David Wittner Mentoring Award – Chris Wang OAM
The Rotary Club of Melbourne Mentoring Award recognises a Rotarian who has excelled as a mentor and advocate for Rotary honouring the memory of Past President David Wittner AM. The Board recognised David’s extraordinary commitment to Rotary spanning 54 years and his willingness to mentor many members, and indeed beyond in the community at large. The perpetual trophy of multi-faceted glass is a reminder of the breadth of character that was David Wittner.
In a year of celebrating the internationality of Rotary, the Wittner Mentoring Award is conferred on our club’s greatest international advocate, a Rotarian of 35 years, and like, David Wittner, a past Captain of the Toorak 1 Group.
Over the past year, Melbourne has hosted the Rotary International Convention, our Club cocktail party at the Windsor Hotel included clubs from around the globe, and our sister club in Osaka, Japan celebrated its centenary.
Chris Wang is this year’s recipient of the Wittner Mentoring Award. He was inducted on the 25th May 1988 sponsored by Tony Kosky and was President of the Club in 2006-07. Chris has led multiple club delegations to Osaka, Japan where, with his partner in crime Shinji Higuchi, he advanced lifelong friendships, instigated joint club projects, and enhanced the relationships and diplomacy between our sister cities. With his wonderful culinary and supportive wife Janet, Chris has for many years home hosted dinners for international Rotarians, including this year during the Convention.
Through the R100 Project Rotary Give Every Child A Future, Chris has expanded the relationship across centenary Rotary Clubs of Sydney, Auckland and Wellington. He has led our club’s engagement with the JWD Rotary Clubs, 25 Clubs founded by Canadian Rotarian James Wheeler Davidson, and the 1921 Sister Clubs, Rotary Clubs also founded in 1921.
Chris has been an outstanding mentor to many club members over his 35 years, continuing to engage new club members with projects such as the “Make A House A Home” project, Around the Bay for the Smith Family, international friendships, his leadership of the Toorak 1 Group, and even the dreaded “Go Pies” group.
Chris Wang is our club’s ultimate ambassador. A no-nonsense collaborator, he embraces the cosmopolitan nature of Rotary and approaches service with fellowship and camaraderie.
Rotary Melbourne is delighted to present Chris Wang with the David Wittner Mentoring .
