Rotary In The Second Half Of
The Decade Of 1930-1940
In 1934-1935 the leadership position of the Rotary Club of Birmingham
was held by George V. Klimes, president of Alabama Vinegar Company. As
president, Klimes could claim 205 members a new all-time high in
Rotary membership. Klimes subsequently served as Rotary Governor for
our district. He was the honored guest at a banquet inaugurating the
startup of the Fairhope Alabama Rotary Club in 1938.
Karl Landgrebe served as president of this club in 1935-1936 just as the
effects of The Great Depression were beginning to ease in this country. Landgrebe
was vice-president of the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Company.
The recession of 1937 interrupted the recovery from The Great
Depression and Frank P. Samford led our club as president in 1936-1937.
Samford was president of Liberty National Life Insurance Company. Samford
later served as District Governor. Due to Samford’s active role in civic and
community affairs and his enthusiastic support of Howard College, the
school was renamed “Samford University” in his honor.
After the term of Howard Richards, general manager of the Water
Works, as president, the Rotary year 1938-1939 saw Dr. James S. McLester,
a former president of the American Medical Association, lead this club.
Rounding out the decade of the 1930’s as president of our Rotary Club was Leo
Bashinsky. Leo Bashinsky was born in Troy, Alabama in 1892 and latter attended
Princeton University. At the time of his presidency he was a partner with
Bashinsky-Case Cotton Company. During his term as president, charity
activities were continued with particular emphasis directed to Boys Club work. In
1946, Bashinsky and his brother-in law purchased Magic City Foods, which
would later become Golden Flake Snake Foods.
The 1930’s had proven to be turbulent times for all; however those who
led our organization led us ably through that turbulence.