Introducing District Executive for 2013-14

Born in the beautiful Annapolis Valley, Greg graduated from Horton District Highschool in 1967. He attended Nova Scotia Agricultural College in Truro before returning home to operate Riverbrook Farms ltd in Port Williams. During high school and College Greg played varsity basketball and was very involved with student union activities.

Having farmed apples and vegetable with over 30 years, Greg had the opportunity to serve as president of both the Kings County and Nova Scotia Federations of Agriculture. He was chair of the Pea and Bean Marketing Board, the Potato Marketing Board and the Canadian Vegetable Processing Growers Committee.  He also served on the board of the Nova Scotia Fruit Growers Association and is currently  a board member of the NS Crop and Livestock Insurance Commission.

He has been married to Claudia for 33 years and they have two sons, Michael and Dana. Their four grandchildren in Alberta.

In addition to farming, Greg and Claudia own and manage rental properties and self-storage units.

Community has always played a major part in Greg’s family life. He had taken leading roles as a Village Commissioners in Port Williams for over 10 years and served his church as Senior Warden and chair of the Parrish council. 

Greg became a charter member of the New Minas Sunrise Rotary club in 2001 and it has brought a whole new and invigorating dimension to his life.  Greg has served on many of the club’s committees and was president in 2006-07.  He was made a Paul Harris Fellow in 2009. Greg was Assistant Governor for Western Nova Scotia from 2009 to 2012.

Born from England, Stella graduated from St Thomas' Hospital in physiotherapy in 1978 and moved to Penticton, BC in 1980 to do a locum and to learn to ski. She moved to Nova Scotia in 1985 to upgrade to a degree and sail her laser. Stella lives and works in Halifax as a Physiotherapist and has pioneered work in Women’s Health in Nova Scotia.

Stella began her Rotary journey with the Bedford Sackville and District Rotary Club in 1994 and could not have imagined the impact it would have on her life. Her club now is The Rotary Club of Halifax Harbourside and she served as Club President in 1996-97.

Stella’s main interest has been sharing the Rotary experience. She has been District Trainer for the last 3 years and is a discussion leader for the Rotary Leadership Institute. She finds at each session she learns more than she gives.

Stella has been involved in a number of Club and District committees. One of the highlights was as GSE District Outbound Chair. She worked with the Team Leaders and saw firsthand the changes in team members when they returned from their month in India, Nigeria and Australia.

Stella’s passions in Rotary include Shelterbox and the great work of Tom Henderson and the late Jane Henderson; traveling to the Dominican Republic with a team to build a garden in a Batey; and being part of the District Team.

Stella met her husband Paul on a rally with the Halifax Harbourside Rotary Club. Paul an also an active Rotarian at both the Club and the District level.

Stella’s hobbies include skiing, sailing, paddle boarding and walking with her dog Sailor

It is the people Stella has met in Rotary that has truly enriched her life. She is looking forward to working with Rotarians in the District and for the opportunity to serve.

Jim grew up in a farm in Ontario completing his education at the University of Guelph. He joined the Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture and Marketing as a Soils and Crop Specialist in 1976.  In 1986 he became a Director working with several branches over the years.  In 2000, Jim was appointed Executive Director, Development and External Relations with the Nova Scotia Agricultural College.  His group was responsible for all communications, marketing, alumni relations and fundraising for NSAC.  He retired in March of 2012.

As a member of the Rotary Club of Truro since 2005, Jim has been very active in helping one of the oldest service groups in the town modernize and implement plans to continue to give back to the community of which it is a part.  He has served on many Club committees, was recipient of Rotarian of the Year in 2008-09; was President of the Club for 2011-12 and is a multiple Paul Harris Fellow.

Jim has taken on a larger role with Rotary at the District over time.  He is a board member of the Atlantic Rotary Leadership Institute as well as a Group Discussion Leader.  He is also chair of the District Social Media Committee and has lead the process to get clubs to involved with these communication tools. 

Jim and his wife Barbara (also a past president of the Rotary Club of Truro) build their home in Valley just east of Bible Hill and have two grown sons who live and work in Ottawa.  Jim and Barbara are proud grandparents of two.

In the winter months, Jim can be found on the ski slopes. As a ski instructor he shares his love of skiing with others.  When there is no snow, he is on his old racing bicycle and can be found many mornings on the roads around Colchester County.