Each Month members of the Rotary Club of Houston sponsors a reception for patients and their families who are staying at Rotary House International. 

Volunteers will chat with participants and share their smiles. A small number of volunteers are needed. 

Chris Canetti
President, Houston 2026 World Cup Host Committee

Chris Canetti is President of the Houston 2026 World Cup Host Committee and oversees the city’s plans to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Prior to his current role, Canetti served as President of the Houston 2026 World Cup Bid Committee and led the successful effort to bring the 2026 FIFA World Cup to Houston. Houston was named a FIFA World Cup host city in June of 2022 after a four-year bidding process.

He took on the World Cup Bid Committee role in 2019 after working 19 seasons as an executive in Major League Soccer.

Canetti was with the Houston Dynamo for 13 years and served as club President for eight years. When he stepped down in October 2018, he was the longest tenured club President in Major League Soccer. He joined the Dynamo in its inaugural season of 2006 as the team’s Chief Operating Officer and was promoted to President in 2010. 

He was a part of three championships with the Dynamo, including two MLS Cup titles and one U.S. Open Cup title. During his tenure, the Dynamo made eight playoff appearances, including trips to seven Conference Finals and four MLS Cup Finals.

Canetti has been on the Houston sports scene for more than 19 years and has established a positive reputation locally and nationally. He was listed on the Sports Illustrated 2013 ranking of the “Top 50 Most Powerful People in U.S. Soccer” by Grant Wahl. He was given Honorable Mention by the Houston Chronicle on the “2019 List of Houston’s Top 10 Most Important Sports Figures” and on the “Top 10 Houston Coaches and Executives for Teams of the Decade.”He was also Named “No. 1 Most Powerful Person in Houston” by AXIOS Houston in 2022 and Honorable mention by Houston Chronicle on 2023 List of “Houston’s Top 10 Most Influential Sports Figures”.

Canetti managed the public-private development of Shell Energy Stadium, a state-of-the art venue that opened in 2012. Since then, the stadium has hosted a variety of great events, from Dynamo games to international soccer, rugby, lacrosse, football, and concerts - including hitshows like Ed Sheeran and Kenny Chesney.  He oversaw the 2010 MLS All-Star Game at NRG Stadium that featured Manchester Unitedand attracted a sellout crowd of 70,000 people, making it the fifth-most attended All-Star game in U.S. history at the time.  Canetti’s was responsible for creating the Houston Dash, the city’s professional women’s soccer team.

Canetti serves on or has served on multiple non-profit boards, including the Greater Houston Boys & Girls Clubs, Central Houston, Inc, Dynamo Charities, Greater Houston Convention & Visitor’s Bureau, and the East End Chamber of Commerce. Over the years, he has led several community initiatives in and around Houston.  He has received numerous honors including the Sports Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Awardand MLS Doug Hamilton Executive of the Year Award. He was honored by the American Diabetes Association with the Houston Chapter’s “Generosity to Mankind Award.”  His most notable community work was in 2013 when he led the efforts to support Newtown, CTafter the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy. Canetti organized “Soccer Night in Newtown” which drew global soccer stars such as Landon Donovan and Mia Hamm and brought together the North American soccer community to provide hope and healing for the town. Canetti remained active in the Newtown community, and, in 2014, he was a recipient of the Charlotte Bacon Act of Kindness Award.

Canetti also spearheaded the Dynamo’s efforts to support first responders by recognizing members of the Newtown, CT and Boston, MA Police Departments after tragedies in its communities. He also led an initiative to support the Houston Fire Department after they lost four members of their squad in a 2013 fire.  Under his leadership, the Dynamo organization contributed to the community’s response after the Hurricane Harvey disaster in 2017. Shell Energy Stadium served as a drop off and distribution point for vital supplies, and the club organized two charitable matches that raised funds for the relief efforts.

He also assisted the Santa Fe (TX) community after a tragic school shooting in 2018, working with a group of Santa Fe High School students to help launch a non-profit organization called Hearts United for Kindness.

Prior to joining the Dynamo, Canetti served as the Assistant General Manager for the New York Red Bulls of MLS. He joined the New York organization in 2000 when it was called the NY/NJ MetroStars. He spent six years with the team in various roles, including Vice President of Marketing & Public Relations.

Ironically, Canetti’s first love was baseball, which he played growing up and in college. After graduation from Quinnipiac University (Hamden, CT) in 1992, he spent six years working with the New Haven Ravens, a Double-A minor league baseball affiliate of the Seattle Mariners and Colorado Rockies – the last three as the team’s General Manager. He was just 26 when he was promoted to GM, making him the youngest GM in baseball.

Prior to joining the Ravens, Canetti was an Associate Sports Editor for the Shoreline Times in Guilford, CT. He received his bachelor’s degree from Quinnipiac and was a four-year letterman for the Bobcats’ baseball team.

He lives in the Houston-area with his wife, Judi, and daughters Kara and Ella.

Join Virtually ---> July 17, 2025

Chief Thomas Muñoz

Houston Fire Department 

Mayor John Whitmire has appointed Thomas Muñoz as the chief of the Houston Fire Department. Muñoz, who retired from HFD as an Assistant Chief, most recently served as the City's Emergency Management Coordinator and the acting Director for the Mayor's Office of Public Safety and Homeland Security.

Muñoz is a member of FEMA's National Advisory Council and has more than 29 years of experience as a first responder and emergency manager. During his 24 years with

the Houston Fire Department, Muñoz oversaw Homeland Security, Public Affairs, and HAZMAT. Muñoz completed the Executive Leadership and Management Certification

from the University of Notre Dame Mendoza School of Business and is a Homeland Security Executive Leadership Program graduate from the Naval Postgraduate School.

