Rotary Club of New York Presidency Installation Address by Dr. Jasmin Bey Cowin

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen, honored guests, beloved family and my Rotarian Fellows,

It is indeed a great honor and responsibility to stand before you as the second woman in our Clubs 108-year history to lead our Club. The transition year gave the space to reflect and reach out to former and future leadership and members. There were wide-ranging conversations and guidance by our first woman President, Helen Reisler.

I read much about leadership and in the article, The Secrets of Great Teamwork by Martine Haas and Mark Mortensen a particular quote resonated deeply, “.. what teams need to thrive are certain “enabling conditions.” I have come to the conclusion that my focus must be on enabling you the members, the heart, and soul of our Rotary Club of New York. I have an advantage according to the authors – I have the “fourth critical condition: a shared mindset.” Everybody from the Board to YOU, the members deeply believes in the core values of the Rotary Club.

Having the goal for our Club to take a lead on “Rotary means Business”, “Service above Self “ and to be the creator, incubator, and starter of a Rotary Walk around the World will be the common bond, goal, and outlet for our combined philanthropic energy waiting to be unleashed, creating global visibility to our foundational core values:

Service
Fellowship
Diversity
Integrity
Leadership

We achieve this through asking ourselves:

1. Is it the TRUTH?

2. Is it FAIR to all concerned?

3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?

4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

My idea #Rotary (name of Club) Walk hopefully embodies the core principle that the “the foundation of every great team is a direction that energizes, orients, and engages its members. Teams cannot be inspired if they don’t know what they’re working toward and don’t have explicit goals.”

I further believe you elected me to be the voice of your collective desire to change the lives of our fellow citizens in Manhattan and around the world to the better.

In other words: I accept the position as the President Servant-Leader to the members of the Rotary Club of New York.

Thank You for your trust in me.