Fourways Main Reef Rotary Club officially inducted Beate Schulte-Brader as its president for the 2026/27 Rotary year during a ceremony held at The Secret Tea Garden in Norscot Manor on June 27.

The event celebrated the club’s leadership transition and recognised the contributions of now former president Glen Ross, who reflected on a year focused on strengthening the club’s operations and member engagement.

Ross said that at the start of his presidency in July 2025, the club conducted an assessment to identify areas requiring improvement.

“At that stage, 87% of the members indicated that they were satisfied with the overall way the club was performing. From this report, we focused on the areas that needed attention.”

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He added that one of the key priorities was improving the structure of club meetings. Ross explained that the club introduced a monthly programme consisting of a business meeting during the first week, a project meeting in the second week, a guest speaker session in the third week and a social gathering in the fourth week.

To make meetings more engaging, the club also incorporated Rotary facts, monthly Rotary themes, confirmations of previous meeting minutes and various Rotary graces into each agenda.

District governor elect Grace van Zyl presided over the induction of Schulte-Brader, describing the presidency as the highest honour a Rotary club can bestow on one of its members.

“The appointment is not made lightly. It is made in recognition of your service in Rotary in general and to this club in particular.”

She acknowledged that the role comes with new responsibilities and demands but expressed confidence in Schulte-Brader’s ability to lead the club.

“We are confident that you will carry out your tasks with the same zeal you have always shown, and you are assured of the utmost cooperation from every one of our members,” she told Schulte-Brader.

During the ceremony, Schulte-Brader received the president’s collar bearing the names of past presidents, the Rotary president’s badge and the president’s lapel pin before being formally introduced to members as the club’s new president.

Delivering her acceptance speech, titled Challenge Accepted, Schulte-Brader shared a deeply personal account of the obstacles she has overcome throughout her life, explaining that every challenge had prepared her for leadership.

From being told as a child that she would never succeed in mathematics to pursuing higher education, building a successful career in the pharmaceutical industry, leading sales teams in Germany and later raising five children while living abroad, she said she had learned to embrace difficult situations rather than avoid them.

“I tend to accept challenges. Ask me, I shall not say no.”

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Schulte-Brader recalled how she transformed setbacks into opportunities, including leading one of Germany’s lowest-performing sales teams to become one of its top-performing teams before relocating overseas with her husband.

She described becoming president of the Rotary Club of Fourways as one of the biggest challenges she has accepted.

Addressing fellow Rotarians, Schulte-Brader said her leadership would be guided by a personal credo that emphasises respect, trust, encouragement and building meaningful relationships.

She encouraged members to work together in the spirit of Rotary’s motto of Service above self, and expressed her commitment to leading with collaboration and purpose.

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