Club History
We celebrated our 80th anniversary in 2019
by PP Mark Moore
The Rotary Club of Waikiki was organized on May 15, 1939, by a committee of the following members of the Rotary Club of Honolulu in Hawaii:
Chairman, Wes Wilkie
Clifford Kimball
Leslie Hicks
Charlie Frazier
Chairman, Wes Wilkie
Clifford Kimball
Leslie Hicks
Charlie Frazier
The club Charter was issued by Rotary International dated June 20, 1939, as Club #5075. Waikiki Rotary was founded as the 2nd Rotary Club in Honolulu, the 3rd on Oahu and the 6th in the Territory of Hawaii.
District Governor Wayne Stewart presided at the Charter dinner at the Waialae Country Club and installed Waikiki Rotary charter officers: Frank Van Cleve, Charter President; Mell Small, Secretary; P. D. Bull, Treasurer; Fred Fanger, Sergeant-at-Arms. The Board members were: Alfred Gfroerer, Henry Inn, Murle Ogden, William L. Sullivan, and Sam Van Culin. Other Charter members included: Chris Benny, Ernie O. Fickendy, Harry G. Good, Robert Hind, Roy C. Kelley, Paul M. Mead, Paul F. Summers, D. A. Sutherland, Ted R. Waters, Dr. William H. Wynn, George V. Minck, C. F. Camron, George W. Brooks and Karel H. Sheecha.
Waikiki Rotary’s first meeting was held at the Green Lantern Restaurant on Kalakaua Avenue, later known as the Wagon Wheel. From there, in the late 1940s, the club moved its luncheon meetings to the South Seas Restaurant at the corner of McCully and Kalakaua, then to the new Reef Hotel in the early 1950s, and to the Ala Moana Hotel for a short period before moving to the Hawaiian Regent Hotel.
The next move was made in the early 1980s to the Prince Kuhio Hotel on Kuhio Avenue where Waikiki Rotary remained until 2003 when the move was made to the present Waikiki Rotary home in the Pacific Beach Hotel.
The Rotary Club of Waikiki first met on Mondays at noon, but later changed to a more convenient day, Wednesday. It was the custom in Hawaii up to the 1950s for business and financial institutions to close at noon on Wednesdays and open for business a half day on Saturday. This made it convenient for Waikiki Rotarians to proceed to the golf course after the meeting or to socialize in the lounge.
The Rotary Club of Waikiki has provided 9 District Governors for the Hawaii Rotary District. PDG Roy King, Phil Sammer and Dave Benson are current Waikiki Rotary members.
When Waikiki Rotary was chartered in 1939, it was in Hawaii Rotary District 100. In 1950 District 100 was re-designated as District 150 and changed to District 500 in 1957. In 1991, Hawaii Rotary was re-designated as District 5000. Today, Waikiki Rotary is the sixth oldest Rotary Club of 48 clubs in District 5000. For many years Waikiki maintained a membership of around 125 to 135, but in recent years has been under 100 members.
Waikiki Rotary has established Sister Club relationships with nearly 13 Rotary Clubs, starting with the Rotary Club of Tokyo-Asakusa in 1972, in 4 different countries (Japan, Taiwan, Australia, and
the Philippines), and still maintains a relationship with several of them with some club-to-club events happening each year, and personal visitations and friendships continuing with others.
the Philippines), and still maintains a relationship with several of them with some club-to-club events happening each year, and personal visitations and friendships continuing with others.
Waikiki Rotarians refer to their club as “The Friendly Club”. Many other Rotarians call Waikiki Rotary “The Friendliest Club in Hawaii”. Waikiki is a favorite Rotary makeup for Hawaii Rotarians and traveling Rotarians from all over the world. Our standard of live music at our meetings being played before and selectively during the meetings, and our club song “Welcome to Rotary and to Waikiki” enhance the club ambiance for the friendly atmosphere. Our club music and our club song are unique to Waikiki Rotary.
Waikiki Rotary attained distinction as a 100% Paul Harris Fellow Club in 2001-2002. The club has earned many district and international awards that are shown on our club display banner which is set up at each club meeting, including RI President awards for club achievements, Rotary Foundation contribution awards, and several first place awards in the various avenues of service.
Waikiki Rotary has made substantial contributions to worthwhile causes in Hawaii and worldwide, and continues to be active in all avenues of service.
