Flynn to Lead Cincinnati Rotary With Leadership, Member Focus

Rick Flynn president of Flynn & Company accounting firm in Symmes Township, will lead the Rotary Club of Cincinnati for the 2018-19 club year. The six-year Rotarian from Evendale will focus on strengthening what he calls Rotary’s greatest asset – the huge talent pool of committed business professionals and community leaders that the club mobilizes to serve the community.

Cincinnati’s Rotary Club was formed in 1910 and has close to 350 members representing businesses leaders and non-profit professionals from throughout the tristate.

Rotary promotes philanthropic as well as hands-on service. Member involvement ranges from active board-level leadership at non-profit organizations to volunteer projects. The Cincinnati club champions education and recreation programs for children with disabilities. It partners with Stepping Stones, Inc., which provides recreational and life skills programs for children and adults with disabilities at Rotary-owned Camp Allyn in Batavia as well as locations in Indian Hill, Norwood and Monfort Heights. The Cincinnati Rotary launched Cincinnati’s first school for children with disabilities, which continues today as the Roselawn-Condon School, part of the Cincinnati School District.

Rotary members also volunteer at Ronald McDonald House and support child-centered projects throughout the community. The Rotary’s annual Believe 2 Achieve event in June supports Stepping Stones/Camp Allyn, The Autism Society of Cincinnati and the Down Syndrome Association of Cincinnati.

The club holds annual recognition and appreciation programs for Cincinnati’s teachers, police and fire officials and the Hamilton county sheriff’s office.  Rotary also manages the regional nomination process for the national Jefferson Awards program, which recognizes individuals who have made an outstanding impact on their community.

“We’re very effective at organizing and getting things done,” Flynn said. “Rotary does it with such a big heart that the community wins all the time.” Flynn’s personal passion is leadership development, which reflects the Rotary International theme this year: “Be an Inspiration.” “This year we have two major objectives: member satisfaction and new member recruitment,” Flynn said “We want to make it easy for our members to succeed,” said Flynn. “Everyone comes to Rotary for a different reason. Young professionals may be looking for a mentor and building leadership skills. Active members want to give, to serve the community. Retired professionals are perfectly positioned to mentor people,” Flynn said. The combination of service, fellowship and networking is powerful, he said. “Our Rotarians are smart people, well connected and have big hearts.  When they set about doing something, it gets done and gets done well.

Flynn, was inducted as president by outgoing president Al Koncius of Indian Hill. President elect for 2018-19 is Dave Carlin of Montgomery, president of Prograde Printing in West Chester. Secretary/Treasurer is Jocile Ehrlich of Anderson Township, CEO of the Cincinnati Better Business Bureau. Ehrlich has been a Rotary Foundation director and Fundraising Committee chair.

The Rotary Foundation of Cincinnati is the Rotary Club’s philanthropic arm. Susan Wilkinson of Anderson Township will serve as Foundation president for 2018-19. Wilkinson received the Rotary Club of Cincinnati’s SIR Award in June, honoring her as a Super Involved Rotarian. Wilkinson co-chaired the Believe 2 Achieve event and chaired the committee to re-write the club’s constitution.

John Fahrmeier of Anderson Township, senior vice president of UBS Financial Services, will be president-elect of the Rotary Foundation. Secretary/treasurer will be Trish Smitson of Hyde Park, who is CEO of the American Red Cross in Cincinnati.

HOW TO JOIN: Membership categories include individual, corporate and young professional. Weekly luncheon meetings include presentations by local and national  business and community leaders.

New Rotary Club members must be sponsored by a current member. Prospective members who do not know a current member can contact the Rotary office at 513-421-1080.