On February 23, 1905 a Chicago lawyer by the name of Paul P. Harris, called three friends to a meeting with a specific purpose in mind. What he wished to do was establish a group of business leaders from different vocations which would foster fellowship and goodwill within its membership and the community.

In actuality, that was the first Rotary Club meeting ever although they did not settle on a name until more members joined the organization. The Rotary Club's name is founded on the premise that in the beginning, meetings were rotated at the different member's places of business. As they continued to meet, one of the members suggested a wagon wheel design be used as the logo. It stuck and evolved into the familiar cogwheel emblem worn by Rotarians around the world today.

The second Rotary club was formed in 1908 in San Francisco, California. Learning from the success of the first two Rotarian groups, other cities quickly followed suit. In 1910 the Rotary went international when a group was formed in Winnipeg, Canada. By 1921, the Rotary was represented on every continent, hence adapting the name Rotary International in 1922. Rotary International was adopted in 1922.

From it's original 30 member roster at the end of 1905, the Rotary Club has grown to an impressive 1.2 million member base with 29,000 Rotary Clubs within 160 countries all over the world.

Seeing an opportunity to advance Rotary International Mo Blakey, a Laredo businessman who specializes in the sale of medical equipment, set forth and founded the Laredo Gateway Rotary Club in 1987. Since the club's inception, the membership has grown to 55 members who act as represenatives of their perspective industries.

With this in mind, the Club has carried out the mission that Paul Harris envisioned. Business People helping each other and their community in a proactive and progressive manner.