Barry Sparkes named our new Assistant Governor in 2012/2013

DG David Stocks is pleased to announce the appointment of Barry Sparkes as the new Assistant Governor Elect of Area 2B. Sparkes was born in England in 1950. He emigrated to Canada in 1955 and grew up on a farm outside of Beaverlodge in northwestern Alberta. He joined the Royal Canadian Navy in 1967 and graduated from the Royal Military College in 1971 with a Degree in Civil Engineering and a Commission in the Canadian Forces.

For the next 34 years he travelled Canada and the world in the service of his country – including 10 years on Her Majesty’s Canadian Ships and tours of shore duty in the UK, USA, and Russia. His last assignment was as Commanding Officer of the Canadian Forces Maritime Experimental and Test Ranges at Nanoose, just outside of Nanaimo. Barry retired from the Navy in 2005 and continues to reside in Nanaimo, with Bonnie, his wife of 38+ years. In addition to Rotary, he keeps active in Softball (Senior Slow Pitch), Curling (Senior Men’s), Track & Field (Senior) Barry drives for Meals on Wheels, and serves on Nanaimo’s Park, Recreation, and Culture Commission.

Barry joined the Rotary Club of Lantzville in 2003, served as Club Secretary 2004 to 2007, then ‘through the ranks’ to serve as Club President in the 2009-2010 Rotary year. He is a Paul Harris Fellow +1.