Cliff Dochterman’s professional career included 40 years in higher education administration. Twenty years each at the University of California at Berkeley and twenty years at the University of the Pacific in Stockton.

Cliff has served as president of the Stockton Chamber of Commerce and chairman of the San Joaquin County Parks and Recreation Commission. He has had a long association with the Boy Scouts of America, and has received three of the Scouts highest honors  -- Silver Beaver, Silver Antelope and Distinguished Eagle awards. He has received honorary degrees from several universities for his humanitarian work in the world.

Cliff Dochterman is probably best known for his volunteer work for Rotary International over the past 46 years. He has served in almost every Rotary assignment in the world -- from Berkeley Rotary club president, to District Governor, to Rotary International Director, R.I. Vice President, Trustee of The Rotary Foundation, and President of Rotary International. Cliff has probably served on more Rotary committees and talked to more Rotary Clubs than anyone m the world. He is the author of the booklet, “ABC’s of Rotary,” which has been translated into twenty languages.

In 1992, Cliff became the worldwide President of Rotary International. He selected the theme, “Real Happiness Is Helping Others.” He has traveled the world many times and has been honored by heads of state of dozens of countries for spreading goodwill and world understanding. He was one of the pioneers of the PolioPlus program and is currently chairman of Rotary’s Centennial Operations Committee, preparing for Rotary’s 100th anniversary in 2005.

Richard D. King
Rotary International President 2001-02

Richard D. King is a past world president of Rotary International, and the senior partner in the California law firm King, King & King.  He earned undergraduate and law degrees from the University of California at Berkeley where he is a member of the California Club and the Order of the Golden Bear.  He taught law at Brigham Young University.  He is a distinguished military graduate of the University of California and served as captain in the U.S. Military Intelligence.  He received an Honorary Doctorate in Law from Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea.

A trial lawyer, Mr. King belongs to several legal associations including the American Association of Trial Lawyers.  He is admitted to practice in both Utah and California and before the Supreme Court of the U.S.  He served on the board of directors of the Eden Hospital Foundation, the Woodminster Performing Arts, and Oakland Ballet.  He is a trustee of the City of Hope, and received the City of Hope “Spirit of Life” Award.  He has been knighted by the Republic of Italy and is a holder of the Great Official Order of Merit.  He is a recipient of the State of Rio de Janeiro’s highest award, the “Medalha Tiradentes.”  He belongs to the Commonwealth Club and Actor’s Equity.  He is an elder and officer of the Mormon Church and an active fund-raiser for the Boy Scouts of America.  He holds the Chevalier Degree, the Legion of Honor and is a member of the Hall of Fame of the Order of DeMolay.  He is a recipient of the Distinguished Citizen Award from the United Portuguese of California and is a recipient of the Distinguished Public Service Award from the Brigham Young University Management Society.  He has been honored by some 50 associations, by the President of the U.S., and by many countries across the globe for his community and charitable service.  He served as the Executive Director of The Wheelchair Foundation.

A Rotarian since 1968, he is a member of the Rotary Club of Niles-Fremont, California USA.  He has served as a trustee of The Rotary Foundation, director and as chairman of the executive committee of Rotary International’s board of directors.  He has also served Rotary as a club president, district governor, an international assembly instructor and an official representative of the president of R.I.  He has chaired and served on many Rotary International committees, task forces and special assignments.  Mr. King has received the Rotary Citation for Meritorious Service and the Distinguished Service Award for his support of humanitarian and educational programs of the Rotary Foundation.  He is a recipient of the PolioPlus Pioneer Award.

One of Rotary’s most popular speakers, Mr. King has addressed Rotary International Conventions, Assemblies, Institutes, Seminars, Conferences and Rotary Clubs in every state in the USA and some 100 countries.  As President, he led Rotary International to its greatest one-year growth record in its 100-year history, with 75,000 New Members Net, a global membership of 1,243,431 and 1,158 New Rotary Clubs in 2001-2002, more than one new club every 8 hours.  In the same year, Rotarians contributed the highest amount of money ever raised for the Annual Fund of the Rotary Foundation.

Mr. King is married to Cherie Kay King.  They have two grown sons and reside in the Mission San Jose area of the San Francisco, California Bay Area.

R.I. Director, 2007-2009

Paul is Chairman/CEO of NETZEL ASSOCIATES, INC., a leading management consulting firm specializing in work with not-for-profit institutions throughout the Western U.S. In 1998 his firm was among seven companies honored by the Greater Los Angeles Area Chamber as being “an outstanding example of the entrepreneurial spirit of our region.”

