About

Don Fipps – Who Am I…

I am a native Californian born in Bakersfield in 1955. My family moved to Delano in the northern part of Kern County, in 1966. I attended Cecil Elementary School and then Delano High School graduating in 1973. I attended Cal Poly State University in San Luis Obispo majoring in Biochemistry. I graduated in 1977 obtaining my commission in the United States Army.

I married Donna McIlwain in 1975 after we met working on the Tournament of Roses Parade float for Cal Poly. We have 2 children, Aaron married to Colleen with 2 children Burnie and Ben; and April, married to Ray with 2 children Charlie and Caroline.

In 1982, while at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, I attended a training program to become a registered Medical Technologist. In 1988 I obtained my Masters degree in Biology from Bowling Green State University and obtained my certification as a Specialist in Blood Banking.

I retired from the Army in 1997 as a Lieutenant Colonel. My last position was at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas.

After leaving the Army, I worked for the American Red Cross in Charlotte NC, Washington DC, and Wilkes-Barre PA. In 2006 I left the ARC and we moved to West Sacramento to work for an independent blood center in Sacramento. In 2012, we moved to San Diego to work for University of California San Diego. I retired from University of California in 2018. My last position was Administrative Director, Clinical Laboratories, UC San Diego Health.

My Rotary Story

My journey in Rotary began in 1973 while attending Delano High School during my senior year. The high school conducted a Senior Awards Assembly towards the end of the school year to announce awards and scholarships to the departing seniors. I was sitting in the bleachers paying no attention to the festivities when I heard my name announced. Stunned, I made my way to the podium not knowing why. Upon arrival, I was presented a $500 scholarship for college from the Rotary Club of Delano. In today dollars that equals to about $2,900.

Using the scholarship, I enrolled at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA in the fall of 1973 majoring in biochemistry. I enrolled in Army ROTC due to their good marketing to incoming freshman. I also joined the Rose Float Committee where I met Donna McIlwain. As my scholarship funds were running dry, I applied for a 3-year Army ROTC scholarship and was accepted. During my junior year at Cal Poly in December 1975, Donna and I were married. At graduation in June 1977, I was commissioned in the United States Army as a 2nd Lieutenant.

My Rotary story picks back up in 2004 when I was the Chief Executive Officer of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Region of the American Red Cross Biomedical Services. The leadership at the ARC suggested all regional blood center CEOs join community service organizations in our service area to network with local leaders to drive in more blood donors to our centers. The ARC committed they would reimburse us for our expenses associated with our membership. I selected to join the Rotary Club of Wilkes-Barre where the blood center was located. Donna and I lived in Mountain Top. I became a member in December 2004.

After joining the Rotary Club of Wilkes-Barre, I found myself as Program Chair, finding and scheduling speakers for our weekly meeting. Donna and I enjoyed and supported the club’s activities such as spaghetti feeds and work projects including the local historical society. After the departure of one of the clubs leaders, I learned that the Speaker Chair was the next in line for President Elect. Before I could attend PETS, the ARC asked that I leave my position as a result of a corporate restructuring of regional blood centers. Donna and I left Pennsylvania in the Spring of 2006.

I obtained a new position at a independent regional blood center in Sacramento, at the time called BloodSource. Donna and I moved to West Sacramento where I joined the Rotary Club of West Sacramento. This was a change for me. I wanted to join a club where I lived instead of where I worked and paid my own expenses for the club membership. At first, I was a regular member attending the weekly Friday lunch meetings at the Pheasant Club. After a couple of years, I was asked by the incoming President if I would produce the club’s newsletter, Chips from the Buzzsaw, for some reason, I agreed. I did that for the next 4 years.

While attending the Rotary District 5180 District Conference at Squaw Creek Resort near Lake Tahoe in May 2010, Donna and I were joined at dinner by a woman Rotarian with 2 Canine Companions for Independence puppies she was raising. Donna and the woman talked all through dinner. After the dinner, back in our hotel room, Donna applied on line to be a CCI Puppy Raiser. Several weeks later her application was accepted and shortly thereafter, we received our 1st CCI puppy, Daphne. We have been raising CCI puppies ever since and are now raising our 6th CCI puppy, Emerald.

Donna and I attended a District 5180 Foundation Seminar. During this event, we learned of all of the wonderful things Rotary was doing in the world. We were very impressed. Shortly thereafter, we decided to create a family trust to hold our home and assets. As part of that process, we allocated 10% of our net worth at our death to be given to Rotary. We registered our trust with Rotary International and became a member of the Bequest Society Level 4 in 2012.

Donna and I attended our first Rotary International Convention in Montreal, Quebec in June 2010. In May 2011 we attended our 2nd Annual Convention in New Orleans, Louisiana.

The process of writing and publishing the weekly newsletter introduced me to the many different aspects of Rotary and to the entire membership of the club. I was selected by the club to be President Elect for the Rotary Year 2012-13. Then, just like in Wilkes-Barre, BloodSource eliminated the department I managed. I found myself without a job again. I quickly found a new position at the University of California San Diego. Donna and I moved to the local area September 2012.

I joined the Rotary Club of Del Mar as it was close to where we lived in in San Diego. The club had great energy. I am a life long Episcopalian and the club meets at the Parish Hall at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Del Mar. Perfect! I started attending the club meetings and let them know I was a transfer. My old Rotary club ratted me out and I was asked again by the club president to do a club newsletter, I started in February 2013 through 2017.

Donna learned that a member-only social event, Day at the Races at the Del Mar Racetrack was going to be held. Donna did not want to miss out on this annual event, plus she has attended most of my Rotary events over the past 8 years, she joined the Rotary Club of Del Mar in May 2013.

I joined the Board of Directors of the Rotary Club of Del Mar in July 2014. In July 2015, I became Vice President and then in-turn President Elect for 2017-18 and became Club President for the Rotary year 2018-19.

In June 2018, Donna and I attended our 3rd International Convention in Toronto, Canada.

In July 2019, I was asked and agreed to serve a 3-year term as Assistant District Governor for Area 3. Area 3 clubs included Carlsbad, Carlsbad Hi-Noon, Vista, Vista Hi-Noon and San Marcos.

District Governor Elect Dan Gensler invited me for lunch in October 2019 near his office in Coronado. During lunch he asked, and again, I agreed to serve as his Chief of Staff during his term as District Governor 2021-22.

October 23, 2021, I interviewed for and was selected to be District 5340 Governor for 2024-25. As I was being told of my selection, I was asked to move up to 2023-24 as the sitting District Governor Nominee needed to delay 1 year for personal reasons.

I attended District Governor Nominee training at the Rotary Zone 26/27 Institue in Tucson AZ, November 7 through 13 at the Loews Ventana Canyon Resort. I was asked to complete 80 plus courses through Google Classroom. Nothing was hard, just lots of information.

Donna and I attended the Rotary International Convention in Houston TX June 4 to 9, 2022, at the Downtown Convention Center.

The next training was at the Rotary Zone 26/27 Institute in Salt Lake City November 6 to 12, 2022, for Governor Elects at the new opened Hyatt Regency.

The final training to qualify as District Governor was at the Rotary International Assembly in Orlando FL, January 7 to 13, 2023. This training was mandatory for all District Governors worldwide, over 529 Districts and paid for my Rotary International. Partners were allowed to attend. If they did attend, they had to attend all sessions. Attendance was taken at all events including meals.