Meet Our New President

At Friday's meeting, our new club president, Barry Kuzmickas, shared both his personal journey and his vision for the year ahead.

Growing up in a working-class family, he learned responsibility early—holding jobs from a young age and often finding himself in leadership roles before he expected them. That pattern continued throughout his career, where he advanced through transportation, HR, and eventually labor arbitration, often stepping up when no clear successor was ready. Married 50 years, with three children and nine grandchildren, he continues to value family and community at the center of his life.

For Rotary, his focus this year is on developing future leaders and strengthening our youth outreach. He emphasized the importance of mentoring the next generation—both within the club and through partnerships with local schools. Plans include:

• Expanding youth services, with closer connections to schools and families.
• Reviving member bios at meetings, so new members learn the history and contributions of long-time Rotarians.
• Creating quarterly “town hall” meetings for open discussion.
• Building stronger committees to share the work and develop leadership for the future.
• Enhancing fellowship with regular evening socials, offering new opportunities for members and guests to connect.

He reminded us that leadership often comes from being willing to raise your hand and step in when needed—and that this year, our club has the chance to do just that together.