Paul’s community service includes two terms as Mayor and city councilmember of Culver City, CA (1980-88). Previously, he was president of Culver City’s Board of Education, served on numerous professional and nonprofit boards including the Auto Club of Southern California Advisory Board.

During 2007-2009, Paul will serve on the RI Board of Directors, one of 17 elected from many nations around the world (only 5 are from the USA). Previously he served as Governor of District 5280 and is a past president of the Rotary Club of Los Angeles (LA#5).

He is Founding Chair and Special Advisor to the Host Committee for the Los Angeles 2008 R.I. Convention. Paul was a Training Leader for two Rotary International Assemblies, and represented District 5280 at the 2001 and 2004 Councils on Legislation. He was chair and co-convener, respectively, of the 2003 and 2004 Rotary Zones 23/24 Institutes; served as coordinator of four RI zone task forces; was a Permanent Fund National Advisor for The Rotary Foundation and is a recipient of TRF’s Citation for Meritorious Service. Paul has 38 years of perfect attendance and in 2005 was elected to D5280’s Hall of Fame.

Paul and his Rotary partner, Diane, are members of the Los Angeles Rotary Club and are Paul Harris Society members,  Major Donors and TRF Arch Klumpf Society charter members. Both enjoy traveling, reading and community service. They have two grown children, Chip and Shari, a daughter-in-law, Jill, and two grandchildren, Michael and Rebecca – all of whom are Paul Harris Fellows.

He has a long history of training Rotary leaders.  He was one of 36 Rotarians from around the world selected to train over 500 incoming District Governors in the prestigious position of Group Discussion Leader at both the 1993 and the 1994 International Assemblies.  

John has taught incoming District Governors at GETS fourteen times since he was a Governor and was the  “Zone Trainer” for 23 districts in the Western United States in 1996. He was the chairman for DGN Training for Northern California, Nevada and Hawaii in 1999 and 2000 and has developed the curriculum presently used to train incoming Governors on the west coast of the United States and Canada.  He has recently completed a four-year assignment as GETS Instruction Chair and is presently Chair of Education for Rotary leaders in the western United States.    

He was recently selected to be a Director of Rotary International for 2009 to 2011 by representatives of twelve districts on the west coast of the United States. 

Dr. Blount has practiced Dentistry in Sebastopol, California for the past twenty-eight years after graduating from Loma Linda University School of Dentistry in 1975.  While his vocation has been directed and consistent his avocation is varied.  He left college with a bachelor degree in history.  For five years he toured and recorded with a folk music group.  Today he is a partner in a working group that produces motivational, historical, and informational videos, including several Rotary promotional presentations, a motivational film, “Its All About Leadership”, and  “Presenting Cliff Dochterman” a video-biography.  He continues to partner in creative theatrical and multi-media presentations and is a frequent lecturer and speaker to Rotary and business associations around the country. 

Dr. Blount is a thirty year member and past president of the Sebastopol Rotary Club.  He was Governor of District 513 and its 36 clubs in northwestern California in 1990-1991.  He has the distinction of being the youngest to hold that office in that district’s history.  As Governor, John motivated clubs to center local as well as international projects around the theme of improving the education and literacy of youth, through the “4 R’s”- Reading, wRiting, aRithmetic, and Rotary.  

His wife Patti is a member of the Sebastopol Rotary Club, and has been responsible for bringing children’s education endeavors to clubs in District 5130 through programs such as “Read To Me” and “The Dictionary Project”.

Linda Coble

Past District Governor

Linda Coble was tapped for membership in the Rotary Club of Honolulu soon after women were invited to join in 1987.  “At the time, I thought RI stood for Rhode Island, and  had no idea what went on at those secret, weekly meetings. Paul Harris? Never heard of him.”  Soon after induction, the longtime television news anchor was invited to speak at another Rotary club in town.  Linda proudly opened her remarks by saying, “My Fellow Rotarians…” and half the room got up and left in protest against women in Rotary. 

Twenty-one years have passed. Rotarians are inducted with more Rotary information, communities are more aware of Rotary’s contributions to society, and clubs better reflect the diversity of their neighborhoods.   Linda is proud to have been part of the evolution, serving as Club President in 1994-95, and District 5000 Governor in 2000-01.  She is a multi-Paul Harris Fellow, a Benefactor and her district’s Trainer.

Linda has served Rotary as an International Assembly Training Leader in 2002 and 2003, RI Presidents’ Representative, RI Membership Zone Coordinator, Far West PETS facilitator, Zone Institute GETS instructor, delegate to the 2004 Council on Legislation, and she is currently Chair of the Rotary International Communications Committee.  Linda chairs the District 5000 supported Kids Voting Hawaii project, which gives all students in Hawaii the opportunity to vote on-line for General Election candidates. 

