When Homer Buchanan was elected the imperial potentate of the Ancient Egyptian Arabic Order Nobles Mystic Shrine, he became the first area man to achieve that honor.

As the imperial potentate, Buchanan oversees the fraternal, social and charitable organization’s 500 temples and courts in North and South America.

Buchanan, who resides in Trotwood, described his job as similar to a CEO or chief executive officer. He will represent the Shriners at events such as laying the wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. He will also oversee the organization’s charitable projects, including raising money for diabetes research and youth development.

Buchanan’s involvement with the Shriners began about four decades ago.

“I first got involved with Shriners because I saw some of the things they were doing in the community, and it impressed me,” Buchanan said.

Buchanan, who is retired from the Mead Corporation and Smartworks.com, has a long history of civic involvement. He has served on the Montgomery Round Table Community Action Research Committee, Dayton Education Council, the Children’s Services Board, and the Welfare Advisory Board.

He said his leadership role with Shriners began about 20 years ago when he was first elected into a leadership role within the organization. Over the past 20 years, his responsibilities have grown. Before being elected as the Shriners’ 40th imperial potentate, he served as deputy imperial potentate.

“I’m the first one from Dayton to ever serve in this office,” he said.

As imperial potentate, Buchanan has an office staff of four in Dayton. During his two-year term, Buchanan expects to travel frequently. The Shriners has chapters throughout the United States and in 15 other countries.

During his term, he also plans to focus the organization’s charitable projects, including fund-raising for diabetes research.

“Our focus is diabetes and have made a 10-year, $1-million commitment to the American Diabetes Association for research,” he said.

The organization’s Shriners as Mentors program targets “at-risk” and “high-risk” African American youths and provides mentoring, tutoring, and counseling to students in critical academic disciplines.

“While we are mentoring them in academics, we also push them to exercise and have good eating habits,” Buchanan said. “We want to steer them in the right direction so they will have successful, healthy lives. We give them confidence and help them turn their lives around.”

The organization also offers educational scholarships to assists low-income students who have achieved academic success in high school.

Buchanan, a retired senior analyst programmer and senior electronic commerce analyst, and his wife Glenda have two children.