The Birthplace of Exchange… Detroit The Nations Founding Club…

History

The first local Exchange Club was formed in Detroit, Michigan on March 27th 1911. Charles A. Berkey (pictured at right) is the man credited with the founding of this great organization. On that date, Berkey, an energetic leader of the Boosters group, assembled 12 men who formed the world's first Exchange Club. The meeting was held during lunch in a small room at the Penobscott Building in downtown Detroit. The name "Exchange" was selected for the club, officers elected, constitution and bylaws drafted in that first meeting. The meeting adjourned with the understanding that each member would bring another new member.

From those humble beginnings the second Exchange Club of Toledo was formed in 1913. Subsequently, two others were organized in Grand Rapids, Michigan and Cleveland, Ohio.

The Detroit club was also first to be chartered by the National Exchange Club in 1917 with 247 members as a non-profit, educational organization along with the other three.

Since then, hundreds of clubs have been chartered in the United States and Puerto Rico. The National Exchange Club headquarters is presently located in Toledo, Ohio.