New Iberia Rotary Club member Chris Whipple was recently appointed to serve as an assistant district governor of Rotary International District 6200 and Jere Cooper was elected president of the New Iberia Rotary Club.

Whipple was appointed by then-District Governor Mark Lacour and asked to serve a three-year term as assistant district governor.

Rotary International District 6200 is split up into 13 regions covering 52 individualized clubs across South Louisiana. Whipple will serve the New Iberia, St. Martinville, Abbeville and Kaplan Rotary Clubs.

“My main responsibility is to be the eyes and ears of the District Governor Tom Acosta in these clubs,” said Whipple. “I can attend, participate and share my ideas at club board meetings and I have the authority to install new club officers if called upon to do so.”

Whipple had joined the New Iberia Rotary Club in August 2006. After serving several years on the board of directors of the New Iberia Rotary Club, he was elected treasurer and then president of the club for the 2011-2012 Rotary year.

“I will be available as an information resource to the officers and board of each of my assigned clubs on all things Rotary,” he said.

Whipple is a retired senior consulting sales executive from IBM Corporation. He owns Eye to Eye Studios in Loreauville, specializing in portrait, event and sports photography.

Cooper became a member of the New Iberia Rotary Club in 2006.

He and his wife of 12 years, Shelley, have three children, Josh, Payton and Luke.

“I would like to see growth in the Rotary’s membership and continue the community involvement,” said Cooper.

Cooper has worked as a watchmaker at Allains’ Jewelry since 2001 and started a contract watch repair business in 2002.

He has achieved certifications from several high end watch company’s and currently holds a CW 21 certification.