Leadership is a critical component for our club to succeed. In our 48 years (as of 2024), we have been blessed with good leadership, particularly the Past Presidents, officers, and directors (click to see list). Four members have served multiple terms as President. Marshall Grodner served in two consecutive years while Roger Hinson and Jeff Gillespie served two terms in widely separated years. Brian Ainsworth served two terms previously in consecutive years and and then served a set of four consecutive years (2019-2023) for a total of six terms. Chris Willis served the longest period as Secretary for 9 years (1998-2007). Our current Treasurer, Morris Welch, counts 26 years (1998-2024) so far.
We have been blessed by a continuing list of excellent speakers at our weekly lunch meetings on topics related to children, community groups, LSU-related topics, and subjects of general interest. Each year, various members sign up to be responsible for arranging those speakers for a selected month. We are especially indebted to those members who have accepted that responsibility. For several years Archie Lejeune made sure that our badges, gong, gavel, & banners were set up for our lunches each week. Then Buster Schilling took on that task for several years. Now it seems to be whoever arrives first. There have been lots of other ways that members have been leaders within our club, and many are particularly noted in the sections of this history related to our service and fundraising projects.
We have also had several members who have provided leadership beyond our local club, including 8 Lieutenant Governors for Division 8A (changed to 8W in 2016) for a total of 10 terms (click to see list). Our members have also served on various committees in our Louisiana-Mississippi-WestTennessee District or with committees and officer training in our local twin Divisions 8A and 8B (now 8E and 8W).
For many years, our club has been a member organization of the Inter-Civic Council of Baton Rouge (renamed the Inter-Civic Council of Greater Baton Rouge in 2018) that selects the annual city-wide Golden Deeds award winner and hosts the related banquet. In 1996 and 1997, Joe Liuzzo served as President-Elect and chair of the Selection Committee and then as President. Bruce Craft was Vice-President a couple of times. From 2006 to 2009, Morris Welch served successively as Vice-President, President-Elect, President and Past President. Erik Kjeldsen served a similar succession from 2019 to 2022. Lurry (Duz) Hamilton, William (Bebo) Wilkes, Sam Godber, and Blanche Cano have also been representatives from our club at various times. As of 2024, our representatives are Erik Kjeldsen and Morris Welch.
Bruce Craft and Bebo Wilkes have both served on local and state boards for Special Olympics, including Bruce a term as President and Bebo several terms as Treasurer. Bebo also served on the board of the International Hospitality Foundation. Menda Spell served as local Kiwanis coordinator for the Children’s Miracle Network Telethon. Olin Dart was involved for many years with the Baton Rouge Area Safety Council. Many other members have been involved in leading other service activities and community groups.
Finally, our club has been represented at most annual Kiwanis District or Regional Conventions and at several Kiwanis International Conventions since our chartering including four in New Orleans (latest in 2012), Indianapolis (twice), St. Louis, Las Vegas, and other U.S. cities. We have been represented outside the U.S. only twice by Krishna Paudel in 2011 in Geneva, Switzerland, and Blaine Grimes in 2010 in Vancouver, Canada.
History #03 – Leadership
Kiwanis Club of Louisiana State University
Leadership is a critical component for our club to succeed. In our 48 years (as of 2024), we have been blessed with good leadership, particularly the Past Presidents, officers, and directors (click to see list). Four members have served multiple terms as President. Marshall Grodner served in two consecutive years while Roger Hinson and Jeff Gillespie served two terms in widely separated years. Brian Ainsworth served two terms previously in consecutive years and and then served a set of four consecutive years (2019-2023) for a total of six terms. Chris Willis served the longest period as Secretary for 9 years (1998-2007). Our current Treasurer, Morris Welch, counts 26 years (1998-2024) so far.
We have been blessed by a continuing list of excellent speakers at our weekly lunch meetings on topics related to children, community groups, LSU-related topics, and subjects of general interest. Each year, various members sign up to be responsible for arranging those speakers for a selected month. We are especially indebted to those members who have accepted that responsibility. For several years Archie Lejeune made sure that our badges, gong, gavel, & banners were set up for our lunches each week. Then Buster Schilling took on that task for several years. Now it seems to be whoever arrives first. There have been lots of other ways that members have been leaders within our club, and many are particularly noted in the sections of this history related to our service and fundraising projects.
We have also had several members who have provided leadership beyond our local club, including 8 Lieutenant Governors for Division 8A (changed to 8W in 2016) for a total of 10 terms (click to see list). Our members have also served on various committees in our Louisiana-Mississippi-WestTennessee District or with committees and officer training in our local twin Divisions 8A and 8B (now 8E and 8W).
For many years, our club has been a member organization of the Inter-Civic Council of Baton Rouge (renamed the Inter-Civic Council of Greater Baton Rouge in 2018) that selects the annual city-wide Golden Deeds award winner and hosts the related banquet. In 1996 and 1997, Joe Liuzzo served as President-Elect and chair of the Selection Committee and then as President. Bruce Craft was Vice-President a couple of times. From 2006 to 2009, Morris Welch served successively as Vice-President, President-Elect, President and Past President. Erik Kjeldsen served a similar succession from 2019 to 2022. Lurry (Duz) Hamilton, William (Bebo) Wilkes, Sam Godber, and Blanche Cano have also been representatives from our club at various times. As of 2024, our representatives are Erik Kjeldsen and Morris Welch.
Bruce Craft and Bebo Wilkes have both served on local and state boards for Special Olympics, including Bruce a term as President and Bebo several terms as Treasurer. Bebo also served on the board of the International Hospitality Foundation. Menda Spell served as local Kiwanis coordinator for the Children’s Miracle Network Telethon. Olin Dart was involved for many years with the Baton Rouge Area Safety Council. Many other members have been involved in leading other service activities and community groups.
Finally, our club has been represented at most annual Kiwanis District or Regional Conventions and at several Kiwanis International Conventions since our chartering including four in New Orleans (latest in 2012), Indianapolis (twice), St. Louis, Las Vegas, and other U.S. cities. We have been represented outside the U.S. only twice by Krishna Paudel in 2011 in Geneva, Switzerland, and Blaine Grimes in 2010 in Vancouver, Canada.
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