DGE MICHAEL YEE
Michael’s first contact with Rotary was as a member of Raffles Institution Interact Club (1975-76). He joined Rotary Club of Garden City on 11 February 1989, the club’s first non-charter member. After serving his club in various capacities, 14 years later, in 2003-04, he became club president. He helped his club garner five district awards and the Presidential Citation. When he becomes district governor in 2016-17, he would be 58 years old and would have been a Rotarian for 27 years.
Michael is married to Helen and they have a son, Augustine. Michael graduated from National University of Singapore with a Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and a Master’s degree in English studies. He loves reading, reads voraciously, and researches on a wide range of subjects: from science to social studies, from philosophy to psychoanalytic studies, and from critical theory to cultural studies. Of course, he also writes a lot.
As a professionally trained editor and journalist, Michael the wordsmith is especially interested in producing quality publications. He revolutionised the way the district directory was edited and produced, first in 2009-10, then in 2011-12. He produced a comprehensive Rotary information handbook in 2012-13, which would be good for use over three years, 2012-15.
Michael is a media representative with PennWell Corporation, a US business media, events, and marketing communications company serving global markets since 1910. With his experience in organising and marketing international petroleum conferences and exhibitions, Michael set about improving the way seminars were conducted and marketed in the district. He organised the first decentralised District Membership Seminars in 2010-11, the first decentralised District Vocational Service Seminars in 2011-12, which was again organised but with a new format in 2013-14, and the newly constituted District Rotary Foundation Seminars in 2013-14. He organized the first decentralised joint District Membership, Public Image, and Rotary Foundation Seminars in 2014-15.
Active in his club, Michael also is active in the district. He has served the district in various capacities: as district chair for public relations, membership development, vocational service, and editor of several governors’ newsletters, print and online. He also served as assistant governor and district coordinator for water, public image, the Paul Harris Society, and district endowment and major gifts. He facilitated at several PETS and district assemblies, and the Rotary Leadership Institute. Besides regularly attending district assemblies and conferences, he also found time to attend seven Rotary Institutes and three Rotary International Conventions.
In Singapore, he served six years as a director of Foundation of Rotary Clubs (Singapore) Limited and chaired its Finance Committee for four years. He was organising chair of the 2006 PETS and district assembly, and program chair of the 2013 and 2014 district conference, and the 2015 PETS and district training assembly. In the District Rotary Foundation Committee, he chaired the Rotary peace fellowships subcommittee, fundraising subcommittee, and twice chaired the PolioPlus subcommittee.
Michael is a Benefactor, Major Donor (Level 1), and Paul Harris Society member. He won several district awards for his work as a district officer. He also won three Rotary International and Rotary Foundation awards: the 2008-09 RI Avenues of Service Citation for an Individual Rotarian, the 2011-12 Rotary Foundation Citation for Meritorious Service, and the 2013-14 Rotary International Vocational Service Leadership Award.