District Biographies

    Stuart was born in Tucson, Arizona and earned a BS in Management from the University of Arizona. He recently served as a parish administrator at Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic Church in Jackson, Wyoming, following a lengthy career as Co-Director of Teton Valley Ranch Camp, a summer camp for youth in Jackson Hole where he met his wife of 28 years (Susie Armstrong Palmer of Wichita, KS). Stuart has been a member of the Rotary Club of Jackson Hole for over 20 years, serving as a board member for seven years and he chaired each of the Avenues of Service prior to becoming president in 1993.
    He is the recipient of the club’s Rotarian of the Year award in 1989 and was District 5440 Rotarian of the Year in 1999.
    Stuart has served District 5440 in various capacities as a member of the year-round youth exchange committee, counselor at RYLA camp and GSE committee member after being team leader to Brazil in 1998. He has also been the chairman of District World Community Service, International Service, Summer Youth Exchange and was an Assistant Governor as well as District Conference Chairman (2003).
    Besides Rotary, Stuart served in various community organizations, most notably as Chairman of the Community Foundation of Jackson Hole. He also serves his church on state-wide committees for the Diocese of Cheyenne and Knights of Columbus.
    Stuart and Susie are major donors, Paul Harris Society members, benefactors and charter members of the Bequest Society of the Rotary Foundation. They have three daughters in college (Sarah, Annie and Emily) who are Paul Harris Fellows.

ASSISTANT GOVERNORS

     Judith "Judy" M. Boggs grew up in the Fort Collins area. I attended Fort Collins High School and Colorado State University and has a Masters in Floral Finance. Judy has owned and operated Paul Wood Florist for over 28 years and has taught in the Horticulture ‘Department at Colorado State University for 21 years. She is now teaching in the Horticulture Department at Front Range Community College. Judy has a passion for flowers and teaching!
     Judy has been a member of the Downtown Rotary Club since 1994 and served as its President in 2004/2005. She has also been involved in all four avenues of service. Judy is committed to the Rotary philosophy and to the wonderful fellowship it provides. Judy’s husband Forrest just retired last year after 33 years in teaching and administration with the Public School System. They have one son, two daughters and six grandchildren. Both Forrest and Judy are Paul Harris Fellows.
    Judy is the AG for High Plains (Eaton) and Johnstown/Milliken.

     Gerry Crites has been married to Crystal for 35 years. They have four children, Angel (30) and Sarii (22) are married and live in Laramie, WY. Josh (28) lives in Laramie as well. The youngest, Jandra (21) lives in Moorehead, MN. Gerry also has four grandchildren. Gerry and Crystal have lived in Laramie, WY since 1989.
     Gerry has been involved in Rotary for 11 years and has visited numerous Rotary clubs including a few in Mexico. He was club president for the year 2003-04 and has served on many boards since his presidency. He enjoys being a pastor and also works at Jones Auto Service.
     In his spare time, Gerry enjoys teaching his grandchildren how to hunt, fish, camp and enjoy the outdoors.
    Gerry is the AG for Cheyenne, Cheyenne Sunrise, Laramie and Laramie Sunrise.

    Rod Everett is a native of Wyoming and a graduate of Natrona County High School and the University of Wyoming. He is a Senior Vice President for The Bank of Jackson Hole, as well as a partner in The Liquor Store at Albertson’s in Jackson, and a partner in The Stagecoach Bar in Wilson, WY.
    Rod joined the Jackson Hole Rotary Club in 1976 and served as President in 1980-81. In 1985 he became Club Secretary and served in that capacity until 2005 when he co-founded the Jackson Hole Supper Club, which was chartered on February 23, 2005, the 100th Anniversary of Rotary International. Rod had the honor to serve as Charter President and Club President 2005-06.
    He is the honored recipient of the Jackson Hole Club’s Rotarian of the Year Awrd in 1996 and was doubly honored to be recognized as "District 5440 Rotarian of the Year" in 2000. Rod is a Paul Harris Fellow as well as his daughter Kymberlee, a fellow Rotarian and treasurer of the Supper Club, as well as a Memorial Fellowship for his son Austin, Jr. He is from a family of Rotarians, in that his father was president of the Casper club in 1945-46 and his brother, Bill, is an active member in the same club today.
    Besides Rotary, Rod serves in various community organizations, most notably the Jackson Hole Historial Society and Museum, the Jackson Hole Shrine Club, and the local council for the Boy Scouts of America. Rod is excited to serve as an Assistant Governor under the astute leadership of Stuart Palmer, and to have the opportunity to meet and work with his fellow Rotarians.
    Rod is the AG for Jackson Hole, Jackson Hole Breakfast, Jackson Hole Supper, Star Valley and Teton Valley.

