Results also include Hope Markes as president-elect and Cathy Szymanski as vice president.
By Tony Knoderer
Michael Mulhaul of Interlaken, New Jersey, U.S., was elected president and Hope Markes of Hanover, Jamaica, was elected president-elect during the House of Delegates at the 2025 Kiwanis International Convention in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. Cathy Szymanski of Erie, Pennsylvania, U.S., was elected vice president.
Timothy Sheppard of Cheyenne, Wyoming. U.S., and Amy Zimmerman of Beavercreek, Ohio, U.S., were elected trustees for the United States and Pacific Canada Region. Also joining the board in October for three-year terms will be Shinichi Yoshikuni of Tokyo, Japan, who was elected as a trustee for the Asia Pacific Region during the Kiwanis International Asia-Pacific Convention in March; and Jon-Fadri Huder of Samedan, Switzerland, who was elected as a trustee for the Europe Region during the 2025 Kiwanis International Europe Convention in May.
All of the Kiwanians above begin their terms on October 1, 2025.
Votes on amendments
The House of Delegates also voted on proposed amendments to the Kiwanis International Bylaws. The following amendments were approved:
- Proposed Amendment 1: Language Cleanup and District Submission of Resolutions. Submitted by the Kiwanis International Board, this amendment will clarify the current language of the Kiwanis International Bylaws requiring districts to be in good standing to submit resolutions. With the rewording, districts and clubs also can better understand the deadline for submission of resolutions.
- Proposed Amendment 2: Regional Boards to Propose Resolutions and Amendments. Submitted by the Kiwanis International Board, this amendment will allow the boards of Kiwanis regions to propose resolutions and amendments, beginning October 1, 2025.
Proposed Amendment 3 — Remote Voting for Kiwanis International Business — was not approved. Submitted by the Capital District Board, this amendment was submitted to provide for candidate nominations and initial review of proposed amendments and resolutions at the Kiwanis International convention, with final voting via secure remote voting.
Details on elected leaders
Michael Mulhaul has been a Kiwanis member for 33 years. A member of the Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany, New Jersey, U.S., he has served as its president and treasurer. He is also a member of the Kiwanis Club of Asbury Park, which he helped charter. He has been both governor and lieutenant governor of the New Jersey District and is currently president of the New Jersey District Foundation and a Kiwanis Children’s Fund trustee. Mulhaul and his wife and fellow Kiwanian, Laura, have three adult children, a son-in-law and a grandchild.
Hope Markes, a member of the Kiwanis Club of Hopewell in Hanover, Jamaica, was governor of the Eastern Canada and Carribean District in 2013-14 and previously served as lieutenant governor. She was also a member of the district’s Strategic Planning Committee and was regional vice chair for The Formula, a membership growth initiative of Kiwanis International. She also has served on the Membership and Education committees. At the club level, she twice served as president. She served as secretary and chair of the Fundraising, Membership and Interclub committees. Markes will serve as Kiwanis International president in 2026-27.
Cathy Szymanski has been a Kiwanis member since 1994. Her home club is the Kiwanis Club of Erie, Pennsylvania, U.S., where she has served as distinguished president and secretary. She was elected a Kiwanis International trustee in 2019. During her tenure, she served as the board’s membership chair and as a counselor for Circle K International, the Kiwanis program for college and university students. Szymanski was a distinguished governor of the Pennsylvania District in 2011-12, following terms as distinguished lieutenant governor and district membership chair.
The 2026 Kiwanis International Convention will be held in Manila, Philippines, June 25-27.