Newsletter | August 2024

Kiwanis International News

Other election results include Michael Mulhaul as president-elect and Hope Markes as vice president 

Lee Kuan Yong of Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, was elected president and Michael Mulhaul of Interlaken, New Jersey, U.S., was elected president-elect during the House of Delegates at the 2024 Kiwanis International Convention in Denver, Colorado, U.S. Hope Markes of the Eastern Canada and Caribbean District was elected vice president. All begin their terms on October 1, 2024. 

These three Kiwanians were elected trustees for the United States and Pacific Canada Region:

• Dawn Puderbaugh Hodges of the Carolinas District.
• Jo Schwartz of the Kansas District.
• Scott Sims of the Alabama District.

Also joining the board for three-year terms will be Mario Bruni of Ontario, Canada, as a trustee for the Eastern Canada and the Caribbean District, and Maura Magni of the Italy-San Marino District as trustee for the Europe Region. Filip Delanote of the Belgium-Luxembourg District will join the board for a one-year term to fill the vacancy left by the passing of Vincent Salembier.

Amendments 

The House of Delegates also voted on proposed amendments to the Kiwanis International Bylaws.  

The following amendments were approved: 

• Onetime Dues Increase (Amendment #1): Submitted by the Kiwanis International Board, this amendment will increase Kiwanis International dues to US$77 for clubs in Tier 1 and US$34 for Tier 2. (For tiers, see Amendment #2.) This amendment will bring in a projected additional revenue of US$4 million annually. Combined with careful budget practices and ongoing cost reductions, the increase will help reduce future deficits and ensure the organization’s long-term financial health.
• Reduction of Dues Tier Levels (Amendment #2): The Kiwanis International Board submitted this amendment, which will reduce the number of dues tiers from three to two. Combined with the adoption of Amendment #1, dues for Tier 1 will now be US$77 and for Tier 2, $US34. 
• Kiwanis International Board Composition (Amendment #3): Submitted by the Kiwanis International Board, this amendment will reduce the number of Kiwanis International trustees from 15 to 12, beginning with elections in 2025 and being completed by the elections in 2027. This amendment will generate savings of US$18,750 per year over current levels. 
• Election of District Trustees (Amendment #4): The Kiwanis International Board submitted this amendment, which will allow a member from outside a district’s region to serve as district trustee if no one from within the region is willing or able to serve. 

The following amendments were not approved: 

• Dues Increase Over Four Years, With Automatic Increases After (Amendment #6): This amendment would have increased Kiwanis International dues over a four-year period and then by US$1-US$2 each year thereafter.  
• Remote Voting (Amendment #8): This amendment would have allowed for final voting during Kiwanis International conventions to take place globally via secure remote voting.
• Prohibition On Alcohol Purchases (Amendment #9): This amendment would have prohibited the use of any Kiwanis International revenue to purchase alcohol for or by Kiwanis International Board members or staff or their spouses or companions. 
• Prohibition on Airfare Purchases (Amendment #10): This amendment would have prohibited the use of any Kiwanis International revenue — including membership dues, fees, or non-dues revenue — to purchase first-class or business-class airfare for or by the Kiwanis International Board members or staff or their spouses or companions. 

The following amendments were withdrawn by the submitters after passage of Amendments 1 and 2, respectively: 

• Dues Increase Over Three Years (Amendment #5): Submitted by the Pacific Northwest District Board, this amendment would have increased Kiwanis International dues beginning October 1, 2024, and completed with the 2026-27 administrative year. 
• Revised Dues Tiers (Amendment #7): Submitted by the Malaysia District Board, this amendment would have changed the basis level for each dues tier, with no change to the dues amounts. 

Details on elected leaders 

Lee Kuan Yong, the 2024-25 president, has been a member of Kiwanis International for 30 years. He is a member of the Kiwanis Club of Kuala Lumpur in Malasia and has served as president, secretary and treasurer. He is also a member of the Eye of the Tiger eKiwanis Club. He served as a trustee of Kiwanis International from 2011-14. He also has served as president of the Kiwanis Down Syndrome Foundation and was the Malaysia District governor and membership chair. Lee is married to Kon Cze Yan, a Chartered Accountant.  They have two sons and two daughters-in-law, and one grandson.

President-elect Michael Mulhaul has been a Kiwanis member for 32 years. A member of the Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany, New Jersey, U.S., he has served as its president and treasurer. He is also a member of the Kiwanis Club of Asbury Park, which he helped charter. He has been both governor and lieutenant governor of the New Jersey District and is currently president of the New Jersey District Foundation and a Kiwanis Children’s Fund trustee. Mulhaul and his wife and fellow Kiwanian, Laura, have three adult children, a son-in-law and a grandchild. Mulhaul will serve as president in 2025-26.Hope Markes, a member of the Kiwanis Club of Hopewell in Hanover, Jamaica, was district governor in 2013-14  and previously served as lieutenant governor.  At the district level,  she was a member of the Strategic Planning Committee and was regional vice chair for The Formula, a membership growth initiative of Kiwanis International. She has also served on the Membership and Education committees. At the club level, she twice served as president. She served as secretary and chair of the Fundraising, Membership and Interclub committees. Markes will serve as president in 2026-27.

The 2025 Kiwanis International Convention will be held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S., June 25-28.