Rotary Community Heroes of Hope

How A Rotary Fellowship Shaped A Global Leader

• Judy Zulfiqar

Share episode

Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.

0:00 | 28:15

Send a text

What if a single year abroad could reset your life’s trajectory? We sit down with David to trace a remarkable arc: from a Rotary fellowship that placed him in apartheid-era Johannesburg to a career guiding CEOs and boards on strategy, talent, and the human side of change. He takes us inside the day-to-day realities of a rules-based system, reflects on the contrast with the protest-filled United States of the 1960s, and shares how field research in townships—and the subsequent loss of his visa—sparked a four-month overland trek to London that became a masterclass in teamwork under pressure.

The story moves from personal awakening to practical leadership. David explains how immersion in another culture reframed his worldview and why the core values of family, dignity, and connection resonate across borders. We talk about returning to South Africa in the 1980s to advise on corporate divestment, witnessing the country’s “unfreezing,” and the pivotal role Nelson Mandela’s forgiveness played in steering a peaceful transition. Along the way, we examine Rotary’s global footprint—from mentors who open doors to the organization’s enduring ties to the United Nations—and why service is, at its best, a living education in ethics and systems thinking.

For anyone “too busy” to serve, David offers a counterintuitive truth: Rotary gives energy. Hosting youth exchange students, speaking at local clubs, and working on boards build confidence and decision-making skills you cannot get from a slide deck. We highlight the visible growth in exchange students month by month, and we make a concrete ask to support youth exchange through hosting and club sponsorships. If you care about leadership development, purpose-driven work, and the kind of global mindset that outlasts trends and technology, this conversation is a blueprint. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs a spark, and leave a review to help others find the show.

Support the show

Welcome And Mission Of The Show

SPEAKER_02

Hello and welcome to the Community Heroes of Hope, a podcast where we shine a light on the remarkable individuals and projects in Rotary District 5330 that bring hope and change to our local and global communities. I am Judy Zelficar, your co-host and the current district governor of Rotary District 5330.

SPEAKER_00

And I'm Nyron McLean, the Rotary District Governor elect. Together we're diving deep into the heart of the community service, showcasing the impact of dedication and collaboration in addressing some of the most pressing challenges our communities face.

SPEAKER_02

Each episode will tell stories of incredible people making a difference, innovating solutions, and inspiring others to take action.

SPEAKER_00

We'll also be giving you a behind-the-scenes look at the projects and that are transforming the lives, and we'll discuss how you too can get involved, contribute, and be part of the positive change. Whether you're a seasoned Rotarian or just looking to give back, this podcast is for you.

SPEAKER_02

So join us as we explore the journeys, challenges, and successes of people like you who have stepped up to make a difference. Let's celebrate the spirit of community and the power of hope together.

SPEAKER_00

Don't forget to subscribe to the Community Heroes of Hope on your favorite podcast platform. Stay with us on this journey of inspiration and let's spread the message of hope further than ever.

SPEAKER_02

Thank you for tuning in. Let's get started.

SPEAKER_00

Well, Governor Judy, I'm excited to talk to uh to David this morning, uh this afternoon. Um I had the pleasure of sitting um beside him when I met with the um Palm Springs uh Sun Up Group.

SPEAKER_02

Oh.

SPEAKER_00

And uh early morning meeting.

SPEAKER_02

Love that early morning meeting.

SPEAKER_00

And uh we got chatting and found his his background through Rotary to be fascinating, particularly since we were dealing with the uh youth exchange. Um that Chad is heading up. And I found that the David had done uh was a youth exchange student um back in South Africa in the early days when apartheid was still going on.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, I was telling David that I I get to be curious this time because I don't know much background, but I'm excited to start with maybe an introduction from you, David, and then we can jump right into all the things that that Nyron learned and that we can learn together.

