Greenfield native Chuck Shonkwiler installed as Rotary District Governor
Outgoing District Governor Heidi Schiller, Rotary International Board member Mike Kelly and new District Governor Chuck Shonkwiler are pictured at the District Installation Banquet. (Photos courtesy of Ron Coffey/Greenfield Rotary Club.)
Courtesy of Greenfield Rotary Club
https://greenfieldrotary.org
Greenfield native son Chuck Shonkwiler was installed as Rotary District 6670 District Governor on June 25 at the Beavercreek Golf Club, thus becoming the highest-ranking Rotarian from Greenfield since George M. Waddell was District Governor in 1951-52.
And while Shonkwiler has never been a member of the Greenfield Rotary Club due to a career path that involved stops in other southern Ohio communities, his installation was a source of pride to many Greenfield community members who have known him through the years.
“We wanted to show our support for Chuck because he’s a longtime friend, and we admire him for taking on the district governorship,” said Ron Coffey, a former president of the Greenfield Rotary Club, who attended with his wife Dianna. “Becoming District Governor is a great honor but also involves a lot of time and effort on his part, as Chuck will be visiting all 45 of the clubs in the district and generally will have a very busy year,” Coffey added.
Current Greenfield Rotary President Quincey Gray also attended the event to show support for the new District Governor, and a congratulatory card signed by many of the Greenfield Rotary members was presented to Shonkwiler.
The new District Governor is a member of the Fairborn Rotary Club, and has been a member of other clubs during his career as a pastor, which involved several moves around southern Ohio. DG Shonkwiler credited his wife Karen for encouraging him on his Rotary journey.
Shonkwiler follows Heidi Schiller as District Governor, and he expressed thanks for her leadership and mentorship as well as to other members of the district team who have helped the district enjoy many successes through a combination of hard work, collaboration and innovation.
The new District Governor plans to make at least one visit to each of the clubs in District 6670 during the coming year (July 1 through June 30). A team of several Assistant District Governors will help keep the lines of communication open among the clubs.
Growing up in Greenfield, Chuck was the oldest of three children born to Charles and Rita Shonkwiler. He recalls life in Greenfield being quite simple in the 1950s and '60s, enjoying family outings on Rocky Fork Lake and family camping trips across the United States.
Chuck graduated from Edward Lee McClain High School in 1971 and left for Annapolis, Maryland, and the United States Naval Academy just three weeks after graduation. For the next 16 months, he attended daily drills, cruised across the Atlantic Ocean, and trained to be a naval officer. In the early fall of 1972, Chuck left the Naval Academy to pursue a career as a pastor.
He attended Cumberland College in Williamsburg, Ky., where he graduated with a BA in history with a minor in mathematics in 1976. During his senior year, Chuck served as vice president of the Student Government Association. Besides the course work and Student Government activities, he also served as pastor and youth pastor in churches near school. In 1977, Chuck began his theological studies at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Ky. While there, he also served as a part-time pastor in southern Ohio. Chuck graduated with a Master of Divinity in May 1980. After college, he served in various churches in north, central, and southern Ohio from 1980 to 2021 as a United Methodist pastor.
Pictured below are Karen Shonkwiler and her husband, Chuck, the Rotary District 6670 Governor for 2026-27.
Chuck met Karen Loveless during college orientation in 1973, and they were married March 9, 1974. Now 52 years later, they are the parents of three, grandparents of nine and have one great-granddaughter.
Chuck has been involved in Rotary since October 1997, beginning with the Rotary Club of Fairborn. After moving to Hillsboro in July 2003, he became a part of the Rotary Club of Hillsboro. The next move in 2010 brought a change to the Rotary Club of Blanchester. Upon his retirement and a move to Fairborn, Chuck returned to that Rotary Club in 2018.
Since becoming a part of Rotary, Chuck has grown to appreciate many of the benefits provided by participating in Rotary Clubs and district Rotary activities. Serving as President of Blanchester, a small club, allowed for learning more about the activities and benefits of participating in Rotary International activities. After returning to Fairborn, being allowed to be President of a thriving Rotary Club added even more commitment to serving Rotary in every way possible.
Chuck became a District Assistant Governor in 2023, and enjoys assisting other clubs and looks forward to learning even more ways to serve Rotary.
“Congratulations to District Governor Chuck Shonkwiler on attaining this leadership position,” Greenfield Rotary President Quincey Gray said. “We look forward to working with DG Chuck and his team. This should be a great year for the Rotary Clubs in District 6670.”
Below are Outgoing District Governor Heidi Schiller, incoming DG Chuck Shonkwiler and 2027-28 DG Beth Huber are pictured at the District 6670 Installation Dinner June 25 at the Beavercreek Golf Club.
