Florencio C. “Poly” Lat
President Kiwanis International 2018-2019
Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines

Florencio “Poly” Lat of the Philippines was elected president-elect of Kiwanis International in July 2017 at the 102nd Annual Kiwanis International Convention in Paris, France.

Poly has been a Kiwanis member for 27 years. He became President of the Kiwanis Club of Intercity Homes in 1991, Lieutenant Governor in 2000, and served as Governor for the Philippine Luzon District in 2011-12. He is also a Charter Member of the Kiwanis Clubs of Manila Bay and Fort Bonifacio Global City.

Poly, a Charter Walter Zeller Fellow and George F. Hixson Fellow, is one of the Distinguished District Governors honored in the 98th Annual Kiwanis International Convention in Vancouver, British Columbia. He was also a recipient of the Presidential Inspiration Award and Legion of Honor.

Kiwanis ASPAC conferred on him the Awards as Champion in New Kiwanis and SLP Club Building for organizing 28 New Kiwanis Clubs and 17 New SLP Clubs within his term. At the ASPAC convention in Colombo, Sri Lanka, the Philippine Luzon District also won ASPAC’s Best Service Project Award to complete the Grand Slam. On top of these recognitions under his leadership, Kiwanis received The Outstanding Philippine Leadership Excellence Award in Philanthropy (TOPLEAP Award) for Environment, from a joint project of the Rotary Club and Junior Chamber International.

At the recently concluded 2015 ASPAC Convention, he was presented the Centennial Award, the first for members of Kiwanis Asia-Pacific, and was also conferred Special Ambassador of Project: Eliminate MNT for the Philippines.

A Senior Officer of the Philippine National Bank, Poly spends his non-Kiwanis time playing tennis, badminton, chess and having fun with his family and friends.

Gudrun Yngvadottir
Lions International President 2018-19
Gardabaer, Iceland

Gudrun Yngvadottir, from Gardabaer, Iceland, was elected to serve as international president of Lions Clubs International at the association’s 101st International Convention, held in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, June 29 through July 3, 2018.

International President Yngvadottir is a biomedical scientist and has worked in research, education and management. Since 1990 she has worked at the University of Iceland as Vice Director at the Institute of Continuing Education.

A member of the Gardabaejar Eik Lions Club since 1992, President Yngvadottir has held many offices within the association, including district governor council chairperson. She has dedicated her service to children and youth, membership and leadership development, health and wellness, including vision and diabetes, environmental projects and Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF).

President Yngvadottir served as international director 2010-2012 on the Leadership Committee, as chairperson the second year; 2011-2013 on the Women’s Task Force; 2012-2013 she was a board appointee on the District and Club Service Committee; and 2013-2014 on LCIF Governance Ad Hoc Committee.

In recognition of her service, she has received numerous awards including the Kjarans Medal, the highest award of Icelandic Lions; the Lions Crystal, the highest award of Norwegian Lions; several Membership and Extension Awards; eleven International President’s Awards; and the Ambassador of Good Will Award, the highest Lions Clubs International award. She is also a Progressive Melvin Jones Fellow.

In addition to her Lions activities, President Yngvadottir is active in numerous professional and community organizations, including the Icelandic Association of Biomedical Scientists and has been its representative for cooperation between Scandinavian and European scientists.

President Yngvadottir and her husband, Dr. Jon Bjarni Thorsteinsson, a past international director and a Progressive Melvin Jones Fellow, have one son, one daughter and six grandchildren.

Rebecca Butler Mona
Optimist International President 2018-19
North Perimeter Optimist Club

Rebecca Butler Mona is currently President of Optimist International.

Rebecca retired from IBM in 2017 following a 32-year career in a range of national and global marketing leadership roles across IBM’s portfolio of software, services and systems, after beginning in a sales role in Des Moines, IA. Most recently, she served as Director of Global Marketing for IBM’s consulting business responsible for global marketing strategy and demand generation. She concurrently served as Senior State Executive for IBM in Iowa, with leadership for IBM’s employee community engagement and government relations.

Rebecca is a native of Red Oak, Iowa, and holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Drake University, with majors in Marketing and Human Resource Management. She has held a number of alumni volunteer leadership roles at Drake University, and currently sits on the Executive Committee of the National Advisory Board for the Donald V. Adams Leadership Institute (DVALI).

As an Optimist, Rebecca is a charter member and Past Distinguished President of the Noon Optimist Club of Western Des Moines, and has served on the board since the club began in 1989. She is a Past Distinguished and Outstanding Governor of the Iowa District, a Past Vice President of Optimist International, and has chaired numerous Optimist International Committees. Rebecca is currently serving on the Optimist International Board of Directors, elected to a term beginning October 1, 2015, continuing on the Board as President-Elect and now as President.

Rebecca is married (to Mike – also an Optimist member), and is the proud mom of two teen-agers (Amanda and Alex).