2024-2025 District Governors
Dr. Geron Scates
District 5730
Geron’s Rotary journey began in 1995 in District 6490, continuing in 2009 with a transfer to the Snyder, TX Rotary Club in District 5730. He has served twice as club president, club secretary and Assistant Governor. Geron is a Paul Harris Fellow.
Dr. Scates’s professional career includes business owner, retail management, radio broadcaster, marketing executive, voice-over, creative audio production, and sports play-by-play announcer. He is an experienced master of ceremonies presenter, including handling some auctioneer duties for non-profit fundraisers.
Carter Waid
District 5770
Carter was born in Waurika, Oklahoma on April 6th, 1949. He graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 1973 with a degree in Finance and minors in Economics and Music Performance. After returning to his hometown of Waurika, he became Vice President of First Farmers National Bank.
Carter's family has a long history of Rotary involvement. Carter became member of his local club in 1973 where he has a 50-year record of perfect attendance. He served as president of the club more than 20 times and served as Assistant Governor more than 10 times. Carter is a multiple Paul Harris Fellow and, as a member of the Paul Harris Society, he achieved the status of Major Donor to The Rotary Foundation.
Aside from Rotary, Carter has served on 10 boards. These include Jefferson County Hospital, three university boards, the Cotton Electric Charitable Foundation Board, two bank boards and several boards throughout his community including the Chamber of Commerce. For enjoyment Carter attends University of Oklahoma sporting events, goes snow skiing when he can, and loves to play golf. Most of all he enjoys spending quality time with his family including his three sons Steve, Jon, and Kyle and their families.
Andy Eads
District 5790
Andy Eads is a fifth-generation resident of Denton County where he serves as County Judge. A Rotarian for over 20 years, Eads has served as President of the Rotary Club of Flower Mound, Charter President of the Rotary Club of Cross Timbers, and will be District Governor for 5790 in 2024-2025.
Andy and his wife Ginger enjoy serving in Rotary together. Ginger is a member of the Rotary International Finance Committee. The Eads have three children who have all been active in RYLA and their son, Addison, is a member of the Rotary Club of Lubbock.
Regina Edwards
District 5810
Regina is a member and Chair of the Past Presidents of the Rotary Club of Carrollton-Farmers Branch, Texas, where she has served numerous years as the International Service Director. At the District level, she has held several positions including three years as an Assistant Governor, two years as International Service Chair, and three years as a Foundation Committee Member. She has been a Rotarian for 26 years and has completed 20+ International Service trips to 6 countries. She is a Paul Harris Fellow, a Rotary Foundation Sustaining Member, and a Rotary Benefactor
Regina graduated from Baylor University with a BBA and JD. She has worked 30+ years as a municipal attorney. Her husband Ken is a retired test engineer and is a Paul Harris Fellow. They have two sons in college, who are both Eagle Scouts. They grew up in Rotary enjoying many International Service trips and were very active in Interact. Regina believes Rotary should be a pathway for a family to serve locally and internationally and to grow together.
Jeff W. Johnston
District 5830
Jeff is a graduate of the University of Arkansas (BSIE – May 1976). He worked at Eastman Chemical for over 33 years and finished his service in 2008 as Global Director of Safety, Health, and Ergonomics. Since 2009, Jeff has served as an Owner/Operator of Chick-fil-A in Orlando, FL, and Tyler, TX.
Jeff married his high school sweetheart (Debra) after graduating from the University of Arkansas in 1976. Jeff and Debra have one daughter (Melissa – Speech Language Pathologist), who is married to Jeff Lahey (Assistant Principal/Administrator) and they have two wonderful grandkids (Sadie-9 and Camden-8).
Jeff has been an active member of Rotary for over 30+ years. Jeff’s membership began with the Longview South Rotary Club (TX) and includes transfers to the Kingsport Rotary Club (TN), Rotary Club of Orlando (FL), and finally, the South Tyler Rotary Club (TX).
Kristen Salazar
District 5840
Kristen Salazar is a Past President of the Alamo Heights Rotary Club and Immediate Past General Manager for Alamo Heights Night which is an official Fiesta Event held in San Antonio, Texas each year. In addition to these club positions, she also currently serves as the District 5840 Membership Co-Chair. She has owned and operated her own staffing business since 2010 where the longest-standing contract involves helping those on disability benefits work towards coming off disability by increasing their work earnings. In addition to serving in Rotary, Kristen is also on the Advisory Board for Corazon San Antonio, the Advisory Board for Child Advocates of San Antonio, and a Board Member for Camp Camp. She has been married to her husband Luis Salazar for 15 years and they have four children and three grandchildren.
