THE SECRETARIAT

Staff

The History of The Secretariat

Once upon a time, when Rotary was in its infancy, and you could count the number of clubs on both your hands and feet and have toes left over, the Secretariat of Rotary was the Secretary of Rotary, Chesley R. (Ches) Perry. Today, the Secretariat is the nomenclature given to the staff, the offices and the services that run the infrastructure of Rotary International. Originally based in Chicago, the birthplace of Rotary; it is now headquartered in Evanston, Illinois, and supported by field offices around the world.

As noted, staff function began with one Rotarian, Ches Perry, in 1910. His story is part of Rotary Global History Fellowship and can be found under "Staff" along with other past general secretaries. He was joined two years later by Rufus Chapin, who would be the treasurer of Rotary until 1942, when he and Perry retired.

Since then, many staff members have come and gone. The most notable will be highlighted and featured in these pages. Some, like Philip C. Lovejoy and George Means, were General Secretaries. Some, like Charlotte Lane and Thelma Decker, started as secretaries or typists, and rose to department heads. All were valuable employees who have served Rotary over the years.

Jack Selway, the Founder of Rotary Global History Fellowship, has stated, “Other sections will be added and highlighted, so check back here often. This project grows daily.” What John is really saying, is there is no portion of the History that is too insignificant to be noted. And, if you know a story with historical implications, we would like to know it as well.

Doug Rudman

Books and other writing by Paul Harris