2022-2023: Will Gruver
 
Will Gruver is all in. He wasn't just a candidate for the extremely time-consuming LLS Man of the Year -- he was twice a candidate, including once on a national level. Will danced on stage for the CASA/Brightside Dancing with the Stars fund-raiser. He's served on several committees with United Way, and rarely misses a UGA football or basketball game. So great is his commitment, that Will once organized a music and cornhole festival to raise money for blood cancer research, and called it Will-a-Palooza.
 
Thus, it's no surprise that Will approach the role of Metro President with this same level of zeal. Will became a champion for service at the Club, leading monthly volunteer events and overseeing extremely successful fund-raisers for our annual service partner, Brightside Family and Child Advocacy. Will launched an aggressive membership campaign that brought in new members, and ensured Metro retained our Gold Club and EREY Foundation status at the Rotary District Level. We also had a ton of fun along the way. 
 
A Savannah native, Will is the General Manager of Operations for Jan-Pro of the SC/GA Coast in its Savannah regional office. He handles new franchise owner sales, general operations, and key account relations in South Carolina and Georgia. He is married to Hope Gruver.    
 
2021-2022: Cecilia Arango
 
After more than a year and a half of Zoom meetings caused by the pandemic that would never end, Cecilia Arango was just what the doctor ordered. She ushered in the return of in-person meetings and monthly socials, and boy were they a blast. Club members were organized into Karate Kid-inspired dojos, through which they competed for points and prizes. Meetings featured head-to-head club trivia contests with Family Feud buzzers, and regular lessons on hip Gen Z slang so we could stay young at heart even as Metro gets older in age. We had a Club Kazoo Band. 
 
Metro also did all the things that make Metro awesome: We raised $10,000 for our annual service partner, Girls on the Run, and volunteered at the nonprofit's events throughout the year. This was a particularly fitting service partner under the tenure of Arango, an avid runner. The Club volunteered at more than a dozen other service projects throughout the year, held rowdy monthly socials and a few memorable parties, and grew our membership with some really great new additions. We relentlessly highlighted the great work of our members,  and worked on diversity. 
 
When she's not at Metro, Cecilia is the Marketing Manager for Thomas & Hutton, one of the Southeast's leading engineering firm. She's an avid community volunteer, and has won a ton of awards recognizing her leadership, including being named to Leadership Georgia, Georgia Trend 40 Under 40, and Savannah Magazine's New Guard of Savannah. Cecilia has served on the Savannah Chamber's Ambassador Council, and as Chair of the Savannah Sports Council. She is a veteran actress in Savannah area theater productions, is the founder of a running book club, and is on her way to running 50 marathons in 50 states.
 
Cecilia is married to her high school sweetheart, Michael. They have a son, Alex, and a daughter, Camille. 
 
2020-2021: Jessica Pedigo
 
Well, that was something different. The ongoing pandemic forced Metro into a virtual environment for nearly the entire Rotary Year. We watched as other clubs crumbled around us, unsure how to keep things going. Not President Pedigo. She accepted the challenge, donned a tiara, and figured out a way to make Metro stranger, and somehow stronger, in the process.  
 
First, Pedigo fully embraced the struggle, and decided her Rotary Year would have a theme: WWF wrestling. Club members dressed as wrestling characters -- think Lycra and boas -- and were grouped into teams. The teams got points for doing certain things -- showing up for service projects, for instance, or inviting a guest to a meeting. The team with the most points each month won prizes. The whole thing was insane, and led to some confused guests sitting in on Zoom meetings and wondering why we didn't give up the Hulk Hogan fixation in the 8th grade like everyone else. 
 
The Munches continued in small group settings -- we met in parks, and rooftop bars -- and the Club found other ways to stay connected. Instead of holding one or two large bashes to raise funds for our service partner, Bike Walk Savannah, we held a series of smaller events scattered over several weeks. The Metro Mania Showdown Series included outdoor yoga sessions, a bike ride, a book reading and a downtown scavenger hunt. They were a blast, and somehow we broke fund-raising records. 
 
Throughout the insanity, President Pedigo kept the energy high, and the sarcasm biting. The Rotary International District 6920 awarded Pedigo the Governor's Superior Leadership Award for her performance, and Metro bagged a Gold Award and Governor's Best of the Best Award.
 
Originally from Savannah, Jessica is a graduate of H.V. Jenkins High School and Vanderbilt University where she majored in History and English and minored in Sociology. After returning to Savannah, Jessica attended the Savannah College of Art and Design and received a Masters of Art in Historic Preservation. She worked in historic preservation until her move to Sterling Seacrest Partners in 2011 where she works in Employee Benefits. Jessica is very involved in the community; she serves on boards of, and volunteers with, numerous local organizations and coaches youth soccer.    
 
