Don Sword
Meet our District Governors
Donald G. Sword
(Rotary District 7820 DG 2017-18)
Don grew up New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, graduating from Halifax West High School and earning Commerce and Law degrees from Dalhousie University.
Don practiced law in St. John’s, NL for over 33 years, 28 as a corporate counsel. He spent seven years as Legal Counsel and Corporate Secretary at Fishery Products International, and 21 years at Johnson Inc., Atlantic Canada’s largest insurance organization. Don retired as Vice President, Legal & Regulatory and Corporate Secretary in June 2013.
During his career Don was active in community volunteerism, professional associations, crime prevention organizations and industry-based committees.
Don became a charter member of the Rotary Club of Avalon Northeast in 1989 and was Club President in 1993-94. Don has also served as District Secretary and Assistant Governor. Don played key roles in developing Topsail Beach Rotary Park and Manuels River Hibernia Interpretation Centre. Both projects earned RI Club Significant Achievement Awards. He also helped organize the successful RYLA on the Rock in August 2015.
A Paul Harris Fellow since 1997, Don is a regular donor to the Rotary Foundation and a member of the Paul Harris Society. Through his donations he has been able to recognize his mother, father, wife, brother, two daughters and son-in-law as PHF’s.
Since retirement Don has continued to be an active volunteer within and outside of Rotary. He and his wife Pat (a retired photographer) live in Conception Bay South, NL and enjoy walking the extensive trail systems in their community. Don has two adult daughters living in the St. John’s area, Kimberley (a high school teacher) and Heather (an early childhood educator). Kim and her husband Cameron had their first child and Don & Pat’s first granddaughter, in October 2017.