Sent To Apartheid South Africa

Research, Townships, And Visa Fallout

SPEAKER_01

Awesome. Sure. Well, I am uh I am the president elect of the Sun Up Club, and as you know, we have a pretty engaged, exciting club in Palm Springs. You do. And um I was uh, you know, I'm evidence of the fact that Rotary changes lives. I mean, we say that all the time, but uh I grew up in Illinois as a kind of a lower middle class student of my parents were teachers, and uh a local Rotarian invited me to apply for the graduate fellowship exchange program in Rotary. And uh I had known some local Rotarians, and so I decided I was at the University of Illinois. I decided to put my name in, and uh Rotary decided to send me not only overseas, but to Africa, and not only to Africa, but to South Africa. Wow. This was in 1961, and I had just graduated, and I had studied race relations at the University of Illinois. And so Rotary sent me to the place where race relations were probably the most interesting place in the world, and that was South Africa, when they had apartheid. And uh, you know, some people said, Did they have any race relations at the time? And in fact, it was a very it was a time in history before all of the changes began in South Africa, before Nelson Mandela, before uh kind of all of the resistance that happened after I was there. So poor farm kid from Illinois gets dropped down in the middle of Johannesburg, South Africa. Wow. And uh, you know, I had to learn to jump on a whites-only bus. Uh, I had to go to only whites-only buildings that was there were a lot of laws against socializing with people uh of different races. Uh, it was not unlike the South in the U.S. uh, you know, 150 years ago. And um, you know, I came from a very uh kind of a I was a student of the 60s and was really involved in a lot of the uh activities of the 60s, including all of the activities of the 60s. So when I got over there, um I was probably not a good fit for uh uh the environment, but I was so appreciative of the way I was being received, the people I met, uh the rotarians that invited me to their homes. I spoke to 150 rotary clubs in South Africa. Wow. And met a lot of different interesting people. But uh uh my the research that we were doing at the university was on race relations. And so we were doing survey research in the townships. And uh we were asking people, you know, essentially, which race do they feel closest to, which race do they, you know, have the most difficulties with, just kind of social interaction. And um the government at the time, uh, after a year and a half of living there, had gotten word about the research, and uh my visa was not renewed. And so I was asked, you know, you when your visa is not renewed, you have about uh you know 30 days to leave the country. Right. So a friend of mine land mover, and we drove from Johannesburg to London. And uh that's a long drive. A long drive more months. So essentially it was a great formative experience and led to me kind of going back and finishing a PhD and studying group behavior and uh all of the things that have since happened in my life, you know, I attribute to that experience that I had with Rotary. And uh it was eye-opening in every way and uh such a great opportunity for me. And I always said, you know, someday I want to join Rotary again and give back, and it took me uh almost 50 years to do that. But uh now I'm finally back in Rotary and loving it.

SPEAKER_02

Well, we are so glad that you had decided to come back to Rotary. And uh a funny side note to you know how small the world is, our producer here, Warren, is actually from South Africa, from that area. Oh you can you can click in Warren and and give comment anyway anytime you want. He does it normally, but we'll do it.

Overland Trek And Life Lessons

SPEAKER_00

So, David, one of the things that I found very fascinating uh about you in our conversation that night was and and I find this uh it interested me from a sub from several perspectives. One is that you know you talk to people about joining Rotary and they say, I'm too busy, I'm to this, right? So in talking to David, we said, Well, you know, what's your background? How did you get involved with Rotary? What do you do now? And he said, Well, I, you know, I I'm I'm an author and I used to run a company, and then we sold it to he said, Well, we sold it to to Corn Ferry. And I said, Oh, that's good. And they said, Well, what are you doing now? I said, Well, I'm CEO of Corn Ferry. And I said, I said, the beauty of that, here's the CEO of Corn Ferry. This one I thought was so magical. Um, the CEO of Corn Ferry is going to be the president-elect of Palm Spring Sun up Rotary.

SPEAKER_02

And for those who don't know what Corn Ferry is, explain the the magnitude of this company.

From Rotary Fellow To Corporate Leader

SPEAKER_01

Well, uh, yes, it's a huge company, and um, you know, we do advising of CEOs and boards of large companies on strategy and talent and people, and there's a big search arm as well. And I'm president and senior partner, which means I'm kind of head of the advisory, work in the advisory area. Um, but it's a company that focuses on talent and strategy, which, as you can imagine today, is become the most important thing in most CEOs' agenda is how to find keep talent, particularly in artificial intelligence world that's now coming at us very quickly. Um, the impact on people is something that we spend a lot of time thinking about. And again, when I think of the arc of my life of starting, you know, in South Africa and now working in Cornferry and Artificial Intelligence with Change and organizations, it's been an amazing ride. And uh, you know, the time that I spent, the development that I got with Rotary is something that I hope we can give to to exchange students uh all over the world and more and more, because it certainly helped me a lot.