    Ron Fossen has been involved in Rotary for 14 years in Lander; is a Paul Harris Fellow, Harold Del Monte Fellow for the Rotary Club of Lander Foundation, served on the Club Board for 8 years, as Club Secretary for 4 years and as Club President two years ago. Ron’s family has hosted 8 international exchange students over the years and has been involved in all Club fundraising activities, including the July 4th Buffalo BBQ, Pedigree ISSSDR Spaghetti Dinner for the Dog Sled Race to immunize and Lander’s Wind River Wine Festival. The fellowship of Rotary has been very beneficial over the years and living the Four-Way test every day helps keep life a bit more focused.
    Ron grew up in NE Montana on a wheat farm and attended college at Montana State University in Bozeman where he met his wife of 25 years. They lived in Billings for 5 years, Denver for 5 years and in Lander for the last 15. The family includes wife RaJean, who is also very involved as a volunteer in the Lander community and is a general contractor, building custom homes in the area; son Collin is a Freshman at UW; daughter Lauren, is a Junior at LVHS and son Evan is an 8th grader. Ron is a commercial banker with Wells Fargo Bank of Riverton, WY, coming back into banking after spending the last 10 years as a Realtor.
    Ron is the AG for Lander, Riverton and Thermopolis.

Wayne Gentry is a 63-year old retired educator and high school administrator from Torrington, WY. He enjoyed 32 years and has been retired for nine years. His first contact with Rotary was when the late Lewis Colyer, PDG asked him to help start and sponsor an Interact club from Torrington High School where he was teaching in the Social Studies department. The THS Rotary Interact club was chartered on November 13, 1967, with fifteen young men.
He has been a member of Rotary since December 4, 1976, when he received the book Adventure in Service. Wayne has served in most positions in his local club. He is most proud of the student of the month he helped start many years ago. The program recognizes two outstanding seniors and their parents each month from one of the three high schools in the Goshen County Unified School District #1.
Wayne is a Paul Harris Fellow and a Benefactor to the permanent fund of the Foundation. He is growing and learning more about Rotary in his position of AG.
Wayne has been active in his church serving as Senior Warden for three years. He stays active in his community enjoying many friendships in his coffee club, bowling, pool, investment club, and retired school administrators. Wayne loves traveling to Kansas City, Denver and Phoenix to visit his adult children and grandchildren. Wayne is blessed with two sons and a daughter and delights in being Grandfather to his seven Grandchildren.

    Wayne is the AG for Morrill, Scottsbluff/Gering and Torrington.

    Doug Mannering has been married to Lynette for 40 years and they have two children and three grandchildren. Doug and Lynette have lived in Loveland since 1973.
    Doug is a native of Illinois, graduating from the University of Illinois in 1970 with a major in accounting. He was a shareholder of U.S. Engineering and served as its Corporate Secretary and Regional Controller until his retirement in 2003.
    Doug joined Rotary in 1987, and served as president of Loveland Rotary in 2005-06. His year as president included the beginnings of two significant new programs in Loveland. One is the Four-Way Test program for 8th graders and the other is a Teacher of the Month recognition of Thompson School District treachers.
    Doug and Lynette are both Paul Harris Fellows, and enjoy traveling, photography, hiking and snowshoeing. Doug has served on the boards of several Loveland non-profits, and currently serves as Secretary/Treasurer of Namaqua Center, which has a residential program for abused and neglected children.
    Doug is the AG for Greeley, Greeley After Work, Greeley Centennial and Greeley Redeye.

    Bill Mortimer was born in Green River, WY and graduated from Lincoln High School in 1958, and the University of Wyoming in 1962 with a degree from the College of Agriculture, majoring in Range Management. Upon graduation, Bill went to work for the Bureau of Land Management. He served in the US Army for two years, and after returning to work for the BLM, he spent his career in Wyoming and California, before retiring in 2002 with 40 plus years of government service. Bill was invited to join Rotary in 1996. He served on the Board of Directors, was Co-Chairman of a Habitat for Humanity project, a Team Captain on the Rotary Crossroads Playground project, was "Rotarian of the Year" in 1999-00, and served as the Centennial President during 2004-05.
    Bill’s wife, Kathy, is a retired school teacher with over 25 years of teaching in elementary education. During those 25 years, Kathy and Bill raised four boys. Gregory is a Chiropractor in the Denver, CO area, Scott is a Vice President of Western Environmental Testing Service in Casper, WY, Christopher is a fishing guide in Colorado and youngest son, Jon, is in the insurance business and currently resides in Parker, CO.
    Bill and Kathy have 10 grandchildren, seven in Colorado, one in Texas and two in Wyoming.
    Bill is the AG for Casper, Casper 5 Trails, Douglas and Rawlins.

