When Philippe Lamoise’s father came from Paris to visit a dozen years ago, he asked his son to join him at a Rotary meeting and act as his translator. Rotary appealed and today Lamoise serves as the district governor for San Diego and Imperial counties, with 60 clubs and 3,750 Rotarians under his leadership.

Born, raised and educated in France, Lamoise moved to San Diego as a software engineer in 1992. After working on several successful projects and receiving a Technical Excellence Award from SAIC in 1997, Lamoise started his own business in 2000. His company, D2G Online, specializes in building interactive database systems and Web development.

The two-time Rotarian of the Year also operates a video production company, D2G Productions, and is a certified producer and technical supervisor at the Del Mar Television Station, a public access channel. One of Lamoise’s documentaries, “A Walk in the Park,” aired on KPBS in 2003. He also produces documentaries for Rotary International, showcasing the work it does worldwide.

Lamoise, 39, most enjoys the international humanitarian projects he is able to help coordinate as a Rotarian. After he puts in his long week as district governor, Lamoise also is involved with the San Diego French-American Chamber of Commerce.

His move to San Diego has been “so far so good,” Lamoise says with no intention of leaving. Two years ago Lamoise cemented his fate by becoming a U.S. citizen. That doesn’t keep him from visiting France three to four times a year where his “very long-distance” girlfriend lives.