Jim Schmidt, a member of the Rotary Club of Mesa West, has been chosen to serve as District 5495 Governor in 2025-2026.
Jim was chosen by the District Nominating Committee, and his selection was officially announced Dec. 7 by District Governor Larry Horton.
Jim joined the Mesa Baseline Rotary Club at age 28 and immediately served as Treasurer for several years, chaired all the avenues of service on the Board, and then served as President in 1994-1995.
When the club merged into Mesa West in 2015, he assisted in the integration of the Clubs and Foundations and went on to serve as Club president in 2019-2020. He is a graduate of Rotary Leadership Academy and Rotary Leadership Institute. He is passionate about Rotary’s vision and currently serves as Assistant Governor and on the district Finance and Strategic Planning Committees.
Jim recently retired as a renowned tax adviser and business consultant for the public accounting firm of Schmidt Westergard & Company (now Forvis) where he led the firm as the managing partner for over 15 years. He was a respected leader of BKR International, an international association of more than 150 accounting firms in over 80 countries. He has served on the boards of various community organizations including PHX East Valley Partnership, Arizona Chamber of Commerce, Banner Health, and other professional and civic organizations. He also has extensive Church leadership experience.
Jim and his wife Rosalyn have 8 children and 32 grandchildren. They enjoy traveling and meeting good people everywhere, having visited all 50 states and 49 countries and counting. Jim enjoys volleyball, golf, pickleball, hiking, snorkeling and any sport or activity his children or grandchildren are involved in.