He also completed the Component National Security Course at the National Defense University in Washington, DC.

After retiring from HFD, he served as the Emergency Manager and Homeland Security Director for Texas City before re-joining the City of Houston as Emergency Management Coordinator with the Office of Emergency Management.

Muñoz also retired as Commander from the United States Coast Guard (Reserve) after 21 years of service. While in the United States Coast Guard, he served as the Deputy Incident Commander for the New Orleans Vessel Removal Projects, the Texas City YSpill Liaison, and the Emergency Preparedness Liaison Officer during Hurricane Maria in San Juan, PR. In 2007, Muñoz received the Captain Edward R. Williams United States Coast Guard Reserve Award for Excellence. He is also the recipient of five USCG Commendation Medals.

Muñoz holds a Master's degree in Emergency Management and a Master's degree in Homeland Security from American Military University and is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Crisis Communications from Texas Tech University. He received his B.A. in Political Science from the University of Houston.

Chief Muñoz succeeds Chief Samuel Peña and will be the department's 37th chief since 1895, when the department became non-volunteer. The City of Houston thanks Chief

Pena for his years of dedicated service to the Houston Fire Department.

Tom Kelchner
2025-2026 District Governor

Join our collaborative group of three clubs to hear Rotary District 5890 Governor present plans and answer your questions. 
 

From his grandfather to charismatic President John F. Kennedy, Tom Kelchner takes inspiration from personal and global leaders. The common denominators among his heroes were their altruistic and modestly humble approach to the world. Actions speak louder than words. He has shown his belief in big action with big rewards throughout his career.

Come out for fellowship and fun with the Rotary Club of Houston!

Call/text Karen at 713-858-6115 with any questions.

Come out for fun and fellowship with the Rotary Club of Houston!

Call/text Karen at 713-858-6115 with any questions.

Paul W. Hobby has had a lifetime of preparation in family and business dealing with polar opposite people, ideas, and aspirations. His book Glorious Tension: Rediscovering Our Sacred Middle Ground in an Age of Extremism certainly is timely for discussion and your questions.

2024/2025 Recipient - Fred Zeidman

Event is being underwitten so 100% of proceeds raised will go to support Rotary Service Projects.

Some of Rotary Club of Houston Service Projects include:

Burnett Bayland - Provide workshops and programs to help at-promise boys and girls in Harris County Juvenile Detention

Fresh Start - Help Career & Recovery Resources clients, transitioning to life after prison

Operation Turkey - Help to feed 10,000 needy families across Houston

Rise Against Hunger - Help sponsor and prepare meals for families worldwide

Veterans - Purchase and distribute Holiday wreaths for headstones at Houston National Cemetary; host an event for Veterans and provide and serve food, fun, music, hygiene and cleaning products

CPS Adoption Fair - Host an annual event which has resulted in many adoptions

Dictionary Project - Purchase and distribute dictionaries to HISD 3rd graders

Camp Enterprise - 3-day camp for 72 Houston area highschool juniors (11th grade), filled with mentoring, team-building activities and healthy copetitions that leave the participants (adult Rotarian coaches included) changed for the better.  Students are treated to all expenses paid transportation, lodging and food.  Every year, thousands of dollars in college scholarships are awarded.

Please dress business casual.

Thursday, October 16, 2025 – departing from Battleground docks

Greetings,

Port Chairman Ric Campo and Port Houston are pleased to invite you for lunch aboard the M/V SAM HOUSTON, on Thursday, October 16, 2025, for a tour of the Houston Ship Channel.  This is a special tour for the Rotary Club of Houston.

The vessel will depart from the dock adjacent to the Battleship Texas berthlocated in San Jacinto State Park at 11:00 a.m., with an approximate return time of1:00 p.m.  Boarding will begin at 10:30 a.m.  Parking is available in the Battleship Texas parking lot.

Please RSVP with your name and the name of your guest by Friday, October 10th, so that we may accurately plan for lunch.

Business casual attire is recommended, with special attention to the following

Join Team Rotary Club of Houston / Lombardi Award to give cancer the boot!

Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025

MD Anderson's Boot Walk to End Cancer is a 1.2-mile walk in the Texas Medical Center — or in your own neighborhood. This 10th annual fundraiser provides support for patient programs, research, prevention and education at MD Anderson, and 100% of funds raised by participants directly advance MD Anderson's mission to end cancer.

There is no registration fee and no minimum fundraising requirement. However, we encourage all participants to fundraise! When you register for the Boot Walk, you will receive free online and mobile fundraising tools, as well as staff support to help you raise funds and awareness among your friends, families and communities.

On Saturday, Nov. 15, put on your favorite pair of boots — cowboy, rain, combat or other — and join thousands across the country for this year's Boot Walk. All ages are welcome to participate. There's fun for the entire family!

Together, we'll give cancer the boot.

Become part of Team Rotary Club of Houston / Lombardi Award

Donate to Team Rotary Club of Houston / Lombardi Award

Timeline:

• Registration Opens: 8:00 a.m.

• Opening Ceremony: 8:45 a.m.

• Walk Start: 9:00 a.m.

• Celebration:  9:20 a.m.

Location:

Texas Medical Center // TMC3 Helix Park // 1885 Old Spanish Trail, Houston, Texas 77030

Route:

1.2 miles (map and parking details coming soon)

Free Event Day Parking: 

Fannin South Transit Center

1604 West Bellfort Ave., Houston, TX 77054

Free METRORail ride to and from Registration

Supporting cancer research for over 50 years.

http://www.lombardiaward.org