OUR PAST PRESIDENTS
1939 – 1940: F. H. Van Cleve
1940 – 1941: John Kilpatrick, Sr.
1941 – 1942: William F. Sullivan
1942 – 1943: Scott McWayne
1943 – 1944: Karel Sheecha
1944 – 1945: Richard Kimball
1945 – 1946: Henry Judd
1946 – 1947: P. D. Bull
1947 – 1948: Owen Cunningham
1948 – 1949: Gwynne Austin
1949 – 1950: K. C. Leebrick
1950 – 1951: H. P. Sundstrom
1951 – 1952: Charles H. Davis
1952 – 1953: Stanford Espedal
1953 – 1954: Percy H. Johnson, Jr.
1954 – 1955: C. A. MacDonald
1955 – 1956: Harry G. Good
1956 – 1957: Robert A. Cooper
1957 – 1958: David R. Owens
1958 – 1959: William Kirch
1959 – 1960: Bernard H. Levinson
1960 – 1961: Kenneth O. Rewick
1961 – 1962: Samuel D. Allison
1962 – 1963: Ronald H. Deisseroth
1963 – 1964: Dr. John B. Ferguson
1964 – 1965: Chuck Smouse
1965 – 1966: Phillip Norris
1939 – 1940: F. H. Van Cleve
1940 – 1941: John Kilpatrick, Sr.
1941 – 1942: William F. Sullivan
1942 – 1943: Scott McWayne
1943 – 1944: Karel Sheecha
1944 – 1945: Richard Kimball
1945 – 1946: Henry Judd
1946 – 1947: P. D. Bull
1947 – 1948: Owen Cunningham
1948 – 1949: Gwynne Austin
1949 – 1950: K. C. Leebrick
1950 – 1951: H. P. Sundstrom
1951 – 1952: Charles H. Davis
1952 – 1953: Stanford Espedal
1953 – 1954: Percy H. Johnson, Jr.
1954 – 1955: C. A. MacDonald
1955 – 1956: Harry G. Good
1956 – 1957: Robert A. Cooper
1957 – 1958: David R. Owens
1958 – 1959: William Kirch
1959 – 1960: Bernard H. Levinson
1960 – 1961: Kenneth O. Rewick
1961 – 1962: Samuel D. Allison
1962 – 1963: Ronald H. Deisseroth
1963 – 1964: Dr. John B. Ferguson
1964 – 1965: Chuck Smouse
1965 – 1966: Phillip Norris
1966 – 1967: Agatin Abbott
1967 – 1968: Dr. A. Leslie Vasconcellos
1968 – 1969: Dr. Paul Wheeler
1969 – 1970: Randolph M. Lee, Jr.
1970 – 1971: R. C. Dubois
1971 – 1972: Roy E. King, Jr.
1972 – 1973: Kenneth H. Wells
1973 – 1974: August Yee
1974 – 1975: Edward A. Berlin
1975 – 1976: John Q. Landers
1976 – 1977: Dr. Wilmer Cozens
1977 – 1978: Robert K. Masuda
1978 - 1979: William F. Bigelow, II
1979 – 1980: Gene Grounds
1980 – 1981: Dr. Edward M. Barne
1981 – 1982: John S. Foote
1982 – 1983: Gerald Hennings
1983 – 1984: Richard G. Matti
1984 – 1985: Paul I. Maehara
1985 – 1986: Richard B. Tibbs
1986 – 1987: Edward J. Doty
1987 – 1988: Dr. Robert H. Kessner
1988 – 1989: Michael A. Carr
1989 – 1990: James M. Hamby
1990 – 1991: H. Pepi Pesentheiner
1991 – 1992: Charles G. Braden, Jr.
1992 – 1993: Mark H. Moore, Jr.
1993 – 1994: Antoine “Tony” Gedeon
1994 – 1995: Gene Ground
1995 – 1996: Rafael “Ray” Aberin
1996 – 1997: Jimmy H. McCoy
1997 – 1998: Richard G. Matti
1998 – 1999: Robert S. Ostrem, Jr.
1999 – 2000: Joseph H. Blanchard, Jr.
