Rotary Club of Dubois County names Derek Budd president for 2026-2027

Derek Budd was welcomed as president of the Rotary Club of Dubois County during the club’s annual Changeover Meeting on June 25, with his term set to begin July 1. The Jasper resident and financial advisor with Eagle Crest Financial will inherit a club whose next year already centers on community grants, fundraising and public recognition for local service.

Organizations seeking Rotary support had until Friday, March 20, 2026, to apply for the club’s Community Grant Program. The club also scheduled its 2026 Clay Shoot fundraiser for Friday, April 17, at OFS Cool Springs, with proceeds directed to community grants. Rotary’s ATHENA Leadership Award tradition in Dubois County, which began in 2012, also continues to feed that work, with event proceeds split between the recipient’s chosen charity and the club’s annual grant program.

Budd has been active in Rotary since 2016 and lives in Jasper. His new role gives him responsibility for planning and leading meetings, setting goals, reviewing expenditures and motivating members, the same tasks Rotary International assigns to club presidents. That makes the annual handoff more than ceremonial in a county where the club’s projects and fundraising decisions help determine which local organizations receive support.

The club also used the changeover to recognize Austin Welp as Rotarian of the Year, a reminder that the organization is trying to reward hands-on service as well as formal leadership. Outgoing president Deidra Church, who directs the Memorial Medical Center Foundation, was credited with leading the organization over the past year. The club has also highlighted broader member recognition, including Jim McFaul’s selection as the 2025 Indiana Rotary District 6580 Rotarian of the Year, as Rotary keeps its public focus on service, grants and leadership across Dubois County.