By Joyce L. Carroll
Special to Delaware Business Times
Samantha Diedrick Harris abides by the credo service above self, an example she took from her Rotarian grandfather, a member for 50 years. Today, she is not just a Rotarian, but also the president of the Wilmington chapter. The local chapter is the world’s longest to meet in its original location: the Hotel du Pont. With 35,000 members worldwide, the 200-member chapter is the state’s largest.
A Rotarian for 16 years, Harris not only talks the talk, but walks it, too. She knows well the time constraints of balancing livelihood and community involvement. As an entrepreneur, Harris breathed new life into a 70-year-old family business, taking the reins in 2002. She is president and owner of Secretariat, a wedding and event planning company in Wilmington. Regarding the latter, she served a two-year term on the board of directors for the Wilmington Rotary, has served three terms on the board of the Forum of Executive Women, is a founder of The Fund for Women, and has held other leadership roles within Delaware and the tri-state region.
Harris gives voice to the motto, “We Can Do it,” associated with World War II icon Rosie the Riveter: She was the youngest woman at the time to join the Wilmington Rotary chapter. While women have long been a welcomed presence in a male-dominated organization – the average member is still a 60-year-old male.
While Harris stepped into the role of president last July and will serve until June 30, she began her tutelage over a year in advance. Each current president assumes the responsibility of mentoring the incoming leader.
Her goals for the rest of her time as president: “I want us to remain engaged, to be better Rotarians, and to re-up the reasons we’re here,” she said.
With regard to engagement, the chapter’s presence at the Stubbs Elementary School will continue, she said. The chapter thus far has facilitated expansion of the breakfast/lunch program, and fundraised for a refrigerator. “We’re now working on bringing in more fresh foods,” she said. And, she’d like to encourage younger businesspeople to join.
“I’d like to push for 35- to 50-year-olds,” she said.
Futuristically and abiding by that earlier example, she’s planning on being a lifelong Rotarian.
