What Do Thriving Rotary Clubs Have in Common?It isn't their size. It isn't how long they've been in existence. And it isn't whether they're in a large city or a small town.
Thriving clubs are intentional about their future.
They attract new members, engage the members they have, develop new leaders, and continually look for ways to strengthen the club experience. One of the most effective ways to achieve that is through a leadership team made up of the President, President-Elect, and a dedicated Membership Chair working together to make membership a year-round priority.
Every Rotary club has its own personality and strengths. While every club has a President and President-Elect, the most successful membership efforts happen when those leaders work alongside a dedicated Membership Chair. Together, they create a welcoming culture, encourage fresh ideas, and help ensure membership is always part of the conversation—not just when numbers begin to decline.
Good news: A Membership Chair doesn't need to do all the work. Their role is to encourage conversations, coordinate ideas, connect the club with Rotary resources, and help ensure every prospective and current member feels welcomed, valued, and engaged.
Why Every Club Benefits from a Membership Chair:
- Welcomes and engages new members from day one.
- Helps retain existing members by keeping them connected and involved.
- Collaborates with the President and President-Elect to build a long-term membership strategy.
- Shares the club's story dynamically within the local community.
- Connects the club directly with District 7090 and Rotary International membership resources.
It's one of the simplest—and most effective—investments a club can make in its future.
We're Here to Help
Whether your club is growing, rebuilding, or simply looking for fresh ideas, your District 7090 Membership Team is ready to help. A complete team with Stephen Blass Membership Attraction, Tim Straube Membership Engagement, Paul Gibel New Club Development and chair Sandi Chard
We'd be delighted to visit your club—in person or virtually—to share practical ideas, facilitate discussions, or tailor a presentation to your club's needs. Topics include attracting new members, engaging and retaining current members, creating a welcoming club culture, planning membership events, leadership succession, and innovative club models.
We'd be delighted to visit your club—in person or virtually—to share practical ideas, facilitate discussions, or tailor a presentation to your club's needs. Topics include attracting new members, engaging and retaining current members, creating a welcoming club culture, planning membership events, leadership succession, and innovative club models.
Every club is unique, and every visit is customized to your club's goals.
Is Your Membership Chair Listed?
As we prepared this year's district directory, we noticed that more than half of our clubs do not currently have a Membership Chair listed in ClubRunner.
Some clubs may already have someone serving in this role but simply haven't updated their club officers. If that's the case, please take a few minutes to log into ClubRunner and update your club records so we know who to connect with and who should receive district membership resources.
If your club doesn't yet have a Membership Chair, consider appointing one this year. You don't need a membership expert—just someone who is enthusiastic about helping your club grow and succeed.
A Challenge for Every Club
As your club begins another Rotary year, ask yourselves three simple questions:
- Do we have a Membership Chair?
- Is that person listed in ClubRunner?
- What is one thing we will do this year to make our club even more welcoming?
Sometimes the smallest changes lead to the biggest results.
The District 7090 Membership Team looks forward to working alongside you as we build stronger clubs, stronger communities, and a stronger Rotary. Together, let's help every club attract, engage, and grow.
Ready to connect or schedule a club visit? Contact us at sandichard@gmail.com today to get started!
Sandi Chard
Membership Chair District 7090