to thank all of my followers. It’s a great way to get your reactions and to stay in touch.”

• Follow John Hewko on Twitter @johnhewko. 
• Check out John Hewko’s Facebook page.
• See a video of John Hewko at Rotary First Harvest, a Program of Rotary District 5030.

 

 

General Secretary and CEO of Rotary International John Hewko (right) met with Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, 7 September in Seattle, Washington, USA, to discuss moving forward together to eradicate polio.

 

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General Secretary and CEO of Rotary International John Hewko met with Bill Gates, cochair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, 7 September in Seattle, Washington, USA, to discuss moving forward together to eradicate polio and continuing to energize Rotarians to see the eradication effort through to the finish. 

"The meetings at the Gates Foundation were very productive," Hewko says. "Bill Gates recognized the enormous contribution of Rotary to the cause of polio eradication and the tremendous capacity of Rotarians to continue the fight. We identified several concrete opportunities to work even more closely together to achieve our mutual goal of a polio-free world." 

Polio eradication is within reach. The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) has made significant steps forward since the launch last year of its new strategic plan and the bivalent oral polio vaccine. Among the four polio-endemic countries, India has reported only one case of the disease so far this year. A recent report by the GPEI Independent Monitoring Board, while noting some concerns in meeting GPEI goals, nevertheless stated that India is "on track to interrupt transmission this year." 

Polio cases worldwide decreased almost 50 percent during the first six months of 2011, compared with the same period in 2010. 

Rotarians are raising funds for polio eradication as part of Rotary's US$200 Million Challenge to match $355 million in grants from the Gates Foundation. The resulting $555 million will support immunization campaigns in developing countries where polio continues to infect and paralyze children, robbing them of their futures and compounding the hardships faced by their families.  

As long as polio threatens even one child anywhere in the world, children everywhere remain at risk.  

Rotarians can help end the disease by providing funding and reminding their communities and government leaders that polio still exists and causes tremendous suffering. 

For more information: 

• Read "Polio Eradication Within Reach, Despite Concerns."
• Read more about polio and what you can do to help.
• Ask questions of RI General Secretary John Hewko during a free webinar.

New Generations Month is the perfect time to promote your club’s or district’s youth activities. You’ll increase their impact and encourage continued collaboration among youth, young adults, and your club.

• Plan a joint project. Invite Rotarians to help with a Rotaract- or Interact-led community service project. Ask alumni of Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) and Rotary Youth Exchange to take part in your event. Together, you can demonstrate how different generations can work together to make a difference in your community.
• Nominate a Rotaract or Interact club for a 2011-12 Changemaker Award. Use the award form to track what your sponsored clubs are already doing. For example, September can kick off their “Million Smiles A Day” commitment. 
• Invite New Generations program participants as speakers. Spotlight a different program at each of your meetings during September. Host a Rotaractor-led discussion on what The Four-Way Test means for their generation. Or invite a panel of former program participants sponsored by your club or neighboring Rotary clubs to talk about their experiences.

Make a connection with young people during New Generations Month, and reap the benefits throughout the Rotary year.

New Generations Service is Rotary’s fifth Avenue of Service. It includes all Rotary-sponsored activities for young people up to age 30: Rotaract, Interact, RYLA, and Youth Exchange. 

 

 

Mary P. Torre, 2010-11 president of the Rotary Club of Tumon Bay, Guam, Guam, immunized children in Mukand Pur, Delhi, India, during a National Immunization Day in March. Among polio-endemic countries, India has recorded the fewest cases – one – in 2011. Photo by Allison Kwesell

 

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Among the key goals of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) is interrupting transmission of the wild poliovirus by the end of 2012. Although the GPEI Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) reported in July that this goal may be in jeopardy, it also noted signs of progress and provided several recommendations that could help get the program back on track. 

The GPEI has made significant steps forward since the launch last year of its new strategic plan and the bivalent oral polio vaccine. Among the four polio-endemic countries, India has reported only one case of polio so far this year. The country “is on track to interrupt transmission this year,” the report states.   

“The northern part of India, where most of the problem had been, hasn’t had one case in 15 months,” adds Robert S. Scott, chair of Rotary’s International PolioPlus Committee.  

The other polio-endemic countries are Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Pakistan. The IMB report cites good progress in Afghanistan while spotlighting the challenge of immunizing children in conflict areas. Nigeria also has been making good headway but, following elections in April, needs to sustain the political commitment required to ensure eradication of the disease.

In Pakistan, cases doubled in the first six months of 2011, compared with the same period in 2010. The report commended the country’s high-level commitment to polio eradication through its national emergency action plan, launched in January, but added that the plan needs to make a stronger impact at the local level.  

The report also expressed concern about controlling polio in countries with reestablished transmission, including Angola, Chad, and Democratic Republic of the Congo. 

Despite these challenges, polio cases worldwide decreased almost 50 percent during the first six months of 2011, compared with the same period in 2010.  

“Type 3 polio numbers have dropped to 15 this year,” says Scott, referring to one of only two strains of the wild poliovirus that remain. “It appears type 3 will soon be eradicated completely.” 

Health experts believe that eradicating polio, rather than trying to control the disease, is both feasible and essential. 

“There are approximately a dozen countries where polio gets reported sporadically, and those cases can all be traced back to the four countries where transmission has continued,” says Robert Murphy, director of the Center for Global Health at Northwestern University in Illinois, USA. “If we focus on those four countries, the cases in the other countries are going to evaporate. 

“It’s very important to finish the job soon, because we’re so close. If we back off now, the problem is going to get bigger and even more expensive.” 

Finishing polio once and for all, the IMB report states, will require enhanced political commitment, secure funding, and strengthened technical capacity.

“The eradication of polio is the responsibility of every government,” says Scott, noting the unanimous decision in 1988 at the World Health Assembly to pursue that goal. “Rotarians in every country must continuously talk it up with their fellow Rotarians and, at every opportunity, with their political leaders, to ensure support, both financial and moral.”

During a TED conversation in July, Bruce Aylward, the World Health Organization’s assistant director-general for polio eradication and related areas, called Rotarians’ efforts at the international and grassroots levels “incredibly powerful for a global health initiative like polio eradication.” 

Everyone can help end the disease, Aylward said, by providing funding and reminding their communities and government leaders that polio still exists and causes tremendous suffering. 

“We have the chance to ensure that no child ever suffers from polio again, and each of us plays a role in that,” he said.

For more information:

• Read more about polio and what you can do to help.
• Watch a video "The Last Hurdle" about Rotary's work to eradicate polio
• Ask questions of RI General Secretary John Hewko during a free webinar

IA2011 - Katie Ischkin - EN from Rotary International on Vimeo.

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