Tune in here as Mary Beth Growney Selene shares her thoughts on Rotary and life!
Mary Beth Growney Selene Reflects on Leadership, Humility, and the Power of “We” in Rotary
When Mary Beth Growney Selene reflects on her journey in Rotary, she begins with a story that perfectly captures the spirit of service.
While preparing for a recent presentation, she was watching the Wisconsin Badgers women's ice hockey compete against the Ohio State Buckeyes women's ice hockey for the national championship. The Badgers’ head coach, Mark Johnson, a member of the legendary 1980 United States Olympic hockey team, has led Wisconsin to nine national titles during his tenure.
One quote from Johnson stood out to her:
“It doesn’t matter who is on the ice. It doesn’t matter who is scoring. It is just about what I can do to help the team win. It’s not about me. It never has been and it never will be.”
For Selene, that philosophy mirrors Rotary at its best.
“In Rotary,” she says, “my two least favorite words are ‘I’ and ‘me.’ My favorite words are ‘we’ and ‘us.’”
Joining Rotary at a Historic Moment
Selene joined Rotary in October 1987, the year women were first allowed to join Rotary clubs in the United States. Yet she says she never thought of herself as a “woman Rotarian.”
“I simply thought of myself as a Rotarian.”
It would take a few more years before women could join Rotary worldwide. At the Rotary International Council on Legislation in 1990, the organization officially opened membership to women across the globe. Selene is quick to point out that advocates for women in Rotary had been pushing for change long before that, including members in India and Sri Lanka as early as the 1950s.
Early Leadership and Saying “Yes”
Selene’s Rotary leadership journey began almost immediately. Just a year after joining, she was asked to serve as Sergeant-at-Arms for her club during the 1988 - 1989 Rotary year.
She credits that opportunity to the trust placed in her by club president Hal Rebholz.
“He took a chance on a new member (a woman) to help make guests and visiting Rotarians feel welcome,” she recalls. “I had a blast.”
Her willingness to step forward soon led to a position on the club’s Board of Directors and, eventually, to serving as club president in 1993 - 1994.
Selene still calls club president “the best job in Rotary.”
Her leadership philosophy was simple: if you are interested in serving, don’t say no.
“When you say yes to a role,” she advises, “do the job you agreed to do and do it the best way you can. Don’t worry about what’s next. When you do a good job, the people who should notice will notice.”
Leadership Through Respect
Throughout her presentation, Selene emphasized that Rotary leadership is less about authority and more about how you treat people.
Her advice is straightforward:
- Honor fellow members and respect their service.
- Always say “please.”
- Always say “thank you.”
- Ask questions directly and answer them honestly.
- Treat others the way you want to be treated.
“When you are serving in a leadership role,” she notes, “others are learning from you.”
A Lifetime of Rotary Service
Selene’s Rotary journey has taken her through nearly every level of leadership within the organization.
After serving as club president, she went on to serve as club secretary and later as an Assistant Governor. In 2000 - 2001, she became District Governor of what is now District 6250 in southwestern Wisconsin.
Her leadership continued to expand internationally. Over the years, Selene has served in numerous roles including district membership chair, district foundation chair, regional Rotary Foundation coordinator, zone public image chair, and Rotary coordinator.
Her dedication and leadership ultimately led to two of Rotary’s highest positions: serving as a Rotary International Director from 2013 - 2015 and later as a trustee of The Rotary Foundation from 2016 - 2019.
Today, she continues to serve Rotary through the Operations Review Committee and through Rotary Action Groups focused on addiction prevention and global water, sanitation, and hygiene initiatives.
Yet despite her many international roles, Selene says she has returned to what she calls her “best job again” as serving as president of the Madison West Middleton Rotary Club.
“The coolest Rotary club in the world,” she adds with a smile.
The Personal Impact of Rotary
For Selene, Rotary’s impact extends far beyond service projects and leadership positions.
Through Rotary, she met her husband, Alan, while both were attending District Governor-Elect Training. They were from neighboring districts and married on January 1, 2001, halfway through their year of service as governors.
Her professional life has also been shaped by Rotary. Selene started her business the same year she joined Rotary. While she never sought business opportunities through the organization, clients often found her through the relationships and reputation she built within Rotary.
“They came to me because they understood my integrity,” she says.
Lessons for the Next Generation of Leaders
As she reflects on nearly four decades of Rotary involvement, Selene offers simple but powerful advice:
- Never act like you know everything.
- Engage others and encourage leadership in them.
- Listen and observe people’s strengths.
- Stay humble.
- And above all, never make it about yourself.
Rotary, she says, is ultimately about collective impact.
“Joining Rotary is the best decision I ever made,” Selene reflects. “I cannot imagine my life without Rotary.”
And perhaps her guiding principle says it best:
In Rotary, and in life, it’s never about “I” or “me” but rather about “we” and “us.”