Doug Smith
District 5870
Doug was raised in Temple, Texas, and is a proud member of the Rotary Club of Temple-South. He joined Temple-South in 2000 and has served as President, Foundation Chair, Board Member, and Chair of their Neighborhood Flag Project, along with various other projects.
Doug has served as the District DAP Grant Coordinator for the past three years and is currently serving as District Governor-Nominee. He is a Paul Harris Fellow +8, Sustaining Member, and a Paul Harris Society Member. He is also on the District 5870 Roll of Fame.
Doug and his wife, Lisa, have five children; Hailey (&Luke); Calvin, Reagan (&Josh). They also have a Miniature Schnauzer named Charlie, the Un-official Mascot of District 5870 for Doug’s District Governor year.
Doug is Partner in PapergraphicsPrinting and FastSigns in Temple, Texas. The Smiths are
members of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Temple, where Doug serves as an Elder. He is currently the Chairman of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board and is involved in various other areas of service in his community.
Nancy Anderson
District 5890
Born in New Brunswick, NJ, Nancy Anderson, moved to the Greater Houston area in May 1980 where she graduated from the University of Houston in December 1983 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Industrial Technology.
After spending several years at corporate office supply firms, she left to become a Realtor®. She now and co-owns a boutique real estate firm with her daughter. Nancy is married to Robert (Bob) Anderson, the proud momma of son, Michael Beeth, and daughter, Krystyna Fennelly. Her grandsons are Cayson and Braydin.
Nancy joined the Deer Park Rotary Club in 2004. She later joined the Space Center club where she was named Club Rotarian of the year 2015-2016 and served as Club President 2018-2019. Nancy served as Assistant Governor 2019-2022 and was named Assistant Governor of the Year 2019-2020. Nancy is now a member of Seabrook Rotary. Nancy is a Paul Harris Fellow, Paul Harris Society Member, a Major Donor and Bequest Society Member and a Floyd Boyd’s Fellow. Nancy is excited to serve District 5890 as District Governor Elect and looks forward to partaking in the fellowship, goodwill, and service all the clubs in the district have to offer.
Leon Wilhite
District 5910
Leon and his childhood sweetheart, Lynn, were born and reared in Palestine. Leon graduated from Texas A&M University with a bachelor’s degree in architecture and later received a master’s degree in urban planning. Following college, Leon was commissioned an Officer in the Army Corps of Engineers.
Leon and Lynn are proud of their two children and six grandchildren. During his professional career, Leon served in the Governor’s Office of Planning and Economic Development, as the Executive Director of the State Property Tax Board, and as the Executive Director of the Heart of Texas Council of Governments.
After retirement, Leon and Lynn returned to Palestine and joined the Rotary Club of Palestine. Leon served as President in 2009-10 and 2019-20. He is a multiple Paul Harris Fellow, a member of the Paul Harris Society and the Polio Plus Society. Leon was awarded District 5910’s Roll of Fame in 2012.
Leon has served as a leader for his District’s RYLA and Assistant District Governor 2012-14 and 2021-23. Leon and Lynn volunteered on a Palestine Rotary Team that responded to Hurricane Harvey in 2017. They traveled to India to participate in a National Polio Immunization Day to help eradicate Polio.
Dr. Zehra Surani
District 5930
A member of the Rotary Club of Southside Corpus Christi (CC), Texas, Zehra born and raised in Karachi, Pakistan. She moved to the United States in 1990. From Los Angeles to Houston, Beeville, and ultimately CC, Zehra and her husband Salim created a loving home where they raised their three daughters, Sara, Saherish, and Zoya.
Zehra holds a Ph.D. in Organizational Psychology and serves as the Executive Director of the It's Your Life Foundation, where she has directed and implemented impactful health and education programs in various school districts. Zehra has served as the past President of the Rotary Club of Southside CC, is a Paul Harris Fellow +4, member of the Polio Plus Society, RLI faculty, & District Visioning Chair. Her passion for community service is evident through her previous experience as Chair of The Purple Door (Women's Shelter of South Texas), and as Chair of the CCISD's School Health Advisory Committee (SHAC).