Sugar Land Rotary Installs 2016-17 Officers


Rick Smith.

Rick Smith.

Sugar Land Rotary installed a new slate of officers for 2016-17 that includes President Rick Smith, President-Elect Jim Munnell, Vice President Tabb Dye, Secretary Margie Connolly, Treasurer Raleigh Bailes, Sergeant-at-Arms Lance Ragle and Past President Stacy Croft, DC.

The newly installed Rotary President Smith thanked all of the past club presidents and especially Croft, who served as president the past year. “Stacy has done a great job this past year, and the membership growth has been outstanding,” said Smith. “Sugar Land Rotary’s membership growth accounted for more than half of the total growth in District 5890 this past year.” Under Croft’s leadership, the annual fundraiser net profits increased for the third straight year, and Croft received the Presidential Citation for achieving goals that strengthen Rotary, as well as Sugar Land Rotary.

At the installation ceremony, awards were given to those who were Rotarians of the Month for 2015-2016, as well as those who served on the Sugar Land Rotary Board of Directors. In addition, Croft inducted Walters into the Sugar Land Rotary Hall of Fame. “Robert Walters truly embodies the motto of Service Above Self,” said Croft. “He has been a member of Sugar Land Rotary Club for just over 20 years. He is a past president of our club and Paul Harris Fellow nine times. He has held a number of board positions over the years and continues to assist our current board members with keeping our Rotary International Data up to date and helping us to navigate the system.” Each year, the current president is allowed to induct a Sugar Land Rotarian into the Hall of Fame. Since its inception 31 years ago, only 12 Sugar Land Rotarians have received this award.

Croft named Connolly as the Rotarian of the Year (ROTY). The purpose of this award is to recognize an individual Rotarian who has demonstrated exemplary service to Sugar Land Rotary in the previous year. “Having been a member of Sugar Land Rotary club just over three years, our ROTY is there frequently with new ideas, great energy and a fantastic work ethic that really make a difference to the club,” said Croft. “Margie was not on the board this year – though that was hard to remember as she was such an integral part of many things we did – Meals-on-Wheels, Mother’s Day Brunch, the many galas we had a presence at and helping to organize Fall Classic 2016!”

“Thank you all for allowing me to be club president this coming year. I am honored and really look forward to serving,” said Smith. “We are going to do a lot of good and have fun doing it.”

Sugar Land Rotary meets at Sweetwater Country Club on Wednesdays at noon. Visit sugarlandrotary.org for more information.