Gilbert’s involvement with Rotary began in May 1998. Only three years and several officer positions later, Gilbert served as President of the Laredo Gateway Rotary Club.

He has participated in and coordinated a number of local and international service projects and events during this time, including RYLA, book drive for South Africa, International Night with Mexico Rotary Cubs of District 4130, ceremony in Acambaro, Guanajuato, Mexico for a matching grant for a fire truck, and numerous others. Additionally, he has helped to maintain his club’s Presidential Citation for 18 years in a row. Gilbert served as Assistant Governor for District 5930 from 2004-2007 and then as the first Lt. Governor for his district in 2007. Other community involvement includes board member of the Laredo Chamber of Commerce and board member of the Laredo Manufacturing and Logistics Association of Laredo.

Gilbert earned an Electrical Engineering degree from Texas A&M University in College Station, TX. He is currently employed as Sales and Operations manager for Mercy Health Plans, a group health insurance provider.

As members of the Laredo Gateway Rotary Club and Paul Harris Fellows, Gilbert and Deya participated in and chaired a Rotary Friendship exchange to and from Sweden. They have hosted a youth exchange students from Turkey and Switzerland and have also hosted professionals from Russia, also through a Rotary exchange project. Most recently, they hosted GSE team members from Chile and Spain.

Deya is the past treasurer of the Laredo Gateway Rotary Club. She also facilitated the start of an Early Act Club sponsored by the Laredo Gateway Rotary Club.

Gilbert and Deya have been married since 1990 and have been blessed with 4 wonderful children, Allyson Nichole, Daniel Allen, Andrew Douglas, and Gilbert III.

Travel and new explorations are on their list of goals every year. They have visited more than a dozen states and about another dozen countries including Greece, Turkey, Italy, Sweden, Denmark, London, France and more. They are certain that traveling is good for the soul and believe that learning the varied cultures is priceless!    Top

District Governor Elect Lauro Solis 

Lauro was born in Grulla, TX. He graduated from Rio Grande City High School in 1967 and Texas A & I University-Kingsville in 1972 with a BA degree in Social Science and BBA from Laredo State University.

He started his career in the electric utility industry in 1973 with Central Power and Light Co, which later became American Electric Power – Texas. He has worked in power generation, marketing, business operations and public and community relations. Work locations include Mission, Laredo, Corpus Christi, Beeville, and the Rio Grande Valley. Lauro retired in May 2010 with 37 years of service.

He joined Rotary in 1986, and has served as Secretary, Treasurer, President-Elect, and President, for the Mission Rotary Club. He served as Area 12 - Assistant District Governor for three years. A multiple Paul Harris Fellow, Lauro has served on District Membership Co-chair and District Conference Committee.

Lauro has served as President for the Beeville and Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce, Rio Grande Council – Boys Scouts of America, Vice President for United Way of South Texas, board member for the Valley Land Fund, Crime Stoppers, and Tri-City Business and Education Coalition. Honors and awards include United Way Gold Star, Mission “Man of the Year,” BSA Silver Beaver and Boy and Girls Clubs of America National Award of Merit. Lauro donates blood 3-4 times a year and is a proud “5 gallon” blood donor.

Lauro has been married to his high school sweetheart, Lupita. for thirty eight (38) years. They have two sons, David an attorney and Victor, a high school special education teacher. David and Griselda have two sons Dominick – 8 years and Donovan – 5 years old. They keep Lauro and Lupita young and engaged in their youth activities.

Lauro enjoys spending time with friends and family, playing golf, walking, birding, and wildlife photography.
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Ray Klinginsmith

Rotary Club of Kirksville, Missouri, USA

Ray Klinginsmith  earned degrees in business and law at the University of Missouri and completed graduate studies at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, as a Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholar. He was general counsel and professor of business at Northeast Missouri State University in Kirksville (now Truman State University) from 1973 until his retirement in 1995, and also held the post of dean of administration for five years.

Klinginsmith, who now operates a law office, served as an elected county commissioner from 2001 to 2004. He has been a director of the Macon Atlanta State Bank since 1971 and president of the Chariton Valley Association for Handicapped Citizens since 1982. He and his wife, Judie, have two children and three grandchildren.

A Rotarian since 1961, Klinginsmith has served Rotary as district governor and as chair of the 1998 Council on Legislation in New Delhi and the 2008 Los Angeles Convention Committee. He was a member of the RI Board of Directors for 1985-87 and chaired its executive committee in 1986-87. Klinginsmith joined The Rotary Foundation Trustees in 2002, serving as vice chair in 2005-06, and was a member of the Future Vision Committee from 2005 to 2008. Klinginsmith, a Major Donor, is a recipient of the Foundation’s Citation for Meritorious Service and Distinguished Service Award.

In addition, Klinginsmith has earned many honors in his community, including the Parent/Caretaker Award from the Missouri Planning Council for Developmental Disabilities; the Thomas D. Cochran Award for Community Service, an annual statewide award by the Young Lawyers Section of the Missouri Bar; and the Silver Beaver Award from the Great Rivers Council of the Boy Scouts of America, of which he is a former member of the executive board.       Top