Bio of Gov.-Elect Candidate Don Dudey
by Don Dudey

I am not sure I have met each of you during my visits to all 8 of the Mid Winter conferences this year, but if I have not, let me introduce myself. I am Don L. Dudey, Candidate for Governor-elect for 2008-2009. My bio is as follows:

Within my own club - Kiwanis Club of Reisterstown, where I joined on September 12, 1982 and have held the following offices: Chair of the following committees - Membership, Risk Management and Finance; Director three times, Co-advisor to the Franklin Key Club, Treasurer for 15 years, Vice President and President. I have been the club secretary for the past two years and hope to continue for the next several years.

Within the 12th Division I have held the offices of Chair of Past Lieutenant Governor Committee, Distinguished Lieutenant Governor, and Trustee to the Capital District Foundation.
I have held the following offices on the District Level: Chair of Training and Education, Chair of Community Service, Chair of the District Convention in Hunt Valley, Maryland, District Trustee for the Mason-Dixon, Member of the Finance Committee and the By-Laws and Policy Committee. I have also been a Kiwanis Certified Instructor for 13 years

Each position has been very fulfilling, challenging and an enjoyable experience. Each position has given me an opportunity to improve my leadership skills, has helped me learn how Kiwanis works, how each club is an entity of itself and how each club is where Kiwanis really excels. Without the individual clubs, Kiwanis would not exist. The work of the Divisions and District are to support the individual clubs, not dictate what the club should do or not do. When we have all clubs working collectively toward specific projects, miracles can be made, look at our IDD project or the LaPlata rebuilding project, we can create miracles.

On my career side, I retired from MetLife Auto & Home Insurance Company as a Training Consultant with 31 years in the insurance industry. I began my career in 1965 in Wichita, Kansas as a premium auditor and then underwriter. After 8 years I transferred to Baltimore, Maryland where I began my career as an insurance training professional until I retired in 2005. I still continue teaching insurance courses on a part-time basis - gives me something to do in retirement.

Along with my insurance career, I had a parallel career in the U.S. Army. I served 31 years in the U.S. Army Reserve beginning as a private, obtained a direct commission in the Finance Corp and then retired in 1996 as a Lieutenant Colonel. I held many and varied positions and commands throughout my career which I believe will help me perform the duties of Governor-elect.

My wife Jan and I have been happily married for 44 years come this November with two children, Sheryl and Jason, son-in-law David, and three grandchildren, Kyle, Tyler and Kayleigh. Life is so enjoyable with a family and mine is no exception. I thought children were really great until I had grandchildren, then the world really opened up into exceptional joy. My wife and I are enjoying it to the fullest.

As I go forward in this journey, I would like to hear your suggestions regarding how the Capital District is functioning, the direction we are headed and the support the District is providing our individual clubs. I have some ideas regarding all of these, which I will be bringing to you in my next letter, but I would like to hear what you think. You can contact me at ddudey@verizon.net or mail to 1110 Kingsbury Rd., Owings Mills, MD 21117.