SPEAKER_00

So, so David, let me ask you this because I I I was totally fascinated that night. I I I called my wife and talked about you because I just found you to be a uh just an incredible person. But would you say that the well let me rephrase that? What would you say was the probably maybe the top two or three most impactful things that you got out of your experience as a youth exchange student that led for your development either career-wise, personality-wise, et cetera, to lead you to be the person you are today and to which you attribute you know the success. So I'm trying to be able to for some kids sitting in in farmland in Illinois or farmland in Massachusetts where I grew up, or or the inner city of of Miami, um, who might have an opportunity to be uh a youth exchange student or might have an opportunity to be an interactor or rotoractor, I'm trying to be able to connect the dots for them to say what were what were the impactful things that you gained out of being in Johannesburg um and you know becoming persona nightwater, basically, at some point in time, and from there led to the development of the David Today.

The Three Most Lasting Lessons

SPEAKER_01

That's a great question, Dyran. I think when you're young and you can appreciate that your culture is not the only culture, that seems like a simple lesson, but it's actually quite profound. When you're, you know, you're 18, 19, 20, and you're still forming your values and your views of the world, and you get you get the opportunity to experience another culture and absorb its values and realize that there are, you know, there's multiple ways of doing things in the world. There's different kinds of things that people keep that hold as important. Um, you know, that's a pretty profound insight. And it was, you know, constantly surprising to me to have to change my worldview at that young age. And then the second thing is, you know, that people have similar values all over the world. They care about their families, they care about people, you can have relationships with people all over the world as long as you really value people and connecting with people. Um, and then, you know, being in South Africa at that time in history, everyone knew there was no future. It was a very unusual time in the sense that you were living in a society where people knew at some level this would have to change. And you're in a in an in a situation where it was difficult to talk about it, but yet people knew the current course could not be sustainable. And so how that was going to play out was something that, you know, in at my stage of life, I was very interested and very curious about. But, you know, Judy, you mentioned the hardship of driving four months from, you know, South Africa to London overland through Africa, through countries, climbing Kilimanjaro, going through the Congo, all the way up through the Sahara. And I was leading the group, and the hardship of 15 people being together for four months and working together was harder.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, that's a that's a life lesson in and of itself.

Comparing U.S. Turmoil And Apartheid

SPEAKER_01

That's a life lesson in and itself. And that's when I wanted to go back and study how people work together and interpersonal relationships, teamwork, and things like that.

SPEAKER_02

So you know, so so many of our youth do not get outside of the dub bubble of their own town, their own city, their own country. What an amazing experience that you had to be there during that time to be firsthand view of such an important change in a in a country and in a thought process with race relations. And then to have that experience for four months going through all these other countries. I just can't even imagine what an impact that made on you at that time in your life.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, and some, you know, some really wonderful Rotarians who were mentors in South Africa to me would sit down and talk to me about well, what do you think and how do you see it? And how do you see our situation? And what do you think is important? So, you know, taking the time and the effort to do it. The other thing, you know, we've subsequently subsequently we've hosted several many exchange students. We have our local exchange student that's coming with us now to move in with us for the next few months. Oh, really exchange. But back then, you know, I could I called my parents once in 12 months. There was no internet, there was no a letter once a week. And so when you were in a different culture, you were totally in a different culture. There was no, you know, no safety net. No.

Return To Advise On Divestment

SPEAKER_00

Um, and you had to leave your old culture behind. So let me ask you two questions. One is um, so this was the uh uh 71. Um, you know, we had just gone through the turmoil here in the United States of the 60s, where we had um race relations, civil rights were going on, women's rights were going on, the war had uh Vietnam War had not ended yet. Um so we still had lots of challenges. I think uh um Kent State had just happened. Um and so the war protest. So were you able to do you think you were able to look at life and the culture and the challenges of apartheid in South Africa and what they were battling through as they tried to make their way through similar to the situation we were battling here in the United States, right? So it uh in terms of coming trying to find our way. Uh how how did that work out for you? How did what did you how did you think about it? I may be putting words on now.

