Entrepreneur and president of Latin America's leading optical company Frank Devlyn was the 2000-2001 world president of Rotary International, the network of 29,000 community-based service clubs in 159 countries. He was the third Rotarian from Mexico to lead the world organization since its 1905 beginning in Chicago.

Devlyn is president of the Devlyn Optical Group of Mexico, a manufacturer, distributor and retailer of optical products. He is past president of Mexico's National Association of Opticians and Optometrists and of the optical section of the National Chamber of Industry. He also acts as national advisor for the Mexican Government's commission of health to the handicapped and serves on the board of the National Bank of Mexico, Inverlat Bank, the Mexican Red Cross and Goodwill Industries.

In Mexico, Devlyn was president of the Vecino Vigilante program, a nationwide neighborhood watch initiative sponsored by Rotary and other civic organizations. The program addresses crime through preventative neighborhood coalitions and works with local and national governments to ensure aggressive action is taken when a crime has been committed.

Founder of Rotarismo en Mexico, Rotary's national magazine in Mexico, Devlyn has also been a tireless promoter of Rotary's developed-to-developing country assistance program, World Community Service. He created the largest used eyeglass bank in Mexico which today serves as a model for cooperative donation-in-kind efforts between Rotary clubs located in different countries.

"It's an honor and opportunity to serve the world of Rotary in our quest to serve mankind," Devlyn says. "The challenge is to help shape Rotary's global vision for humanitarian and educational assistance for the next century. As the needs of communities change, Rotary will work to meet those needs."

Rotary International Press Release

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