Congratulations to Wayne Colquitt who received Rotary Emeritus status at the Wednesday, May 24, 2023 Rotary meeting.

Here are Tom Millard’s remarks about Wayne:

“It is my honor and privilege today to share with you some background information about the next recipient of the Club’s emeritus status.

Wayne Colquitt was born in Detroit, Michigan. He attended Cass Tech before graduating from Royal Oak Kimball High School. He received his A.B., D.D.S., and M.S. degrees from the University of Michigan in 1964, 1968, and 1975, respectively. He joined the faculty as a clinical instructor in 1970. He was appointed assistant professor of dentistry in 1975 and was promoted to associate professor in 1982. He was an active participant in the school’s teaching and clinical activity having served on several committees. He served as director of the Patient Admitting and Emergency Services Clinic in 1990. He was a member of the American and Michigan Dental Associations, the Washtenaw District Dental Society, the American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, the Organization of Teachers of Oral Radiology, and the American College of Dentists. He was treasurer for the Washtenaw District Dental Society and served on both the peer review and local arrangements committees. He contributed several articles to dental literature on dental radiography and radiographic interpretation.  He has advocated for affordable dental care for the less fortunate by serving as board chairman of the Ann Arbor Community Dental Center. The University of Michigan named him associate professor emeritus of dentistry in June of 1997.

Upon graduation from dental school Wayne enlisted in the military and taught general dentistry and oral surgery in Aberdeen, Maryland from 1968 to 1970. On a leave of absence from the dental school from 1975 to 1976 he taught Oral Diagnosis and Radiology in Cairo, Egypt for Project Hope, and from 1982 to 1983 he served as external examiner in oral diagnosis and periodontics in Lagos, Nigeria. He accomplished all this while maintaining a part time private practice of general dentistry in Ann Arbor, and raising two children with Melinda, his wife of 57 years who is with us today.

Clearly, Wayne’s life has epitomized the Rotary ideal of “Service Above Self.” He has been a valuable member of the Club since he was asked to join in January of 1991 with Carl Gingles and my father Dean Millard serving as his sponsors. He has served on the Youth Development Committee, the International Humanitarian Committee, the Centennial Committee (and was a major donor for the Universal Access Playground), the Audiovisual Committee, has been a board member, is a multiple Paul Harris fellow, a member of the sustainers society, and has participated in tree planting and Touch-a-Truck.

Wayne has pursued a variety of hobbies such as being an avid downhill skier for over 50 years, skiing the slopes of Vail, Aspen, Steamboat Springs, Vermont and Canada. He has restored old BMW motorcycles and toured Europe by motorcycle 8 times. He beautifully restored and enjoyed beating gears in a 1956 Jaguar roadster, as well as owning 3 Porche roadsters. You can still find him on the first Saturday morning of the month hanging out in Bill Milliken’s garage talking shop with other car enthusiasts.

Wayne asked me to recognize him for emeritus status because of the unique legacy we share with my father acting as his sponsor, and Wayne and my father, along with Joan Knoertzer, sponsoring me for membership in the Club.

Along with other distinguished Rotarians, Wayne has been a valued mentor for me in all things Rotary, and it is my personal pleasure and honor to recognize him today as the next Rotary Club of Ann Arbor emeritus status recipient.”