2019-2020: Bret Bell
 
Everything went great for the first half of Bret Bell's Presidency. The Club had a great service partnership with Habitat for Humanity, and a successful and hilarious fall fund-raiser and winter Roastary. Bret placed an intense focus on Club membership, highlighting their accomplishments, implementing regular classification talks, roasting them in regular Top 10 lists, and launching new initiatives to bring members closer together, such as Munch, which randomly groups club members up for lunches.
 
Then the global pandemic hit in March, and everything went sideways. After a pause, the Club shifted meetings online, and focused even more intensely on members. A series of Club panels highlighted the vast expert well that is Metro Savannah: Business owners shared survival stories; nonprofit directors shared fund-raising tactics; and HR professionals translated the rapidly evolving federal employment guidelines. Attendance credit was given when Club members patronized businesses owned by Metro Rotarians. We got through it by leaning on each other.  
 
In his other world, Bret is the Chief Operating Officer for the City of Savannah. A former journalist, he has lived in Savannah since 2006. He lives in Ardsley Park with his wife, Adrienne, and son, Hal. Bret is a native of Gloucester, Mass.
 
2018-2019: Whitney Shephard
 
Whitney Shephard was so good at being President that we asked her to do the job for 18 months instead of the traditional year, and then convinced her to graduate to Assistant District Governor at the end of her term. She ran Metro like a business, charting progress, developing clear and measurable goals, accounting for every penny, and instilling a sense of value and purpose to everything we did. Whitney put a laser focus on Rotary Foundation giving, making Metro the fourth most generous club in District 6920 during her tenure. She also got the Club to support service projects at both the global and local level. And she made it her mission to get the club to eat healthier, and drink better cocktails.
 
In her real life, Whitney is principal and co-founder of Transport Studio, LLC. She provides transportation planning and engineering services including multimodal project management, geographic information systems applications, strategic planning, and solutions for sustainability. She and her husband also co-own Green Truck Pub, one of the most popular restaurants in Savannah. Whitney holds degrees in architecture and civil engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. She is a native of DeLand, Florida and is a proud ninth-generation Floridian.

2017-2018: Leigh Acevedo

Leigh's job is to help companies thrive in Savannah, so it's no wonder she approached her Metro presidency like she was running a business. Leigh guided the club with a deft combination of strong organization, meeting efficiency and sly humor. Leigh left Metro with healthy finances, a new membership program, and an active service program.  

In her real life, Leigh is the director of Business Retention & Expansion at the Savannah Economic Development Authority (SEDA). Prior to joining the staff at SEDA, Leigh worked in a similar capacity for The Creative Coast, with a focus on creative and technical companies. Leigh holds a Master of Public Administration and has a bachelor's degree in communications. She has served as secretary of the board for Leadership Southeast Georgia; president of the board for Quantum, Inc., an arm of Coastal Center for Developmental Services; and is a member of the Coastal Workforce Investment Board. A native of Dalton, GA, Leigh has lived in Savannah since 2001. 

2016-2017: Patton Dugas
 
The Sultan of Spreadsheets, the President of Powerpoints, the Master of Metrics: Patton Dugas brought a new level of accountability and systems improvement to Metro Rotary. He paired this rigor with a generous shot of humor, fun and appreciation for the absurd. President Dugas utilized his banking background to strengthen Club finances, and implemented strong processes to ensure Metro forever earns Gold Club status. Proudly, he finally dethroned President McCorkle for the title of "Best Hair.
 
In his real life, Patton  is a commercial banker with SunTrust Bank. He has served other institutions in SBA, special assets, construction & development, and disaster assistance lending. An entrepreneur at heart, he began in business by co-founding an audiovisual contracting firm while attending college. Raised in Macon, Patton earned a B.B.A. in Finance from UGA. He has serveed in board positions with Chatham County Resource Protection Commission, Savannah Community Foundation, Savannah CFO Council, March of Dimes, and Clean Coast. He was named a Generation Next Rising Star by Savannah Magazine, and is a graduate of Leadership Savannah and Leadership Southeast Georgia.  He resides in Savannah with his wife, Mary, and two daughters.
 
2015-2016: Suzanne Robida Kirk
 
Suzanne's Presidency will be remembered for her strong leadership, and utilization of superior organizational and personnel development skills to tap the many resources within Metro. She infused her tenure with biting wit and tight agendas. Meetings ran like clockwork.
She left her successor a new Presidential garment: The Robary.   
 
In her real life, Suzanne is the President and Executive HR Consultant of Employee Development Strategies, Inc., helping businesses focus on the people side of business. She serves as President of Susan G. Komen Coastal Georgia.Suzanne holds a Master of Science degree in Human Resources Management and Development and a BBA in Business Management from Georgia State University. She is SPHR certified by the Human Resources Certification Institute, and is a qualified administrator of the Myers Briggs Type Indicator and the Leadership Versatility Index 360 feedback tool. 
 