     Nancy Muldoon grew up in San Antonio , Texas , and attended Vassar College . She graduated from Texas A & M University and received her M.B.A. from Regis University . She has held positions in management in for-profit and not-for-profit businesses throughout her career, retiring in 2003.
    She has been involved in Rotary since 1965, first as a Rotary Ann and then joining the Sterling , CO , Rotary Club in 1992. She has participated in two Friendship Exchanges, one to Russia and the other to Australia . Serving as a RYLA Senior Counselor, one year she assisted in the training of a Saratov Rotaracter to successfully establish RYLA in Eastern Russia .
    She is currently serving on the District Friendship Exchange Committee. She and husband Bill like to travel and are members of the International Travel and Hosting Fellowship and International Fellowship of Skiing Rotarians. Seeing first-hand how The Rotary Foundation can make a difference in the world, Nancy became a Paul Harris Fellow and Major Donor.
    She is married to PDG Bill Muldoon . They have a son, Bill IV, and daughter, Shevaun, who live in Houston , TX . She and Bill enjoy spending time with their kids and four grandchildren.
    Nancy is the AG for Craig, Ski Town USA and Steamboat Springs.

    Philip "Phil" Murphy has lived in Fort Collins since 1978 where he has been employed with the Colorado State Forest Service, an agency of Colorado State University. Phil has been the Information Technology Manager for 22 years. Prior to that he was the field director for the forest inventory analysis program.
    Phil is a member of the Fort Collins Breakfast Rotary Club and was their club treasurer for 16 years. He is a past president of the club having served in the Rotary year 2006-07. Phil does volunteer work for the Food Bank of Larimer County, Education and Life Training Center in Fort Collins, the Poudre School District and Meals on Wheels. Phil has also been involved with Boy Scouts and the City of Fort Collins in their Natural Resources Board.
    Phil and his wife, Sara, have been married for 32 years and they have two children. His son is also a member of the Rotary Club of Fort Collins Breakfast and his daughter is a second grade teacher in Douglas County.
    In his free time, Phil is an avid bird and caricature carver and an amateur photographer.
    Phil is the AG for Estes Park and Estes Valley Sunrise.

     Bill Patton was born in Montana, but the family soon moved to Sheridan. He graduated from Sheridan High School in 1966, and the University of Wyoming in 1970 with a degree in Aerospace Engineering. Upon graduation, Bill received his commission in the USAF through the AFROTC program. He earned his Air Force pilot wings and over the next 30 years flew the F-4, F-111, and C-12. Bill had overseas tours in Thailand, United Kingdom, Turkey, and Indonesia. He retired back to Sheridan in 2000, and quickly joined Rotary. Bill writes the weekly newsletter, helps administer the club’s web site, serves on several committees, and is a member of the board. Bill is a Paul Harris Fellow.
    Bill’s wife Kathy is a Chief Master Sergeant in the USAF Reserve, and is often on active duty at Strategic Command at Offutt AFB in Omaha, Nebraska. Eldest daughter Rachel is a 2006 graduate of George Washington University and is currently employed by the Defense Intelligence Agency; second daughter Amanda will graduate from the University of Washington in 2007 and will receive her USAF commission through AFROTC, and youngest daughter Kimberly is a freshman at the University of Kansas.
    Bill is the AG for Buffalo, Gillette, Gillette-Energy, Ranchester-Dayton and Sheridan.

  Julie Phares was born and raised in Columbus, Nebraska and graduated from Columbus High in 1979. She moved to Estes Park, Colorado in 1983 and been a resident ever since. She started out her professional career as a Real Estate Agent. A couple of years later she partnered with a local agent and started her own real estate agency, Prudential Team Realty. A couple of years later she had the opportunity to become the National Sales Director for Michael Ricker Pewter, and decided to hang up her real estate hat. After 5 years of traveling she decided she wanted to stay closer to home, so she became an insurance agent. She is currently the manager for LBN Insurance in Estes Park.

    Julie is married to Charles Phares who grew up in Oklahoma. They have three children, Bridget (25), Sean (16), & Marshall (7). In Charle’s and Julie’s spare time they like to perform on stage.

    Julie has been a member of The Estes Park Rotary Club since 1993. She has been involved in various committees throughout the years. She was chairperson of the Estes Park Duck Race, The Estes Park Wine Tasting, and founder of Estes Park Sings. She served as club president in 2006-07. In 2003 she was honored as "Rotarian of the Year" by her fellow club members, and then in 2006 she was honored as "Rotarian of the Year" by the District. She currently serves on the Interact committee for the District.

