Urchick wraps up her tenure as Rotary International president
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Urchick wraps up her tenure as Rotary International president
By Brad Hundt
Staff writer
bhundt@observer-reporter.com
“My year as president has flown by,” is how Stephanie Urchick describes her 12-month tenure leading Rotary International.
And the year that has flown by has been full of flights to far-off locales to spread the word about what the service organization does. Urchick has also had her passport stamped as she has represented Rotary International at conferences and other events. Japan, Turkey and Ireland have all been on her itinerary, and before her time as its leader ends on June 30, she will be at the helm of Rotary International’s convention in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
“Rotary remains an opportunity for me to give back to the world and continues to give me a sense of purpose,” Urchick said by email, as she was preparing for the gathering.
A native of Monessen, a resident of Canonsburg and a longtime member of McMurray’s Rotary, Urchick has been only the second female president of Rotary International in its history – women weren’t even allowed to join until 1989. As of July 1, Francesco Arezzo of Ragusa, Italy, will take over as president. He was chosen by Rotary International’s board of directors earlier this month after the sudden resignation of Mario Cesar Martins de Camargo of Brazil, who was chosen in 2023 to be president in the 2025-26 term. De Camargo cited personal and business obligations in his decision to resign.
During the last year, Urchick has been living in a condominium in Evanston, Ill., near Rotary International’s headquarters. The presidency of Rotary International has been the culmination of more than 30 years of Rotary membership for Urchick. She initially joined in 1991, when she was looking to meet new people after getting divorced, and in the decades since has served on committees dealing with strategic planning, operations and other areas. She has been a Foundation trustee, and has been on service missions to places like the Dominican Republic, where Rotary was installing water filters, and Vietnam, where members helped build a primary school.
Over the last year, does Urchick feel like she has met her goals as Rotary International president?
“This is a tough question because a year goes by so quickly,” she said. “I believe the organization has met so many of the goals we’ve prioritized during my tenure as president, from championing peacebuilding to evolving Rotary to attract and maintain members.”
How about if she had more time?
“If I had more time, I’d continue to prioritize these efforts to ensure Rotary remains a compelling option for those with a heart for service and fellowship, and as a past Rotary president, I’ll continue to communicate about the importance of membership growth and peacebuilding.”
Outside of Rotary, Urchick has worked in education, entertainment and consulting and operated the McMurray-based consulting and training company Doctors at Work LLC. She has degrees from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, the University of Pennsylvania and Duquesne University. When the sand runs out on her Rotary International presidency days from now, Urchick says she will remain active in McMurray’s Rotary.
In recent years, membership in service organizations like Rotary, as well as the Kiwanis, Lions and Optimists clubs, has been falling due to a confluence of factors, from the COVID-19 pandemic, to changing work habits and shifting demographics. Urchick believes that Rotary – or any service organization – can increase their membership through “flexibility and adaptability.”
According to Urchick, “The great thing about Rotary today is that our clubs exist in many different formats and styles and they’re working to mirror our communities in terms of gender, age, culture, socioeconomic status, special interests and causes, and so many other characteristics.”
And even as she ends her profile role with Rotary International, Urchick says she will continue to be an active advocate for the organization.
“By and large, not only do organizations like Rotary fill service and funding gaps, they also foster a sense of belonging and make participants, myself included, feel valued.”