2016-17 District 5490 Governor Danny Messersmith - Dan is from Springfield, Illinois.  He attended Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois for one year prior to enlisting in the U.S. Navy.  His service in the Navy took him several times to Vietnam and to 32 other countries and territories in the world.  While in the Navy, he met his future wife, Janis.  They were married in 1971 when he was discharged and returned to Illinois so he could continue with college.

 

In 1974 he completed his History degree.  In December he was offered and accepted a position with the university in the Financial Aid Office specializing in VeteransBenefits and State Scholarship programs.

 

In 1978 he and Janis with young son and new daughter moved to Kingman, Arizona.  Dan had accepted a Director of Financial Aid-VeteransServices position with Mohave Community College.  A second son was added to the family in Kingman.  Dan spent a total of 30 years at Mohave Community College serving in several Director and Dean roles. In 2008, he retired from the college.

 

Coming to Rotary in 2003, Dan found a new passion in life.  Serving as club treasurer then club president.  Along the way he served in District 5490 as: District Secretary; PETS/SETS facilitator; Leadership Academy Faculty; board member with The Rotary Vocational Fund of Arizona; District Vocational Chair and three years as an Assistant District Governor.

 

A firm believer in the Rotary Foundation, Dan just recently received his Major Donor Level 1 and is a charter member of RI’s Paul Harris Society.

 

In 2012, he changed his club name from “Dan” to “Danny” because only family calls him Danny.  As a grateful member of the greater ‘Family of Rotary’ it only seemed like the right thing to do .