Lunch Meeting August 26th - RI Director Elect Tom Gump

Tom is an accomplished Rotarian with a long-standing commitment to growing Rotary membership, raising funds and participating in projects for The Rotary Foundation (TRF), promoting Rotary and inspiring leadership. Tom is Chair of the 2025-26 Rotary International Membership Growth Committee. He is a former Rotary Coordinator for Zones 25B & 29. He founded, helped form and/or inspired more than a dozen new and creative clubs around the world, including the first clubs in the world to serve veterans and end human trafficking. He also formed a Rotary Community Corps for Refugees, which served hundreds of refugees in Minnesota. He was named to The Gold Level of The Membership Society for New Member Sponsors for bringing in more than 50 members into his club. Zones 28 and 32 awarded him with its “Individual Membership Innovation Award.” As a speaker and writer, Tom now inspires others to grow Rotary membership, regularly speaking on the topic of membership at all levels of Rotary. His tips for attracting and retaining members and forming new clubs have been featured in various Rotary publications.

Tom also fundraises for TRF and its End Polio Now campaign. As District Governor (DG), he led his district to become only the third district in the world to ever have all of its clubs designated as 100% Paul Harris Fellow Clubs. Also, as DG, he led his district in raising over $642,000 for TRF’s End Polio Now campaign. He has led and/or partnered on 20 international, district and club grants totaling more than $4 million dollars. The TRF Trustees awarded Tom the Citation for Meritorious Service in recognition of his outstanding service to The Rotary Foundation, and its Regional Polio Free World Award.

He has promoted Rotary through serving as Zone Promotion Coordinator for both the Toronto and Honolulu Conventions and has served on various Rose Bowl Parade Float Committees.

The Rotary International Board of Directors awarded Tom its highest honor – the Service Above Self Award. Tom’s impressive contributions to Rotary and TRF make him a valuable member of these organizations and a source of inspiration for others. 

Tom is a proud member of the Edina Morningside Rotary Club, his wife, Catherine, is a member of the Edina Noon Club and their son, Andrew, is the President of the Twin Harbors Rotaract Club (in formation).  The Gump family have hosted seven fabulous Rotary Youth Exchange students over the years.