International President Message
A message from our International President:
My Presidential Theme – A Heart for Service
We serve with love and compassion in communities around the world. The selfless giving of our time and effort is precisely what makes Lions so special. When we give, we expect nothing in return. Yet we gain so much. Our service offers hope and connection in the face of great need and also extends an invitation to the world to join us. We embrace the joy that comes with “Service From The Heart.”
Lions are a family. A very big, global family — one in which the only requirement is pure and simple: a heart for service. These are the feelings of our 105th International President, Douglas X. Alexander. And who better to lead our international family of service than a decorated Lion of 37 years, who just so happens to have eight siblings of his own?
Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, International President Alexander has been serving his community as a member of the Brooklyn Bedford Stuyvesant Lions Club since 1984. Like many Lions, his love for service began at a young age. Working at a local grocery store, he would help community members before and after his shifts, earning no money but something far more valuable — their appreciation and respect. It was this selfless service that felt the most rewarding, and that led to a belief that he still holds closely today. Service from the heart, selfless and without expectation, offers humanity the greatest gift of all: The opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life.
His journey from Lion Alexander to International President Alexander in many ways mirrors his success as an international businessman. Beginning his career in finance as a bank teller, he understood that if he was patient, worked hard and let his passion shine through, it would all work out in the end. Decades later, he retired as a vice president of J.P. Morgan Chase.
These same qualities — patience, dedication and passion — along with his family-first mentality have made him a remarkable Lion, and the right person to lead our great association forward this coming year.
Service from the heart will guide our way!
Douglas X. Alexander
International President
2021-2022
