PROFESSOR AT SOUTHEAST OPTIMIST PRESIDENT-ELECT

Charles R. Wiles, professor of marketing at Southeast Missouri State University, has been named president-elect of Optimist International, one of the world's largest service-club organizations.

He will serve as president-elect for the year beginning October 1, and will serve as president during the 1993-94 year.

Wiles began his teaching career at Southeast in 1969 and has been a member of the Optimist Club of Cape Girardeau since 1973. "I never dreamed when I joined in 1973 that I would one day be the next designated international president," Wiles said.

"But I'm convinced that the experience I've gained during my 22 years of teaching promotion and marketing courses at Southeast and the university's support of my active involvement in the local community have been major contributors to my success in Optimist International. I've been fortunate to have the opportunity to use my teaching experience for the betterment of Optimist International."

For the last eight years, Wiles has been one of just five members (out of 170,000 worldwide) selected to instruct the organization's 53 district governors on how to expand and administer their districts and how to be successful in serving their communities.

Wiles is a past president of the Optimist Club of Cape Girardeau. In addition, he has held a wide range of club, district and international offices. In 1975, the local club named him Optimist of the Year, and he earned the Distinguished President's Award for 1978-79, reflecting his club's outstanding accomplishments in membership growth and community service.

Wiles served as governor in the Missouri District in the 1982-83 year and earned the Distinguished Governor's Award.

At the international level, Wiles served as international vice president in 1987-88 and 1988-89, and has served on numerous Optimist committees.

Optimist International has 170,000 members in 4,300 Optimist clubs in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean and Europe.

There are six Optimist clubs in the Cape Girardeau and Jackson area with over 300 members.