Rotary International, founded in 1905 in Chicago by attorney Paul Harris, is the world's oldest and largest service organization.

The Rotary Club of San Francisco was founded in 1908, thanks to a chance meeting between a visiting member of the Chicago Rotary Club and local attorney, Homer W. Wood.  Wood was fascinated with the concept of a club created to accommodate businessmen who wanted to talk about business and, with eight others, held the first meeting in late June 1908. 

This was followed by a formal "founding" banquet which took place on November 12, 1908, with Homer Wood as president.

In early correspondence Rotary founder

business interests, good fellowship and civic pride and loyalty.

The Rotary Club of San Francisco has played an important role in the growth of the City and in Rotary itself.  As the second Rotary Club in the world, San Francisco has spawned many clubs throughout the Central States and the world and has hosted four International Conventions.

  Our members are major corporate executives, government officials and business owners who are committed to Rotary's Service Above Self principle and making San Francisco and the world a better, safer and healthier place to live.

On 2 June 1913, then President Glen Mead sent certificates to all clubs at that time welcoming them into the "International Association of Rotary Clubs."

These certificates were to officially recognize these clubs. Duplicates of this certificate are found at the section for Wichita #30 and San Diego #33.

A review of these certificates by individual clubs, in light of the 2005 Centennial lead some clubs to question their own standing in the "First 100," however, the work of San Francisco #2 historian Theresa Whitener brought to the attention of Rotary Global History Fellowship that all of these were issued on the same date and clearly state the "number" of each club.