David Hayden Selected to Lead District of One of World’s Largest Service Organizations

Smith Anderson attorney and retired U.S. Army Colonel David Hayden began his Rotary year of service on July 1, 2020 taking on a prominent leadership role as District 7710 Governor of Rotary International for the 2020-2021 term. Rotary International is a global network of 1.2 million member volunteers around the globe united to improve local and international communities through taking action on the world’s most pressing humanitarian issues and working together to promote peace, fight disease, provide clean water, sanitation, and hygiene, save mothers and children, support education, grow local economies and support the environment.

Rotary District 7710 consists of 47 clubs in a 10 county region in North Carolina, including Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Lillington, Hillsborough and Johnston County up to the Virginia state line, four additional Satellite Clubs and roughly 2,000 Rotarians. The District Governor holds the status of an officer of Rotary International and is primarily responsible for the administration of Rotary programs within the district, oversight over Rotary advisory groups and service as chair of the District Council. The installment ceremony at which David became Rotary District 7710 Governor took place virtually on June 24, 2020.  

"What other organization has the simple but inspiring motto of Service Above Self?," asked David in a letter to his fellow Rotarians. "Rotarians simply want to help make the world a better place – for everyone. One of the exceptional attributes of Rotarians is that we are all unique in our differences. We represent every ethnicity, culture, gender identity, age group, belief system, religion, profession, and any other category that people use to describe themselves. We draw strength from those distinctions and that is what makes Rotary the greatest community service organization in the world – bar none."

David has been a member of the Rotary Club of the Capital City since he joined in 2006 and served as the president from 2013-2014, during which the Club saw high membership growth and increased diversity. In 2019, Rotary District 7710 donated over $843,000 to Rotary International to support projects locally and around the world. The 47 clubs also conducted multiple service projects in the District last year, investing more than $216,000, half of which Rotarians raised in addition to the $843,000.

Colonel Hayden served as both an Engineer and Judge Advocate Generals (JAG) Corps Officer in the United States Army during a 29-year active military career. He previously served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina and as a member of the Department of Justice Procurement Fraud Task Force for the Southeast. Currently, David focuses his law practice on government contracting, corporate investigations (internal and government), employment law, corporate governance and other general corporate matters. Not only has David achieved favorable results practicing law and throughout his military career, he has obtained remarkable success serving the Triangle business community through his active involvement. David is Chairman of the Board of Directors for North Carolina’s new Veterans Life Center, and he was appointed by Governor Cooper to serve as Commissioner of the North Carolina Military Affairs Commission where he chairs the Economic Development Committee. In addition, David is a current board member of the North Carolina Heroes Fund, a Past Chair of the North Carolina Defense Business Association, a member of the Management Council of the Defense Alliance of North Carolina, and an advisory member of the North Carolina State Bar’s Legal Assistance to Military Personnel Committee.

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About Rotary

Rotary connects 1.2 million members of more than 35,000 Rotary clubs in over 200 countries and geographical areas. Rotary District 7710 is part of Rotary International, one of the world’s largest service organizations, where members believe it starts with a commitment to Service Above Self. Rotarians work improves lives at both the local and international levels, from helping those in need in their own communities to working toward a polio-free world. For more than 110 years, Rotary's people of action have used their passion, energy, and intelligence to take action on sustainable projects.