Bob Corlew, Davidson ’75, was elected to serve as the 100th president of Lions Clubs International this past June at the association’s convention in Fukuoka, Japan. With nearly 1.4 million members in 200 countries, the Lions Club is the world’s largest service organization.

The group’s stated mission is “to empower volunteers to serve their communities, meet humanitarian needs, encourage peace and promote international understanding.” Its current primary service focus is helping the blind and visually impaired. The group also coordinates vision screenings for young children, runs literacy and hunger-relief programs, and assists people affected by natural disasters.

As president, Corlew continued to lead an initiative established in 2014 to serve at least 100 million people worldwide before the organization marks its centennial in 2017. On September 6, 2016, Corlew proudly announced to members that the group had achieved this goal and issued the challenge, “How many more can we serve?”

Corlew joined the Lions Club in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, in 1978 and has since held a number of local, regional and national positions. He’s also been instrumental in chartering several new clubs, the most recent being a club comprised of judges and lawyers that grew to more than 75 members in its first year. At the conclusion of his one-year term as president, Corlew will spend another year as chairman of the Lions Foundation, overseeing nearly $50 million in grant funding.

Before retiring from his professional career, Corlew was a professor at the Nashville School of Law and served for 24 years as chancellor of Tennessee’s Sixteenth District Chancery Court.

Corlew’s commitment to service has also impacted SigEp. He previously served as chapter counselor at Middle Tennessee State and even helped secure the loan for a new chapter home, personally signing the note with three other alumni.

“I think my years at Davidson as a SigEp taught me the importance of brotherhood and working together for a common goal,” Corlew reflected.

Phil Barnes, Middle Tennessee State ’79, has seen firsthand how committed Corlew is to the groups he serves. “He was one of our first chapter counselors at Tennessee Theta. He has been and continues to be one of the kindest, most humble men that I have ever known,” said Barnes. Barnes, who previously worked alongside Corlew as a SigEp volunteer, is also a district governor for the Lions Club. He is confident that Corlew’s leadership will make a lasting impact on thousands, and perhaps millions, worldwide.