Dean Rohrs, a Rotary Club of Langley Central member, has been appointed 2017-18 Vice President of Rotary International.
"I'm extremely honoured," Rohrs told The Times on Sunday.
"It's absolutely overwhelming and unbelievable the trust and faith that has been placed in me."
Rohrs is currently serving as one of 17 Directors on the Rotary International Board, representing Canada, Bermuda, Alaska and 10 other states in the US northeast.
With her husband Rhino (Reinhold), Rohrs is an owner and administrator at Rhide Technologies Inc., which supplies soil stabilization products for road construction.
The couple, with their three children, emigrated to Canada from South Africa 27 years ago.
Rohrs was a nurse in Cape Town, South Africa, who was part of Dr. Christiaan Barnard’s heart transplant team.
"I consider myself to be an exceedingly ordinary Rotarian," Rohrs said.
"It just shows that, even as a woman, you are accepted in Rotary on a truly equal opportunity basis."
Since joining Rotary in 1989 Rohrs has served as Rotary co-ordinator, regional Rotary Foundation coordinator, and District Governor.
She will attend her first meeting as vice-president in July.
There are 1.2 million members in 34,000 Rotary clubs around the world.