District Governor, Blanche Parks, joined the Downtown Topeka Rotary in 1999 and served as president in 2012. While President, the club raised $35,000 in 30 days for Every Rotarian Every Year and Polio Plus fundraisers, and won all awards, including the Presidential Citation. She is a Paul Harris Fellow.
She is retired from the State of Kansas with extensive experience as a manager and director in a variety of state agencies. She developed and implemented the Kansas Learning Quest 529 College Savings Plan in the Office of the Kansas State Treasurer.
Blanche has actively worked on the District level for 8 years where she has served as Assistant Governor, and District Trainer. As RLI Coordinator, she developed and implemented the 1st Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) in District #5710 and coordinated all training for the RLI Certified Facilitators.
She has attended three Rotary International Conventions in Bangkok, Thailand; Sao Paul, Brazil and Atlanta, Georgia.
In her community she represents the 19th Kansas Senatorial District on the Board of Regents of Washburn University and has served as Chairman of the Board. She was the first Kansan on the YWCA of the USA National Board of Directors in New York City. She is a graduate of Leadership Kansas, Leadership Greater Topeka and Dental Champions leadership programs, was named “Outstanding Woman of the Year” by the American Business Women’s Association (ABWA), Topeka Junior League Sustainer and recipient of the “Gold Rose for Community Service” award, among other awards and recognitions for community service on local, state and national levels.
Blanche is a graduate of Washburn University of Topeka with Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees. She has also earned the Kansas Certified Public Manger (CPM) designation from Kansas University. She was married 30 years to the (late) Attorney Sherman A. Parks Jr., and has 2 grown children.
Welcome her to the club on Friday as she talks about the State of Rotary and what the future holds!
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