2025-2026 District Governors

Michael Ridgeway is a member of Norman (OK) Sooner Rotary Club in District 5770.  He has served as chairman of most of the club’s committees and was President of the club in 2018-19.  He is currently District 5770’s District Governor nominee.

 

Michael has served on a variety of non-profit boards and government commissions and is an attorney in private practice, with a focus on insurance regulatory law. Michael was previously the General Counsel for the Oklahoma Insurance Department, and from 2011 through 2015, he was overseas as General Counsel for the Dubai Financial Services Authority.

 

In addition to degrees in Public Administration and Law from the University of Oklahoma, Michael has completed postgraduate training in leadership and corporate governance from Queen’s College (Canada), Ashridge School of Business (UK), and Hawkamah Institute for Corporate Governance (UAE).

 

Michael's wife, Judy, is also an attorney. Together, they enjoy riding motorcycles, building things, playing with their six grandchildren, and serving others.  They have five adult children who have embarked on their respective careers in Oklahoma, Texas, Illinois, and Australia. Michael and Judy live with their dog, two horses, ducks, geese, and too many cats in a log house on a ranch in Norman, Oklahoma.

 

Damon joined the Rotary Club of Athens, Texas in March 2013 by the nomination of late 173^rd District Judge, Hon. Jack Holland.  Damon is the immediate past 94^th president of the Athens Rotary Club and most recently serves as the district 5830 Disaster Recovery Planning Chairman. He is a consistent Rotary benefactor, a member of the Rotary Bequest Society and Paul Harris Society. 

 

Damon and his spouse, Candace also serve as County Coordinators for Kenya, where they have partnered with local churches and orphanages and is a member of the Board of Directors for Hope Spring Water, where their mission of bringing sanitation, hygiene, and clean water to a thirsty and waiting world aligns with the Rotary Area of Focus – Water, Sanitation and Hygiene.  He also serves as Board President of Crescent Heights Water, a cooperative serving rural areas in Henderson County.

 

In addition, as an avid wildlife conservationist, Damon serves on the Board of the Texas Parks and Wildlife, Inland Fisheries – Friends of the Hatchery Committee in Athens.

 

Damon obtained his training in mechanical engineering technology from the University of Houston and management from Southern Methodist University and applied his training within the global hydrocarbons, infrastructure, environmental and program management firms. Damon is co-founder of an integrated Government Solutions provider, to repurpose a displaced workforce from the energy industry to infrastructure & disaster relief programs.   

 

Damon and his spouse, Candace reside in Athens with their three children, River, Sedona, and Vallie-Ruth. They serve at Sand Springs Church in Athens and also with a global evangelical, Ministry of Vision International. He and his family enjoy extracurricular school activities at Athens Christian Preparatory Academy.  

Edward “Craig” Hardy is a Past President of the San Antonio North Central Rotary Club and currently the District Treasurer for District 5840. He is a Paul Harris Fellow and was awarded the President of the Year in his district after the 2014 Year. He has over 30 years of Rotary experience. He chaired the district’s RLI Committee from 2019-2021 and has frequently served as a facilitator. He has served as an Assistant Governor and on the District Conference Organization Committee and has made presentations to multiple club treasurers. He currently serves as the Treasurer of his club and is a member of its Board of Directors and Scholarship committee. He is married to Carole Hardy. They have four children and eight grandchildren. His hobbies include golf, watching UT athletics, hunting, and the Arts. He is a graduate of Baylor University in Waco and Trinity University in San Antonio, TX. He has a master’s degree in healthcare administration and is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. He is currently self-employed as a healthcare consultant.

Tom is a 33-year veteran of public education.  He has worked in nearly every level of education, from a teacher to assistant principal, dean of instruction, principal, and director positions. He has served students at all levels, including elementary, middle, high school, and special education.

 

Tom has served on numerous school, district, and community committees working with students, parents, board trustees, superintendents, executive level management, and community leaders from all walks of life.

 

In 2016 Tom retired from public education to venture into the educational and business sales sectors. He found more work to be done connecting vital academic service providers to better systems and solutions.  His ventures include the Empowered Network, Project Education and Eden Grow Systems.

 

Tom is involved in a number of community organizations and programs. He feels that he has been called to support the needs of those less fortunate in our communities and, in fact, the world. He is Chairman of the Board for the Feed the Future Foundation.

 

Tom is a Past President and member of the Rotary Club of Baytown, has been named Rotarian of the Year twice, and received the David Kadjar Service Above Self Award in 2023.

Dr. Charles Gilliland, a native of Colorado, grew up on a cattle ranch and graduated from Regis College in Denver, Colorado with an A.B. degree. Dr. Gilliland earned M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from Texas A&M University.

 

Dr. Gilliland currently holds an appointment as a Research Economist with the Real Estate Center in the Office of the Provost and an appointment as Adjunct Associate Professor of Agricultural Economics at Texas A&M University. He also served as Clinical Professor of Finance in the Master of Real Estate program in the Mays School.

 

The American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers bestowed its Golden Quill Award on Dr. Gilliland. The Farm Credit Bank of Texas inducted Dr. Gilliland into the Academy of Honor for significant contributions to agriculture.

 

Dr. Gilliland has served as President of the Bryan Texas Rotary Club where he is a member of the Paul Harris Society. He also has served as Assistant Governor for Rotary District 5910. In addition, he also serves on the Youth Exchange Committee for Rotary District 5910 and Governor Nominee.

 

Dr. Gilliland has an extensive publication record, including a book entitled Buying Rural Land In Texas published by the Texas A&M University Press.