2014-2015: Robert L. McCorkle III
 
Robert McCorkle brought a tremendous sense of purpose to his Presidency, imploring members to embrace Rotary International's larger mission by supporting the Rotary Foundation. A Paul Harris Fellow several times over, Robert offered up his own points to encourage Foundation giving in the Club. He implemented a new Club website, a new Club logo, and oversaw the Club's move to a new home.
He had an admirable beard and was smooth as butter in front of a crowd. 
 
In his real life, McCorkle is a partner in the law firm of McCorkle & Johnson, LLP. He is licensed to practice law in Georgia and South Carolina. His practice focuses in the areas of real estate, small business and association law. Robert is a magna cum laude graduate of the University of Georgia, Terry College of Business. He obtained his J.D., cum laude, from the University of Georgia School of Law.
 
In addition to Rotary, Robert is a member of the Emerging Leaders Committee of the Savannah Community Foundation, serving as President in 2010-2011. Robert is a member of the Savannah Chamber of Commerce, the Realtors Commercial Alliance and the Home Builders Association of Greater Savannah. He serves on the Board of the Downtown Business Association, and is former member of the Board of Trustees for St. Andrew's School. Robert and his family are members of Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church where he serves on the Finance Committee.
 
2013-2014: Julie Mickle Wade
 
Julie's Presidency was truly inspirational, battling breast cancer through much of her tenure while barely missing a meeting. We watched her kick cancer's butt with fierce grace, and look damn good doing it. Julie implemented Metro's first Annual Service Partner Program (Greenbriar Children's Home under Julie's tenure), which became a Club model for sustained community service and financial commitment.
She implemented a new Presidential tradition, presenting the framed cat Harris to her successor.    
 
In her real life, Julie is the executive director of Park Place Outreach, an emergency shelter for at-risk youth.  She was formerly a practicing attorney at The Wade Law Firm, specializing in federal criminal defense. Julie previously worked as an Assistant United States Attorney and at Hunter Maclean. Before returning to Georgia, she practiced law at Goodwin Procter in Boston and at Alston Hunt Floyd & Ing in Honolulu, Hawaii. Julie clerked for the Honorable J.L. Edmondson on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Julie graduated from the University of Georgia School of Law in 2000. She was the Managing Editor of the Georgia Law Review and competed on the Hulsey Kimbrell Moot Court Team and twice on the Jessup International Moot Court Team.
 
Julie also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Georgia, where she was selected for membership in Phi Beta Kappa. Julie represents District One on the Savannah Chatham County Board of Education. She also serves on the boards of Historic Savannah Foundation and Girls on the Run, and  was recognized by the University of Georgia Alumni Association’s 40 Under 40 and Savannah Magazine’s Next Generation. She is a member of Wesley Monumental Methodist Church, and has three young children and one great husband, Drew Wade.
 
2012-2013: Jordan Neely Chase
 
Jordan implemented much of the look and feel of what we now call the Metro Savannah Rotary Club. She helped guide the process that led to our Charter from Rotary International, and implemented many of our current traditions. She brought strong organization, superior communications, and was a confident presence that helped keep the Club together during our tenuous early days. 
 
In her personal life, Jordan served as Manager of Internal Marketing at Memorial University Medical Center, where she was responsible for marketing efforts directed to Team Members, and is dedicated to improving organizational effectiveness and business results. Previously, she was a senior consultant in the Organizational Development Department at Memorial. She has been in the leadership and organizational development field for over 16 years and has consulted in industries such as healthcare, financial services, manufacturing and business services.
 
Jordan holds a master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University in Organizational Counseling, a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the College of Charleston, and is certified through the International Coaching Federation an Associate Certified Coach. Jordan is a third-generation Rotarian, has served as President of the Metropolitan Savannah Rotary Club (2012-2013), as well as a Ruling Elder of First Presbyterian Church. Jordan and her husband have two sons and a daughter.
 
2011-2012: Clint Murphy
 
Clint was the Founding President of the Metropolitan Savannah Rotary Club. He and a few other forward-thinking individuals recognized that there was no Rotary Club in Savannah focused on young professionals, so they decided to do something about it. Their careful recruitment of the 50 Charter members, combined with hard work and a clear vision of a Club with a focus on service and new ideas, laid Metro's rock solid foundation.
 
Clint was born and raised in Savannah and Richmond Hill. He attended Calvary Baptist Day School and Richmond Hill High School and graduated from Georgia Southern University with a degree in Political Science. After college, Clint worked for the late U.S. Senator Paul D. Coverdell and proceeded to work in politics and government at the local, state, and federal level for 9 years in Washington, DC, Atlanta, GA, Sioux City, IA, and Tallahassee, FL. In between working in politics, Clint worked in the family real estate development business.
 
Clint now makes his living full time as a residential Realtor with Keller Williams Realty Coastal Area Partners as lead agent for the Clint Murphy Real Estate Group. Clint is a cancer survivor and has served as the chairman of the American Cancer Society Relay For Life in Savannah and Richmond Hill. He is also the Georgia Lead Advocate for the National Brain Tumor Society and a cancer patient and caregiver mentor with Imerman Angels.