Tom Gooding has been named Rotary District 6920 Assistant Governor of the Year. He was recognized for his leadership, service, and efforts to support Rotary programs that help the district’s 58 clubs and over 2,600 members.

As Assistant Governor, Gooding is responsible for the Rotary clubs of Valdosta, Valdosta North, and Nashville-Berrien. The Valdosta Rotary Club was recently named the Large Club of the Year and the Valdosta-North Rotary Club named the Medium Club of the Year for District 6920. Both clubs also received the District Governor’s Club of Excellence Award.  The Nashville-Berrien Rotary Club earned the Silver Level Award for outstanding service, leadership, and community impact.

Among his other contributions to the District, Gooding developed three resource guides and led classes to help Rotary clubs establish companion clubs, strengthen new-member engagement, and organize educational seminars that equip law enforcement officers to better recognize and respond to human sex trafficking. In 2025, he also created several project guides to help Rotary clubs expand and enhance literacy and scholarship initiatives.

“It is truly an honor to receive this recognition,” Gooding said. “I believe strongly in the power of service, leadership, and working together to strengthen our communities. I’m grateful to work with Rotarians throughout District 6920 who make a real difference every day.”

He has been a dedicated Rotarian for over 40 years and has spent 27 of them as an active member of the Valdosta Rotary Club, where he twice served as club president, and has maintained perfect attendance since joining Rotary in 1984.

Gooding is a Paul Harris Fellow, a member of the Paul Harris Society, a Will Watt Fellow, and a Rotary Foundation Major Donor.  He also serves as the Co-director in District 6920 for the Rotary Leadership Institute and leads RLI classes throughout several Rotary Districts.

Rotary District 6920 Governor Terry Adkins said Gooding’s dedication to service, education, and mentorship made him an obvious choice for the award.

“Tom exemplifies what it means to be a Rotarian,” Adkins said. “He creates resources that help clubs grow, involve members, and tackle important community issues, which has made a big difference in our District. He leads by example and always works to make Rotary better for the future.”