Rotary District 6190 Governor Rich Brontoli was the very special guest of the Winnfield Rotary Club on August 14. DG Brontoli, native of New York City, NY, grew up in Indonesia, Somalia and upstate New York. His degree in civil engineering was obtained from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and his MS in Civil Engineering, Construction Management from the University of Florida.

DG Brontoli served 20 years in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in such areas as Fort Carson, CO, Baumholder, Germany, El Salvador in Central America, Fort Knox, KY, and St. Louis, MO. He was the executive director of the Red River Valley Association in Shreveport-Bossier, a member supported consulting organization with the mission of developing the water resources of the four-state Red River region of Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas for 30 years, from which he retired in 2023. 

He has been a member of the Shreveport Rotary Club since 1994 and has served as chair of the civic grants committee, as well as on other committees, and president of the club. He has served District 6190 as chairman of the Paul Harris Society Committee and Finance chairman. 

District Governor Brontoli spoke to local club members about increasing membership, donations to Rotary International Paul Harris Foundation and the Polio Plus fund, and district and international grants for local projects.

Local Rotary president Mary Lou Blackley reminded club members of the upcoming 5K fundraiser on September 28 at the Winn Parish Fairgrounds before adjourning the meeting with the Rotary motto, “Service above Self!”