Pirner joins Elkins Rotary Club
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The Rotary Club of Elkins has welcomed Bob Pirner as a new member. Pirner, a US Navy veteran of the Vietnam Era, spent his career leading non-profit organizations and fundraising.
Following college graduation, he served as a member of the President's Council at Sinte Gleska University on the Rosebud Lakota Reservation and secured two major funding streams. Then, moving to West Virginia, Pirner held leadership roles in non-profit organizations and worked as a community organizer and fundraiser.
Pirner was the development officer at SteppingStones in Morgantown and led the organization from a rented room in Westover to a $1M facility in Mylan Park. In June 2009, after recovering from cancer, Pirner joined PACE Enterprises as director of development and was a part of nearly doubling the size of the organization.
A founder of Operation Welcome Home and Miracle League Baseball, two social service nonprofits, Pirner served as the co-founder and executive director of the West Virginia Association for Disability Employment from 2014 to 2022. He is a leader in the Mountaineer Chapter of Business Networks International (BNI) and was part of the group's recognition as one of the top 5% of 10,000 international affiliates. Since retirement, Pirner has volunteered for several non-profit organizations.
Originally from the Rosebud Lakota Reservation in South Dakota, Pirner is a fluent speaker of the Lakota Sioux language. Growing up in an isolated community that held on to traditional values, Pirner learned a way of life that honors generosity and courage. It was that teaching that made him a successful fundraiser. He shares that gift by teaching in the Native American Studies Department of WVU.
With a colleague, Pirner has written two books about non-profit leadership, "Walking in Balance" and "Leading with Balance." Using the lessons from that book, Pirner has been a presenter at state and national conferences, sharing his expertise with other non-profit leaders.
He has been a mentor to several emerging leaders and his advice is frequently sought. Pirner's work was recognized with the 2021 Morgantown Human Rights Award. He is also a recipient of the Jefferson Award for Public Service.
Pirner's sponsoring Rotary member was Owen Peet, facility manager at the Phil Gainer Center.
"As a new resident of Elkins, I'm looking forward to doing what I can to contribute to an excellent community. My wife Connie and I have felt very welcome here," said Pirner.
Rotary is a global network of 1.4 million neighbors, friends, leaders and problem-solvers who see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change - across the globe, in their communities, and in themselves.
Visit www.Rotary.org to learn more about Rotary International, visit the club's Facebook page - Rotary Club of Elkins – or contact 2026-2027 club president Karen Wilmoth at wilmothk@gmail.com for more information about the Rotary Club of Elkins.