Hello! My name is Rocky Jackson and I am running for President-elect of Optimist International. I am currently serving as the Vice President for the West Region and was quite honored to be nominated from the floor and elected to serve in this capacity. The team of governors is standing behind me to help advance my candidacy this year. It’s very humbling and quite exciting.

So who am I? I am an Optimist, just like you.

I’ve been involved with Optimist Clubs for more than thirty years and owe much of my personal a professional success to the opportunities that Optimist Clubs have given me. I am a former city councilman and current advisor to the mayor of Eagle, Idaho. I have retired from Qwest Communications and take great pleasure in serving not only my community, but also the communities that I visit as a representative of Optimist International. I’m not a weekend Optimist. I am involved every day.

One cannot rise to this level of service and not have had a successful Optimist career at the club and district level. And I am forever grateful for the opportunity that I have been given to promote the values of the Optimist Creed, and share my enthusiasm at the International level. I know that I have more to give.

If chosen to be President-elect of Optimist International, I promise to continue to serve in the manner that means the most to our members. I want to reach out to the Club level members and leaders and help them achieve more.

How will I do that? First, by listening. More will come later, but it all begins by really hearing what our existing members have to say.

We are able, as never before, to listen to more people, from more walks of life, and in more communities around the world. It may not come as a surprise to you that our challenges are similar. However, our issues are not. It means something different to belong to an Optimist Club in Florida than it does in Oregon, Illinois, Ontario, Barbados or Quebec. The key to our growth is to understand those differences and use those differences as strengths. We can act locally for our clubs and think globally for our mission.

It can be done. We can do it together. Are you ready? I hope so. Please vote for me, Rocky Jackson, for President-elect of Optimist International.

Thank you for your consideration. Thank you for your support.