Meet our 2019-2020 Arizona Rotary District 5495 Governor, David Simmer
A simple invitation to attend a Rotary meeting proved to be an inflection point for David. Rotary became his platform for promoting early childhood literacy; an elegant portal for supporting the efforts of humanitarians around the world and a forum of like-minded individuals - working together in friendship to make the world a better place.
David grew up in small-town Nebraska before heading east for his formal education. He followed a Bachelor’s Degree at Illinois Wesleyan University with a Master’s Degree in Accounting from Northeastern University and a law degree from Boston University School of Law.
David’s professional career concentrated on guiding high and ultra-high net worth clients as they navigated all aspects of family financial and wealth management from his firm’s offices in Massachusetts and California.
David and his wife, Isabel, retired to Sedona, Arizona in 2010. He quickly was recruited into leadership positions in community non-profits, but found the most satisfaction in the service, friendships and possibilities available through Rotary.
David has served as Secretary and President (2014-15) of the Rotary Club of Sedona, Chair of the club’s signature program (the Imagination Library), as the club’s Charitable Fund Treasurer and as a member of the Club Board. He was honored as the club’s Rotarian of the Year in 2016. David has served as Assistant Governor, District Foundation Annual Fund Co-chair and Leadership Development Chair, PETS Chair (2018) and Club Leadership Academy Chair (2017-18) as well as serving on a number of merger Committees for District 5495. As Leadership Development Chair, David has received special note in the District and the Zone for his efforts to re-think and innovate in Rotary education including focusing on elective education, broad-based curriculum and distance learning.
David is a Paul Harris Fellow, Paul Harris Society Member, Major Donor and Bequest Society Member. He is also a sought-after speaker with a passion for speaking on behalf of the Rotary Foundation.