Linda’s award winning career in television and radio news began after graduating from the University of Oregon and moving to Hawaii in 1969. She now spends her time in service to Rotary, The Hawaii Family Support Institute, which is  dedicated to the prevention and treatment of child abuse, and Foster Family Programs. Linda has been married for 23 years to Kirk Matthews, who anchors the top-rated morning newscast in Hawaii. They enjoy golf, movies, traveling to Rotary Institutes and Conventions, and spending time with Kirk’s grown two daughters.

Brooke Knapp

Brooke Knapp has made tremendous contributions in many fields, including aviation, real estate, civic leadership, environmental entrepreneurship, international women's causes and children's charities.

Knapp made her mark in business as founder and president of Jet Airways, Inc.., an aircraft management company which she headed for eight years. She then turned to real estate and accumulated a nationwide portfolio that includes income-producing as well as citrus production properties, some of which she has developed into commercial projects. A licensed realtor, she currently is associated with Sotheby's International Realty in Beverly Hills and specializes in residential estates in the most desirable communities on Los Angeles' Westside.

As a pilot, Knapp has secured a place in the aviation record books by setting or breaking more than 100 world aviation speed records, including the fastest speed around the world by a civilian jet aircraft in a Gulfstream III. Her "Flight for World's Children" flew through the People's Republic of China and the Soviet Union delivering letters of peace and friendship from children in the United States to children around the world and raised almost $1 million for UNICEF.

An active civic leader, Knapp served as Chair of the California Commission on Aviation and Airports and on the Board of Directors of the National Aeronautic Association. She sat on two influential state organizations, the Commission on California State Government Organization and Economy (Little Hoover Commission) and the California Coastal Commission. She served as a Trustee of Pitzer College. She is Past President of the Southern California chapter of the International Women's Forum and currently a member of the Board of Directors. She serves on the Board of Advisors to the United States Air Force and has served as a Director of the Rotary Club of Beverly Hills. Knapp also serves on the American Cancer Society Partnership Council.

In addition to graduating Summa Cum Laude from UCLA, Knapp has been recognized with two honorary doctorate degrees and numerous honors and awards. Among these are: the Federal Aviation Award for Extraordinary Service, the Harmon Trophy, the Paul Tissandier Award of La Federation Aeronautique Internationale in Paris, the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce Kitty Hawk Award, and the UCLA Anderson Graduate School of Management Distinguished Leadership Award. Dr. Warren Bennis, world authority on leadership, chose Knapp as a subject for his book, On Becoming a Leader.

Among her other career activities, Knapp served as President of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce where she was instrumental in preserving the organization's rights to two worldwide icons, the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Hollywood Sign. Previously she was Vice President of Golden State Newsprint, an environmental leader in the recycling of newsprint.

A well-known speaker, Knapp has addressed the Cadet Wing of the Air Force Academy, the National Aerospace Congress, Rotary International, and major corporations. She also has made numerous television appearances including Good Morning America and Larry King Live.

An avid aerobatic pilot and golfer, Knapp is a member of the Explorers Club and the Bel-Air Country Club.

David Bender

Senior Major Gifts Officer
The Rotary Foundation

David Bender will not be a program speaker at PETS, but will be on had to answer questions about The Rotary Foundation. Look for him in the Expo area.

In 2000, David Bender became the Fund Development Supervisor for Zones 22 West, 23 and 24—which is comprised of Western Canada and the West Coast.  After three years, David was promoted to Senior Major Gifts Officer at The Rotary Foundation, responsible for the coordination of major gifts in North America.  He oversees a staff of seven, including five Major Gift Officers.  David travels to Zones 23 and 24 (West Coast) on a regular basis.

Prior to his career at The Rotary Foundation, David spent 6 years at The Museum of Architecture and Design in Chicago.  As Vice President of Marketing and Development, he worked to promote international exhibitions and create support for the museum.  David worked to increase sponsorships and played a pivotal role in the museum’s expansion. 

A graduate of the Indiana University School of Business, David has worked as a congressional campaign director and as a lobbyist for a state association.  David possesses a broad knowledge of not-for-profit institutions, gained while serving as a director of operations and as a fundraising manager in Chicago.

David’s role at The Rotary Foundation is coordinating the delivery of fund development resources in support of the Foundation’s major gift fund raising program, in order to build the Permanent Fund and support the Foundations humanitarian, educational and cultural programs.