More than 2,000 meetings. That’s about how many Rotary Club meetings Nathan Lubin has attended in his 45 years as a Rotarian. Rotary Clubs meet once a week, and Rotarians are expected to be at practically every meeting – so the math is pretty simple.
Nathan Lubin is a Chairman’s Circle investor and president and owner of Lubin Enterprises. His involvement with Rotary began when “a respected business and community leader” invited him to a Rotary Club meeting in 1978. Immediately, Nathan was hooked. “The fellowship and information we received from the programs kept me interested and looking forward to the meeting each week,” he said.
Rotary is a global network of 1.4 million members who “see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change in local communities and around the world.” The Four-Way Test is an ethical guide for Rotarians that asks, “Is it the TRUTH? Is it FAIR to all concerned? Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS? Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?” Rotarians recite it at club meetings, and Nathan says, “I am proud to be a Rotarian while using the four-way test to address both personal and business issues.”
There are nine Rotary Clubs in the immediate Memphis area and more than 46,000 around the world. Local Rotarians are involved in local, national and international projects in areas like health, education, leadership, food, scholarships, and fellowship. Nathan said, “Rotary is a place we can all share information and projects without pressures from politics or religion.” In addition to generously giving his time, Nathan supports Rotary with his financial resources. His Rotary resume is impressive:
He is particularly proud of the work Rotary does in Memphis. “One of the reasons Rotary is important to our community is because some of our neighbors face issues that are similar to those in third world countries,” he said. “Poverty, food insecurity, crime and health issues. Memphis, along with the lower Mississippi Delta, has suffered from decisions that were made 75 years ago. Many organizations, including Rotary, recognize the opportunity we have with our people and other resources to continue advancing our community toward a place that people want to be. My goal is for our community to become an example of implementing all aspects of being a Peace Center.”
In addition to his work locally, in 2022 Nathan participated in international Rotary projects in El Salvador, Mexico and Honduras. Now he’s working on Rotary projects in Mongolia, Cameroon, South Sudan and Israel-Palestine. “Today my commitment to The Rotary Foundation is based on awareness of how Rotary makes a difference in the lives of people around the world,” he said. “We can choose almost anything that improves life and Rotary is involved. The Rotary Foundation is the tool for Rotarians to use to make a difference. I know that the Rotary Foundation is a good steward for my investment of time and resources.”
Nathan shared some remarkable Rotary events he’s been part of.
He was honored to attend the Rotary Peace meetings and Forum in 2023.
He was at the International Convention in Philadelphia in 1988 when Rotary announced its members had donated a significant amount to eradicate polio. As a founding partner of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, Rotary has reduced polio cases by 99.9 percent since its first project to vaccinate children in the Philippines in 1979.
He has been with parents of children who were once dying. After receiving heart operations made possible by Rotary, the parents were amazed as they watched their children running and playing.
At a Rotary International event in 1988, he noticed two women who were crying. “When I asked if I could help, they pointed to their husbands who were enjoying each other’s company and asked me why their husbands could not behave the same at home,” he said. “Their husbands were the District Governor of Egypt and District Governor of Israel.”
Nathan said, “Thanks to my business and support staff, I am able to be involved with many organizations in our community. My role in many organizations has been to serve as needed, often in the form of donations. The Greater Memphis Chamber – and the Chairman’s Circle in particular – is one organization that provides an excellent return on investment of time and money. That’s why I choose to be actively involved.”
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