Elijah Ndoye was born and raised in Senegal, West Africa, and moved to Tucson, Arizona in June of 1995. A proud University of Arizona alumnus, he holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with an emphasis in Operations Management. Elijah has built a successful career in banking, with over 20 years of experience serving the Tucson community.
Beyond his professional life, Elijah is a dedicated husband, father, and passionate humanitarian. He is the founder and executive director of The Forgotten Children, a registered nonprofit foundation that supports orphaned, impoverished, and homeless children in M’bour, Senegal. The organization’s mission includes the establishment of a boarding school to provide safe housing, nourishment, and education to children in critical need.
An accomplished musician, Elijah blends world contemporary styles with traditional African instruments. He is also the author of Dream on Seydou: A Memoir of a Senegalese Immigrant, sharing his inspiring journey from West Africa to the United States.
Deeply committed to community service, Elijah has volunteered with Casas de los Niños and Big Brothers Big Sisters and remains actively involved in local initiatives. He is a past chairman of the Greater Oro Valley Chamber of Commerce.
Hugh Thompson received a BA from Yale University and his MD from Yale Medical School. He also did his surgical internship and 1st of residency at Yale then did his orthopedic training at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in NYC. He Immediately served our country as a Captain in the US Army in Vietnam. He has been blessed to be married to Allyn, sharing five wonderful kids and nine grand kids. He retired early to find a second passion, sculpting. He has been active: He was an alternate on the 1956 Olympic rowing team in 1956, has run 3 marathons and climbed to the base camp of Mt. Everest and two other 14,000 ft mountains. Hugh has been a member of our club since 1989 and was our 77th Club President. He has traveled overseas with Rotary on a number of occasions. His recommendation for life is,” Always say yes”, to any new opportunity.
