Rotarian Eric G. Eugenio

If you could have dinner with one person—living or dead—who would it be, and why?

If I could have dinner with one person, I would choose my Dad, who has passed. It wasn't until after he was gone that I truly understood the lessons he gave me, the kind that stand the test of time. Values like integrity, character, respect, emotional control, compassion, and self-awareness, the things that, to me, are what makes a man and a gentleman. I'd want one more dinner just to tell him that.

What’s one hobby or interest that most people in Rotary probably don’t know you have?

Something most people in Rotary don't know is that I go to the gym every morning. It's less about fitness and more about discipline. It gives me space for quiet reflection before I step out into the day and start showing up for other people.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

“Cutting corners is a slope, not a cliff." I learned this from one of my professors at AIM. It means that compromising your standards is rarely one big, sudden fall, it's a gradual slide of small shortcuts that erode you over time. In a world that keeps selling "get rich quick," I've held on to the belief that anything worth achieving takes patience, grit, and consistency, and that the journey matters as much as the destination.

If you had one free day with no meetings, emails, or responsibilities, how would you spend it?

As a young executive, it's easy to get buried in work and lose sight of the bigger picture. If I had a day with nothing on the calendar, I'd spend it traveling, ideally somewhere outside the country, with my wife. Travel has a way of resetting how I see things; it pulls me out of the routine and forces me to look at problems, people, and priorities from a completely different vantage point.

What’s one item on your bucket list that you hope to accomplish someday?

I've always wanted to climb Mount Everest and reach the summit, my personal BHAG. I want to find out how far I can push myself, and what it reveals about my character and persistence.

What is your favorite part of Rotary?

My favorite part of Rotary is the learning, sitting with seasoned, experienced leaders and hearing how differently they see the world. What strikes me most is that in Rotary, nothing is simply right or wrong; it's the exchange of perspectives and the way each Rotarian's thought process challenges your own that makes the room so valuable.