The Rotary Club of West Hartford held its annual Installation Ceremony and recognized several members for outstanding contribution.

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At its Installation Ceremony on Tuesday, June 27, the Rotary Club of West Hartford announced its officers for the 2017-2018 year.

Effective July 1, 2017, the Club’s officers are:  Donna Griffen, Ph.D., of Kensington, President; Robert J. Kor, Esq., of West Hartford, Immediate Past President; Bennett Forrest of West Hartford, Director at Large; Eileen Rau of West Hartford, Director at Large; Matthew Cuddy of Meriden, Sergeant-at-Arms; Tom Wood of Avon, Treasurer; Nara Wargo of West Hartford, Secretary; and Oscar Santo Domingo of West Hartford, Vice President.

During the event, Bennett Forrest was named the Club’s Member of the Year for his leadership of the Children’s Book Drive conducted in conjunction with the Greater Hartford Holiday Book Drive, as well as for his co-chairing of the Club’s participation in Celebrate! West Hartford. Fern Vidal of East Hartford was acknowledged for his leadership of the Club’s 2016 Liberty Bank Thanksgiving Food Drive.

The Club bestowed Paul Harris Fellowship Awards for service to the Club and West Hartford community to Kyle W. Egress of West Hartford, Steve Leon of Portland, and Christine M. Looby of Windsor.

David A. Mangs, Governor, Rotary District 7890
Photo Courtesy of Mangs Financial, LLC

On July 1, Fernbrook Road resident David A. Mangs, Ph.D., was appointed Governor of Rotary International’s District 7890 for the 2017-2018 year. A member of the Rotary Club of West Hartford since 1993, Mangs has served his local club as a board member and, eventually, as president from 2006-2007.  He has been Youth Exchange officer, Rotary Youth Leadership Awards coordinator, and Ambassadorial Scholarship coordinator. Mangs served his District as a Rotaract Chair (a partner club for people between the ages of 18 and 30), and also served as Interact Chair for over a decade, expanding the number of Interact Clubs for youth ages 12-18 and overseeing a very successful annual District Interact Conference. He is a multiple Paul Harris Fellowship Award recipient.

Mangs earned a Master’s Degree in Education at Clark University in 1972, and a completed a second master’s degree at the University of Chicago – School of Social Service Administration. He earned his Ph.D.  from Brandeis University.

Since 1982, Mangs has worked in the financial services industry. As a financial advisor, he has his own firm: Mangs Financial LLC (Securities offered by LPL Financial Member FINRA/SIPC) in Farmington. Mangs has earned his CLU and ChFC designations from the American College, is a lifetime member of the Million Dollar Roundtable, and he has served as a board member of the Hartford Chapter of FSP (Financial Service Professionals) and various community non-profit organizations. His wife, Gail, is an attorney working in the Bureau of Special Education at the State Department of Education. They have three children and two grandchildren.