Mandela’s Impact And Repeated Visits

SPEAKER_01

No, it's interesting, Nyri, because at that moment in the US, a lot of rules were changing and breaking down. You know, there were people in the streets, there were protests, there were lots of uh chaos going on as people kind of were challenging the system. And then to be dropped into an entirely rules-based system where there was no challenge, there was no, you know, this was before the demonstrations even began in South Africa. It was really a complete contrast, you know, to the environment that I came out of. And um it was it was learning how to appreciate the country and the system and the people, and then also privately have my own concerns and doubts about what I was experiencing. And I would write letters home and I would talk about it, and you know, we'd worked out a special signal, my friends and my family. So not knowing how much censorship there was going to be or how much control of communication to be able to talk freely, each other. And it turned out we didn't need all of that. But an interesting, just to put an interesting coda on the story. So then I went to graduate school, graduated, and went to Honeywell, started moving up and became a vice president of Honeywell. And in the 80s, there was a lot of pressure on American companies to divest their South African operations in order to change what we're trying to do. And so, as the vice president of Honeywell, I went to South Africa to look at our operations there and make a decision and advise the CEO what we should do, you know, with these 400 jobs and operations in South Africa. So I returned to South Africa only in a different role this time, which is to try to figure out what do we do that's the most helpful to the people in South Africa at that moment.

SPEAKER_02

But you had a unique perspective that was probably unlike anyone else that could have taken on that job responsibility, having had been there and really experienced it from a different light.

Rotary’s Global Presence And UN Roots

SPEAKER_01

And 20 years later, Judy, when I came back, I began to see it was all beginning to become unfrozen. Things were really changing. Change was a, you know, this was now change was now starting to happen fast, you know. And ultimately, you know, there were a lot of uh protests that happened in South Africa, and ultimately the government changed. And then in you know, one of the greatest acts of all time, Nell Nelson Mandela appeared, who was generous, kind, and forgiving, which then have helped South Africa avoid enormous bloodshed, which you know you would have expected might have happened, right? Except for his leadership at that moment.

SPEAKER_02

That is amazing.

SPEAKER_01

And I've been back since then.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, that was my next question. How many times have you visited since?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, I've been back five or six, and it's just a remarkable story and uh an amazing country, and you know, have done a lot of things right over the years to get to the point they are today. A lot of economic challenges today, but um, a lot of things have gone right as well.

SPEAKER_02

A few years ago, we had a contingency. Uh it was, I think it was uh a visit. It wasn't a VTT, but it was just one of our exchanges. And we had a group from South Africa that came to visit, and they were so kind and and generous, and of course invited us to come back. And it really shows rotary rotary is working in all areas of the world, regardless of what challenges that country might be going on. Rotary is still there. I mean, you f you find that in in war-torn countries as well. I mean Ukraine is has is like growing in membership and rotary in the middle of a war. And it's it's really it it's a testament to what we do as an organization that just keeps running and working regardless of whatever the country is going through.

Why Busy Leaders Should Lead Locally

SPEAKER_00

It's the power of rotary. And I I um last week uh David, I was up in San Francisco for the um eightieth anniversary of the signing of the Charter for the United Nations, at which eleven Rotarians were uh involved with the drafting of the language and the ratification of the UN Charter. And um that's very powerful, particularly looking at the experience you went through in South Africa, um particularly talking to Warren and his experience from his family's perspective and uh him now being here in the United States and you know, my country, uh my my family, my parents from Jamaica, but they were members of the British Empire and came to the United States, so th them dealing with things as in as immigrants. So all of that's kind of wrapped in I just find it very fascinating. The the one thing I would like to ask you, because this is very interesting to me, for for somebody who's a CEO of a Fortune 500 company to also be the president and to see value in the presidency of their local rotary club. I'd like you to talk about how you I guess how you came to that decision, how other people who say they may be too busy, how you came back to rotary. That's how you came back to rotary and really sinking your teeth into yes, I can be CEO as well as contribute. I think that's beautiful and fascinating.

SPEAKER_01

Well, um, I can't say that uh, you know, you know, how does anybody become president of the local rotary club that draft it?

SPEAKER_02

They get voluntary, you know.

Rotary As Energy And Leadership School

SPEAKER_01

And you're saying, I get this in to everything else I'm doing, and is there a way? And um, you know, in my my weeks are pretty busy, but it's still the part of the week that I really look forward to, you know, the chance to kind of focus on things that are ennobling and giving back and adding to the world in a very positive, direct way and being with people who are equally committed to that vision. Um, you know, I find that's nourishing more than demanding for me, you know, and I go towards things at this stage in my life that give me energy and gravitate away from things that don't give me energy. And I don't have to give energy to rotary, I get it from rotary and what I do there. And so, you know, it inspires me to do other things that are really important, you know, in the rest of my career and the rest of my life. But I I find that that energy that I get from rotary a big part of it. Um, I always knew I was gonna get back to Rotary in some way. I traveled so much in my career, you know, I have four and a half million miles on just one united.

SPEAKER_02

Oh my goodness.

