The Decatur Rotary Club - sponsored by the Atlanta Rotary Club - Georgia's first Rotary club, became the first Rotary club founded in the suburbs of America. Its sponsorship by the Atlanta club was originally inspired by the 1936-37 tenure of Rotary International President Will Manier, Jr., of Nashville, Tennessee, and carried through by Governor Tibor Molnar of District 165,

which comprised all of Georgia at that time. By December of 1937, there were enough members together to pledge this Decatur Club. The Decatur Rotary Club held its Charter Presentation Meeting in the dining hall of Emory University in April of 1938. From its original membership of 19 members at that time, America's first suburban Rotary club has today grown from these humble origins to a membership of over 170, and the sponsorship of the Northlake and West DeKalb Rotary Clubs.