Gary S. Graham

Gary Graham, a member of the Kiwanis Club of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S, was elected to a three-year term to the Kiwanis International Board of Trustees in 2021 by the Kiwanis International Council in Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.  

Graham’s experience as a college administrator and Key Cub advisor prepared him for his trustee role.  

“Kiwanis is challenged in our second century,” he said. “We must be relevant to the younger generation but maintain our core principles. I see Kiwanis’ many new ideas in my current position — many that are effective and some that can be improved. I will use my years of experience with young adults, 37 years as a college administrator, and 20+ years as an advisor to Key Club and CKI to lead, grow and serve Kiwanis.”   

With Kiwanis, Graham has served as club president and secretary, and at the district level he has been a governor, lieutenant governor, Club Leadership Education instructor and membership chair. He is also a member of the Kiwanis Club of eLaMissTenn, Baton Rouge and Eye of the Tiger eKiwanis, I-I. He has received the District Friend of Foundation honor, the River of Life Award, the Ralph Schmidt Kiwanian of the Year, the Circle K Johnny Roberts Kiwanian of the Year and two district Tablets of Honor. He is also a member of the Carthage-Pullman Society.   

Since 2016, Graham served as a membership coordinator at the international level. He is a member of the Walter Zeller Fellowship and George F. Hixson Fellowship and has received the Centennial Award. 

He holds bachelor’s degrees in foreign affairs and German from the University of Virginia and a master’s degree in public administration from Louisiana State University. He retired from Louisiana State University in 2014. He also served in the United States Army Security Agency.  

Graham is a member of Omicron Delta Kappa, the National Leadership Honor Society; Phi Kappa Phi, an academic honor society; and Pi Alpha Alpha, a public administration honor society. He served as president of the Cedarcrest-Southmoor Civic Association from 1994 to 2015.   

He has been a Cubmaster of Cub Scout Pack 428 since 1992.  

“I have often served as a father figure to many while they are being raised by their single mothers or grandmothers,” Graham said. “I was told once by a single mom that her son had to write an assignment for his class on someone who was his hero; the mom wanted me to know that her son had written his about me.”   

Graham and his wife, Jamie, have four children and 12 grandchildren. Jamie is a member of the Kiwanis Club of Baton Rouge.