From Youth to Experience: Leadership in Motion

At this past week’s Roswell Rotary meeting, we briefly recognized the Roswell Youth Council — an important reminder that the future leaders of our city are already beginning their journey. While their work is just starting, their presence signaled something larger: our community invests in its youth because we know they will carry the torch forward.  (I was very proud of my Taylor!)

Mayor Kurt Wilson highlighted the success of the 75th Roswell Youth Day Parade, a celebration that brought the entire community together. That milestone event — honoring our youth and affirming the role of leadership development — reflects exactly what Rotary values: preparing the next generation while strengthening the present.

As John Quincy Adams once said:  “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.”

This week, we shift from recognizing tomorrow’s leaders to learning from one of today’s most accomplished.

Bob Hope: Leading by Example

This week, Roswell Rotary welcomes Rotarian Bob Hope — a leader whose career and service have left a lasting mark on Atlanta and far beyond.

Bob’s story began in sports, where he rose from an usher at the Atlanta Braves to directing public relations during Hank Aaron’s historic home run chase. By age 30, he was serving as a vice president for both the Braves and the Hawks, and working side-by-side with Ted Turner during the formative years of Turner Broadcasting.

From there, he co-founded Hope-Beckham, a nationally recognized PR and marketing firm, guiding campaigns for Fortune 500 companies, sports franchises, and major civic events, including the Olympic Games. Yet his leadership extends far beyond business. In Rotary, Bob has chaired international conventions, earned the Service Above Self award, and served as one of Atlanta’s most visible Rotarian voices worldwide.

His impact also stretches to global service. Bob is a founder and vice chairman of the HAVE Foundation, which builds and sustains schools in Honduras, giving children opportunities for education and hope. He has also represented Rotary and the Carter Center abroad, even serving as an election observer in Nepal — putting Rotary ideals into action on the world stage.

In every chapter of his life, Bob has modeled the truth that leadership isn’t just about success — it’s about service, vision, and creating opportunities for others.  Maya Angelou captured it best: “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”  Those who have worked with Bob have felt empowered, respected, and included — the marks of a leader who serves first.

Bridging Generations of Leadership

In just two weeks, Roswell Rotary has celebrated the energy of youth at the parade, acknowledged the promise of student leaders through the Youth Council, and now turns to the wisdom of a seasoned leader in Bob Hope.

It’s a continuum — one generation beginning to learn, another showing what lifelong leadership looks like. Together, they remind us of Rotary’s mission and our city’s future: Service Above Self is not just a motto — it is a way of living that connects young and old, hope and experience.

Sic Vos Non Vobis

Trummie Lee Patrick III
President Roswell Rotary 2025-26