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Upcoming Luncheons
May 19
david nelson
vp of premium partnerships
tepper sports & enternatinment
Join us as David Nelson of Tepper Sports & Entertainment shares insights into the Carolina Panthers, Charlotte FC, Bank of America Stadium events, and the future stadium renovation shaping Charlotte’s sports and entertainment experience.
may 26
North carolina state auditor dave boliek
North Carolina State Auditor Dave Boliek joins the Rotary Club of Charlotte to discuss leadership, accountability, and public service across our state. A former prosecutor, attorney, small business owner, and Chairman of the UNC-Chapel Hill Board of Trustees, Auditor Boliek became North Carolina’s 21st State Auditor on January 1, 2025. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from one of the state’s top elected officials.
June 2
larry keith
former sports illustrated writer & editor
Former Sports Illustrated writer Larry Keith shares stories from a legendary 33-year career covering iconic moments in sports history. A Charlotte native and Journalism Hall of Fame member, Keith is also the author of the memoir Touch ‘Em All.
June 9
Ike belk
co-founder of the U.S. Performance center and Co-Chair of the 2027 Military World Games
Ike Belk, Co-Founder of the United States Performance Center and Co-Chair of the 2027 Military World Games, shares how Charlotte secured this global event and how sport, innovation, and leadership are shaping a lasting regional and international impact.
Celebrating MECK-DEC Day
The Rotary Club of Charlotte celebrated Meck-Dec Day, May 20th.
The citizens of Mecklenburg County declared their independence on May 20th 1775, a full year before the nation as a whole did. The Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence was delivered to the Continental Congress in Philadelphia by Captain James Jack.
NEWS
Patrick Baker becomes
the 109th President of Charlotte Rotary
Since the Rotary Year runs from July 1 to June 30, a ceremony was held on July 15, 2025, to celebrate President Kim’s (Brattain) outstanding year and to install President Patrick (Baker) as the 109th President of Charlotte Rotary.
Born at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Patrick W. Baker was raised in a proud Marine Corps family. His father, Charles Scott Baker, served as a career Marine, and his mother, Elizabeth Smith, was the steady, patient presence who held their close-knit family together. The youngest of four, Patrick was affectionately called the “Oops baby,” arriving more than a decade after his siblings. He grew up in Havelock, North Carolina, and graduated from Havelock High School in 1985.
Patrick earned both his undergraduate and law degrees from Wake Forest University. After starting his legal career in Durham, he joined the City of Durham as an Assistant City Attorney in 1997 and went on to serve as City Manager from 2004 to 2008. In 2008, he became Durham’s City Attorney, a role he held until moving to Charlotte in 2019 to become City Attorney for the City of Charlotte.
A dedicated Rotarian since 2005, Patrick was a long-standing member of the Durham Rotary Club before joining the Rotary Club of Charlotte. He is passionate about Rotary’s mission and values, particularly the Four-Way Test, and is committed to fostering meaningful connections, promoting service, and cultivating an inclusive and engaged club culture.
Patrick has been married to Rae Ann O’Neill Baker since 1994, a relationship that began at the 1984 Sadie Hawkins dance. They have two children: Griffin, a professional baseball player, and Chloe Elizabeth, a museum professional and a graduate of Wake Forest University.
Patrick proudly dedicates his Rotary presidency to Colonel Ray O’Neill, USMC, a past president of the Rotary Club of Oxford and his late father-in-law, mentor, and lifelong example of service and integrity. He wears Ray’s Rotary President pin in his honor and leads with the same commitment to truth, service, and fellowship that has shaped his life and career.
Luncheons
Tuesday at the Fairfield Uptown
Charlotte Rotary meets most every Tuesday from 12:30 to 1:30 at the Fairfield Inn and Suites by Marriott Charlotte Uptown 201 S. McDowell St. Charlotte, NC 28204