    Julie is the AG for Loveland, Loveland Mountain View and Loveland Thompson Valley.

    A native of Fort Collins , John Roberts earned his BA in International Affairs at the University of Colorado . Following two years in Somalia with the Peace Corps and Law School in Washington , D.C. , he entered the US Foreign Service (AID) as a career officer. Taking a government sabbatical in 1977, John earned an MS in Regional Planning at Cornell University . After serving in 17 countries (Nicaragua, Viet Nam, Indonesia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Malawi, Kenya, Egypt, Dominican Republic, Botswana, Liberia, Madagascar, Ukraine, Tunisia, Malta, and the Solomon Islands) retired from government service in 1998 and returned to Fort Collins where he now teaches International Studies at Colorado State University. He is also active in his Church and the American Red Cross.

     John’s married children live in Denver (Centennial and Lakewood ) from where he can watch his four grandchildren grow into young adults, and hopefully someday, Rotarians.

     John joined Rotary in Botswana in 1985, and has served as an Club Officer and Board Member in Gaborone Botswana , Monrovia Liberia , Antananarivo Madagascar , Honiara Solomon Islands , and the Rotary Club of Fort Collins, serving as President in 2005-2006 during our Centennial Year. He has been active in World Community Service, Four-Way Test Committee, Fellowship, Music, and Awards. Over the past five years, John has hosted Rotary Youth Exchange Students from Thailand , Turkey , Italy , and Belgium.
    John is the AG for Fort Collins, Fort Collins After Work, Fort Collins Breakfast, Fort Collins Foothills and Windsor.

    Jo Suftko was born and raised in Michigan. She moved to Rock Springs, Wyoming from Phoenix, Arizona to open a blood donor center for United Blood Services. After retiring from United Blood Services, Jo started SST-Testing, Inc., which is a company which does blood draws and drug testing.
    Jo is also an instructor at Western Wyoming Community College teaching phlebotomy, and serves on the Board of Directors for Rocky Mountain American Medical Technologists (AMT).
    Jo is a past president of the Rock Springs Rotary Club, a past preesident of the Rock Springs Chamber of Commerce and Sweetwater County Business and Professional Women.
    Jo is married to Bill and they have two sons, one granddaughter and one grandson.

    Jo is the AG for Evanston, Kemmerer and Rock Springs.

    Howard Thompson was born in Lander, WY but has lived most of his life in Cody, WY. Howard has ran the family business, Napa Motor Parts, Inc. for 35 years. His long commitment to Rotary began when he was in the Cody High School’s Interact Club. While in Interact the group performed at the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs for the district conference. His love of singing took him many places during the 15 years with the band "CODY!" The bad was originally all Rotarians. "CODY!" entertained at many district conferences and a few international conventions. One of the highlights of his singing adventures was to sing for Frank Sinatra, as well as other notable celebrities the band was asked to open for at various concerts.
    Howard is a multiple Paul Harris Fellow and a Benefactor. He was president of the Cody Rotary Club in 1986 and followed with being director of the Cody Rotary Show, a 57 year tradition. Howard has performed in 34 of those shows. He was a member of the Youth Exchange Committee for three years and has hosted over eleven students. Howard is most proud of the Cody Rotary Club and his recent trip to Guatemala with a team of Rotarians to deliver 260 wheelchairs to people in need.
    Howard and his wife, Kathy, share a long extended family of children and grandchildren.
    Howard is the AG for Cody, Powell and Worland.

    Peter Youngers was born and raised in Kansas and graduated from Wichita State University with a BFA and MFA. He moved to Sterling, Colorado in 1965, when he joined the teaching staff of Northeastern Junior College. He was an instructor and served as Associate Dean for the Humanities and Human Services Division until his retirement in 2000. Pete continues to teach a stained glass class and assists in the art gallery at NJC.
    Pete joined the Sterling Rotary Club in 2001 and served as President in 2005-06. He is active in Rotary. He is on the NJC Foundation Board, the Alumni Heritage Center Committee and the Rundus Foundation.
    Pete continues to produce paintings, drawings and stained glass. His wife, Jeanne, helps in the glass studio and actively helps with Rotary activities. They have a son, daughter and three grandsons.
    Pete is the AG for Sedgwick County and Sterling.

This World Wide Web Site is hosted by the Clarke Computer Company (www.clarkecomputer.com).

Our website is maintained by Administrative Secretary Kellie Tovar. If there are any changes or additions

that need to be made to this web site, please contact me at rotary5440@yahoo.com

The Rotary name and logo are the exclusive property of Rotary International and are used here under

Rotary International Internet Policy on Electronic Communications