President Patricia “Patsy” Garner, a Fort Worth, Texas native, has been an Optimist for over 32 years. She joined the organization in 1989 as a member of the Arlington Community Athletics Club. At present, she is a member of the Arlington Club as well as the Breakfast Optimist Club of East Fort Worth.

She has held key leadership positions in each of her clubs, including Club President, Secretary-Treasurer, Foundation Representative and the chair of numerous committees. During her tenure as Club President, both her Clubs achieved distinguished status, the highest District recognition a Club can achieve.

Patsy’s Club success was a steppingstone to service at the District level. She has held a variety of leadership positions in the North Texas District, including District Secretary/Treasurer, Lieutenant Governor, Governor’s Assistant, and Governor, as well as serving as the Chair of numerous District committees.

Her leadership skills, passion, and “Can Do” spirit provided Patsy the pathway to serve at the international level. Over the years she has been appointed as Chairperson for the New Community Growth, Leadership Development, Ad Hoc Sports Clubs, and Junior Golf Committees, as well as called upon to serve as a Member on a variety of International Committees. In 2011-2012, she was elected to serve as a Regional Vice President and in 2017, she was elected to a three-year term on the International Board of Directors.

Patsy’s expertise and hard work earned her the opportunity to serve as a Certified Trainer, Certified New Club Builder, New Club Building Field Representative, and Master Club Builder.

In 2020, Patsy was elected to serve as the President of Optimist International for the 2021-2022 year to lead the organization in its mission of making a difference in peoples lives and spreading the philosophy of optimism throughout the world.

Patsy works in the accounting field and is married to Past International President Ken Garner. She is the mother of two grown children and has eight grandchildren.

Peter Mancuso of North Bellmore, New York, USA, was elected as president for the 2021-22 Kiwanis year. He was elected during a June special meeting held in lieu of the 2021 Kiwanis International Convention. Peter was first elected as a member of the board of trustees in 2016.

Peter has been a member of the Kiwanis Club of East Meadow for 34 years. He is a past president of the Kiwanis Children’s Fund, which was then known as the Kiwanis International Foundation. He served as distinguished governor of the New York District in the 2003-04 administrative year and distinguished lieutenant governor from 1996-97. Peter is also a past distinguished president of his club. He has been honored as Kiwanian of the Year by his club and division. Peter has chaired numerous clubs, district and international committees on outreach, growth, finance and leadership, among others.

He is a Diamond Level George F. Hixson Fellow; Diamond Level Walter Zeller Fellow; and Centennial Award and Table of Honor recipient. He holds Life Member status and belongs to the Kiwanis Children’s Fund Heritage Society and Kiwanis Leadership Society.

Now retired, Peter was employed as an assistant district attorney, assigned to the investigation and prosecution of financial crimes. He earned his B.S. in economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and his law degree from the Cornell University Law School. He is a past president of the Nassau County, NY Bar Association; past president of the East Meadow, NY Chamber of Commerce; and past president of the MIT Club of Long Island. Peter is also a past dean of the Nassau Academy of Law.

Peter and his wife Karen have two adult children, Stephen and Cathy, and two grandchildren, Sam and Henry. In his free time, Peter likes to exercise, read, watch movies and sports and listen to old time radio.

Douglas X. Alexander, from Brooklyn, New York, USA, was elected to serve as international president of Lions Clubs International at the association’s 103rd International Convention, June 25 through June 29, 2021.

President Alexander is a retired vice president for J.P. Morgan Chase Bank.

A member of the Brooklyn Bedford Stuyvesant Lions Club since 1984, he has held many offices within the association, including club president, zone chair, region chair, vice district governor, district governor, cabinet secretary, cabinet treasurer and DGE group leader. He also served as a Lions Eye Bank transporter, a member of the District and Multiple District PDG Association, a trustee of the New York State and Bermuda Lions Foundation, and was appointed as the Lions representative to UNICEF-New York from 2012-2014. He has served on the USA/Canada Lions Leadership Forum Planning and Host Committees and has been a presenter at several USA/Canada Forums.

In recognition of his service to the association, he has received numerous awards including the club Lion of the Year, Club President’s Award, the Robert J. Uplinger Service Award, several District Governor Appreciation Awards, and the Multiple District Membership Growth Award.

He is also the recipient of numerous International President’s Certificates of Appreciation, seven International President’s Awards and the Ambassador of Good Will Award, the highest honor the association bestows upon its members. He is a Dr. Franklin G. Mason Fellow, a W. P. Woods Fellow and a progressive Melvin Jones Fellow.

In addition to his Lions activities, President Alexander is active in numerous professional and community organizations. He has served as chairperson of the advisory board for the New York Urban League and as a board member of the St. Francis DeSales School for the Deaf. He is also a recipient of the Congressional Record Award.

President Alexander has two daughters, and his partner in service, Shabiki Cazabon, is a Lion and a Progressive Melvin Jones Fellow.