Hod was born in March of 1933 in Littleton, New Hampshire, but his parents and family home were in Vermont, so we’ll go ahead and accede to his demands to call him a Vermonter. Hod attended 1 school building from grades K-12, before attempting to enter the Naval Academy and West Point, but being denied due to failing the physical. Instead, he settled on an obscure, little known school named Dartmouth and earned his degree.
Later on, the army drafted Hod and determined that at that point, he could pass his physical after all. Interesting… Hod served mostly in Germany for 2 years and enjoyed his experience.
Hod met Mabel in the Empire State Building, where she worked, while he worked in New York City. Hod and Mabel have now been married for 69 years, and have lived in the same house they built in St. Joseph for 56 years. After they met, they moved to Kansas City and he worked for The Jones Store and later A.J. August. Hod hired the first African-American sales clerk at any of the Kansas City department stores in 1962. Hod and Mabel later moved to St. Joseph and he worked for C.D. Smith Drug Company and an embroidery supply company. Si Rosistsky gave Hod the chance to purchase the United Department store, but he declined.
In the Spring of 1969, Eastside Rotarians Bill Stalen and Jim Fitzgerald visited Hod at his office and invited him to join Rotary. And, 56 years later, he was still a proud member of the club. Despite, or maybe due to, his poor attendance at club meetings, Hod was asked to serve as Club President in 1982. During Hod’s term as President, the club grew from 35 to 50 members, started up the Spaghetti fundraiser, and started up the Smoke Alarms project (now carried on independently by the Red Cross). Hod reports that at that time, our club was less in touch with “bigger Rotary”, but that would soon change.
Hod was then asked by Past District Governor Frank Gee (Club 32) and John Squires if he would serve as the District Governor for District 603, which Hod did. This is when Hod saw himself for the first time as a “Rotarian” and not just a member of a Rotary club. Hod would later go on to serve as a delegate for the Rotary Council on Legislation in Singapore and as the President of the Show Me Rotary Council (which puts on multi-district Presidents-elect training in Missouri).
Other notable Rotary activities that Hod has enjoyed over the years include Rotary Youth Exchange and Group Study Exchanges. Mabel reports that one time, Hod was out of town, and she had to host a Group Study Exchange team without him.
Hod has been recognized with The Rotary Foundation Citation for Meritorious Service and The Rotary Foundation Distinguished Service Award, in addition to many club awards. Hod happened to be the most senior active Past District Governor in our district!
We appreciate the chance to hear about Hod’s journey in life and in Rotary at this week’s meeting. It was a real treat.
Hod met Mabel in the Empire State Building, where she worked, while he worked in New York City. Hod and Mabel have now been married for 69 years, and have lived in the same house they built in St. Joseph for 56 years. After they met, they moved to Kansas City and he worked for The Jones Store and later A.J. August. Hod hired the first African-American sales clerk at any of the Kansas City department stores in 1962. Hod and Mabel later moved to St. Joseph and he worked for C.D. Smith Drug Company and an embroidery supply company. Si Rosistsky gave Hod the chance to purchase the United Department store, but he declined.
In the Spring of 1969, Eastside Rotarians Bill Stalen and Jim Fitzgerald visited Hod at his office and invited him to join Rotary. And, 56 years later, he was still a proud member of the club. Despite, or maybe due to, his poor attendance at club meetings, Hod was asked to serve as Club President in 1982. During Hod’s term as President, the club grew from 35 to 50 members, started up the Spaghetti fundraiser, and started up the Smoke Alarms project (now carried on independently by the Red Cross). Hod reports that at that time, our club was less in touch with “bigger Rotary”, but that would soon change.
Hod was then asked by Past District Governor Frank Gee (Club 32) and John Squires if he would serve as the District Governor for District 603, which Hod did. This is when Hod saw himself for the first time as a “Rotarian” and not just a member of a Rotary club. Hod would later go on to serve as a delegate for the Rotary Council on Legislation in Singapore and as the President of the Show Me Rotary Council (which puts on multi-district Presidents-elect training in Missouri).
Other notable Rotary activities that Hod has enjoyed over the years include Rotary Youth Exchange and Group Study Exchanges. Mabel reports that one time, Hod was out of town, and she had to host a Group Study Exchange team without him.
Hod has been recognized with The Rotary Foundation Citation for Meritorious Service and The Rotary Foundation Distinguished Service Award, in addition to many club awards. Hod happened to be the most senior active Past District Governor in our district!
We appreciate the chance to hear about Hod’s journey in life and in Rotary at this week’s meeting. It was a real treat.