District Governor 2022-23

Mike PATTEN

Michael (Mike) and Margot have lived in Lindisfarne for the last 30 years and are both members of the Rotary Club of Lindisfarne. They met while still at school and have been married for 49 years.

They have two adult sons and six grandchildren, all living in Tasmania. After graduating from Tas Uni, both were employed by the Department of Education, and they lived and worked in Schools and Libraries in many locations around Tasmania and Overseas before settling in Lindisfarne.

Mike is the son of a charter member of the Rotary Club of Glenorchy and his Rotary journey started in 1971 when he attended RYLA. He joined the Rotary Club of Oatlands in 1992, Moonah in 1993 where he was President in 1997-98 and Lindisfarne in 2000 where he was President in 2006-07 and again in 2019-20 and 2020-21. He was awarded a Paul Harris Fellow in 2010. Margot joined the Rotary Club of Lindisfarne in 2006, was President in 2010-11 and was awarded a PHF in 2013.

Margot was Charter President of the Innerwheel Club of Clarence in 2007-08 and was again President in 2018-19. She was Innerwheel District Chairman 2021-22.

Both Mike and Margot have been involved in many Rotary projects. They have hosted five overseas exchange students and both sons did Youth Exchange with RC Hobart. (Matthew Finland 2000 and Andrew Austria 2003) As inaugural Secretary, Margot assisted in the establishment of Rotary Youth Driver Awareness in Tasmania, and they worked together for nearly 10 years on the Rotary Australia Repurposing Equipment committee. Mike has been a long-time presenter at RYDA, RYPEN and the (RLI) Building Future Leaders Program and was a long-term member of the District Membership Committee. He was Assistant Governor Group 1 2015/16 and 2016/17 and District Trainer 2017/18, 2021/22 and 2022/23.

As we celebrated 100 years of Rotary in Tasmania, Mike is focused on ensuring Rotary adjusts to meet the needs of a changing world. Clubs and the District need to be fun and inclusive. They need quality projects to motivate new and existing members and they need to look for opportunities to start new Clubs. Mike will promote Rotarians as ‘People of Action’ and will work hard to support Clubs in their endeavours. Mike is looking forward to his project to increase awareness of Domestic Violence in the community and Margot is keen for her project to assist Clubs to conserve their Club histories.

Outside of Rotary, Mike has had a lifetime involvement in Scouts and was a Queen Scout in 1971. He has been a Scout, Venturer and Rover Leader for 41 years and was Chief Commissioner of Scouting in Tasmania 2010-16. He has a Silver Kangaroo Award and is a Life Member of the Tasmanian Branch. Mike was 2005 Australia Day Citizen of the Year, City of Clarence, for service to the residents of Clarence. In their spare time Mike and Margot have tried their hand at house renovation. They enjoy traveling, camping and 4WDing and spending time at their holiday place on the East Coast.