2000 – 2001: Phillip E. Sammer
2001 – 2002: Walter Thorndike
2002 – 2003: Sally A. Blanchard
2003 – 2004: Larry Lamberth
2004 – 2005: David Hamil
2005 – 2006: Shuichi Miyasaki
2006 – 2007: David Livingston
2007 – 2008: Sarah Tenney
2008 – 2009: Carol Kozlovich
2009 – 2010: Carol Riley
2010 – 2011: Gene Gelfo
2011 – 2012: Mo Radke
2012 – 2013: Mick Miniciola
1967 – 1968: Dr. A. Leslie Vasconcellos
1968 – 1969: Dr. Paul Wheeler
1969 – 1970: Randolph M. Lee, Jr.
1970 – 1971: R. C. Dubois
1971 – 1972: Roy E. King, Jr.
1972 – 1973: Kenneth H. Wells
1973 – 1974: August Yee
1974 – 1975: Edward A. Berlin
1975 – 1976: John Q. Landers
1976 – 1977: Dr. Wilmer Cozens
1977 – 1978: Robert K. Masuda
1978 - 1979: William F. Bigelow, II
1979 – 1980: Gene Grounds
1980 – 1981: Dr. Edward M. Barne
1981 – 1982: John S. Foote
1982 – 1983: Gerald Hennings
1983 – 1984: Richard G. Matti
1984 – 1985: Paul I. Maehara
1985 – 1986: Richard B. Tibbs
1986 – 1987: Edward J. Doty
1987 – 1988: Dr. Robert H. Kessner
1988 – 1989: Michael A. Carr
1989 – 1990: James M. Hamby
1990 – 1991: H. Pepi Pesentheiner
1991 – 1992: Charles G. Braden, Jr.
1992 – 1993: Mark H. Moore, Jr.
1993 – 1994: Antoine “Tony” Gedeon
1994 – 1995: Gene Ground
1995 – 1996: Rafael “Ray” Aberin
1996 – 1997: Jimmy H. McCoy
1997 – 1998: Richard G. Matti
1998 – 1999: Robert S. Ostrem, Jr.
1999 – 2000: Joseph H. Blanchard, Jr.
2000 – 2001: Phillip E. Sammer
2001 – 2002: Walter Thorndike
2002 – 2003: Sally A. Blanchard
2003 – 2004: Larry Lamberth
2004 – 2005: David Hamil
2005 – 2006: Shuichi Miyasaki
2006 – 2007: David Livingston
2007 – 2008: Sarah Tenney
2008 – 2009: Carol Kozlovich
2009 – 2010: Carol Riley
2010 – 2011: Gene Gelfo
2011 – 2012: Mo Radke
2012 – 2013: Mick Miniciola
2013 – 2014: Janet M Kelly
2014-2015: Chad Adams
2015-2016: Rhodora Pagay
2016-2017: Joseph Gedeon
2017-2018: Steve Koyama
2018-2019: Stephen Morgan
2019-2020: Dr Carol Riley
2020-2021: Paul McGillicuddy
2021-2022: Patti Look
2014-2015: Chad Adams
2015-2016: Rhodora Pagay
2016-2017: Joseph Gedeon
2017-2018: Steve Koyama
2018-2019: Stephen Morgan
2019-2020: Dr Carol Riley
2020-2021: Paul McGillicuddy
2021-2022: Patti Look
Past Presidents who served as District Governor of Hawaii District 5000
1948 – 1949: Henry Judd
1953 – 1954: K. C. Leebrick
1958 – 1959: Charles H. Davis
1964 – 1965: Ronald H. Deisseroth
1969 – 1970: Agatin T. Abbott
1974 – 1975: Dr. A. Leslie Vasconcellos
1978 – 1979: Dr. John B. Ferguson
1986 – 1987: Edward A. Berlin
1998 – 1999: Roy E. King, Jr.
2013 –2014: Phil Sammer
1948 – 1949: Henry Judd
1953 – 1954: K. C. Leebrick
1958 – 1959: Charles H. Davis
1964 – 1965: Ronald H. Deisseroth
1969 – 1970: Agatin T. Abbott
1974 – 1975: Dr. A. Leslie Vasconcellos
1978 – 1979: Dr. John B. Ferguson
1986 – 1987: Edward A. Berlin
1998 – 1999: Roy E. King, Jr.
2013 –2014: Phil Sammer
Other Rotarians who served as District Governor
1996-1997: Jack Stubbs* - Past Governor
1996-1997: Jack Stubbs* - Past Governor
