In Gear | Rotary in Southern New Zealand Issue 1 | Page 34

John Prendergast
Rotary zone co-ordinator
Project co-lead: Regional Australasia Membership Development Plan
Rotary International Assembly trainer
Rotary Club of Invercargill South
Having held several senior roles
within District 9980 for more than
a decade, past district governor
John Prendergast is drawing on all
his leadership and organisational
experience, serving in pivotal
positions at zone level, and as a
trainer for Rotary International.

PROFILES

Among John’s current roles is
that of Rotary zone co-ordinator,
which sees him provide support to
governors and leaders-in-waiting
for New Zealand’s six districts,
together with those throughout
the Pacific Islands, and eight in
eastern and southern Australia.
The
position
includes
a
strong focus on membership
development, which is also central
to his second role as project colead for the Regional (Australasia)
Membership Development Plan.
Dedicated to developing and

growing
membership
across
Australasia, John’s responsibility
spans New Zealand’s six districts,
as well as those within the Pacific
Islands.

A Rotarian since joining the Rotary
Club of Invercargill South in 1994,
John went on to serve as club
president in 2004-05.

As one of Rotary International’s
trainers at the annual International
Assembly in San Diego in January
2017, John will support the training
and development of 2017-18’s
district governors, a role he
himself served in District 9980
during 2012-13.

Having previously acted as team
leader on a Rotary Group Study
Exchange (GSE) trip to California’s
District 5220 in 2003, he went on
to lead the Australasian Rotary
Youth Leadership Awards team
to Gallipoli in April 2005 to mark
the 90th anniversary of the Allied
landing at ANZAC Cove.

Across all his current positions,
he’s aiming to help Rotary
stabilise, and then achieve net
growth in membership numbers
across the zone, support both
the current and incoming leaders
within the areas under his watch,
as well as provide practical
support for districts to implement
effective membership strategies.

Over the years, he’s also
chaired District 9980’s Group
Study Exchange, Training and
Membership Committees, was
assistant Rotary co-ordinator for
Zone 7B between 2014 and 2016,
and served as a member of Rotary
International’s Vocational Services
Committee in 2015-16.

Jean Morgan
District secretary/administrator
Rotary Club of Cromwell

District 9980 secretary and
administrator Jean Morgan joined
the Rotary Club of Cromwell a year
after moving to New Zealand in
2000, with husband Keith, from
Suffolk in the United Kingdom.

2009 and 2013, and is serving in
the position again this Rotary year.

Having spent 15 years as parish
council clerk, it wasn’t long before
Rotary was calling on Jean’s
significant administrative skills –
she served as club secretary for
four years from 2002.

Her role is a busy one, including
keeping
membership
and
committee records up to date
on the district website, helping
club secretaries with the new
ClubRunner website, arranging
Paul
Harris
Fellow
awards,
updating the district’s calendar,
attending board and finance
committee meetings, together
with generally helping with the
smooth running of 9980.

She again took on the role of
secretary, this time for the 2009
conference led by district governor
Lindsay McIntyre, and returned to
her club secretary role between

She has served as our district’s
secretary and administrator since
2012.

Jean, who works in real estate,
enjoys being part of the Cromwell
area’s
vibrant
and
diverse
community, including Rotary. She
and Keith also have an olive grove,
producing
wonderful
Central
Otago virgin olive oil.
She’s looking forward to another
year keeping things in order for
District 9980, and her keen sense
of humour will no doubt come in
handy.
“I used to be called ‘Dragon’ when
I ran a doctor’s surgery for many
years in Suffolk – but I hope I won’t
have to breathe fire over the clubs
to get them to do what we want.”

Page 34 | In Gear - Rotary in Southern New Zealand - District 9980 | www.rotarydistrict9980.org