SPEAKER_01

You know, it's always like someday I'm gonna be in a club and I want to really get back into it. It was always a goal of mine, and then it all you know came together and happened. So um I guess, you know, Byron, it's just something that I wanted to do. And I checked it off my list. And um, and when the chance came to add to my club, I took it.

Watching Exchange Students Transform

SPEAKER_02

If there's any message that we could give to somebody that wants to be a Rotarian or Rotarians that are looking to take uh or maybe haven't looked to take leadership, but are are good leaders and should take leadership, is the comment that you just made is that that it gives you the energy. It gives more than you give to it. And I think I know that that's how I feel. I know that that's how Nyron feels. I think that's how any district governor feels, and anybody that's been a president, um, you know, the mo most that have been presidents also feel that, but translating that message to those that have not served in and that leadership position is a tricky one and and something I hope we get better at. And I'm so grateful that you were here today talking about it because we need more people talking about that and letting those Rotarians that are out there know, and those that are wishing to find purpose in their life that aren't Rotarians yet, know that this is a place where they can find that positive energy and and give back to their communities in that way.

SPEAKER_00

And make and make a difference. And people like you, people like Chad who have gone through that and now come back with an expanded world vision and can have an impact and continue to want to have an impact in the lives of not only the commun the the community, but other young leaders, young people. You're saying you're gonna have another a youth exchange uh come in with you right now. So that that generational knowledge now continues on and you're able to pour that into the next person. I think that's so beautiful and so such a key part of what Rotary can do for changing the arc of a kid's life.

A Call To Support Youth Exchange

SPEAKER_02

It's something that we tell our our exchange students that are, you know, when we're encouraging the come them to come and talking to their parents about you really, you know, you can let them go. It's okay, they're gonna be safe. Um, is you know, that way we tell them is this worldview is going to change your life. This is going to be something of value that you can't put a dollar amount on. And you are definitely the the living and breathing testament to that.

SPEAKER_01

Well, we have an exchange student in our club, Manu from Brazil, and um she's you know, she's we we asked her to come in and speak to the club for a minute just at different times throughout the time that she's been with us. And you can see the progression, how much she's developed just in the four or five months that she's been with us, because every time she speaks to the club, she's more poised, she's more together, she's more confident. You know, she's gonna go back a completely different person. And you can just, you know, physically see what she's experienced already. And I, you know, I can relate to that personally as well for young people. But you know, I I work a lot in the whole area of developing leaders and CEOs of, you know, and being in a rotary club is really developmental. You know, if you have to uh be on a team, you have to work on a board, you have to make a decision in a group. I mean, all these experiences are career developmental as well. It isn't just, you know, a service, you're actually developing yourself in a lot of ways. And I think we don't emphasize that nearly enough is you know, if you want to be a better leader, become a rotarian.

SPEAKER_02

And that used to be the the mantra, right? I I when you ask Rotarians, how did you become a Rotarian? If they're over the age of 60, a lot of them say, My boss at the bank said, You must be a Rotarian. This is part of your job. My, you know, when I first came to be a hospital leader, the hospital president said, You must become a Rotarian. And if we can get back to that culture within our corporations that are in our district, we will go a long way in helping develop leaders in companies as well as in our communities.

Closing And Subscribe Reminder

SPEAKER_00

So we have to show them the value.

SPEAKER_02

100%. Well, thank you so much, David, for joining us. Is there any final thoughts you'd like to leave us with as you begin to prepare to be president of your Rotary Club? Anything you want to what final thoughts you want to leave us with?

SPEAKER_01

Well, I think if you can um, you know, support the exchange student program directly or indirectly uh through Rotary, through your club, that would be wonderful. You know, I I know Chad has said we need host families, we need, you know, people, clubs willing to take on students or send students. Um, you know, it's a it's a great program, but it needs local support. One thing. And um, you know, that's why I, you know, I I want to do everything I can to see the exchange program continue. And uh anything we can do personally to help the exchange program, I think is important.

SPEAKER_00

David, thank you very much for sharing your time and being so gracious and for just an immense amount of knowledge that I think all Rotarians and non-Rotarians can uh will benefit from. So thank you very much.

SPEAKER_02

Yes, thank you for joining us today. So that wraps up this episode of Heroes of Hope. We are so happy that we have an audience out there listening. We want you to subscribe, share, and tell your friends about the Rotary community, Heroes of Hope, because that's how we get the word out about the impact we're having in this world.