MDCC Jeff Kriz was born in Monterey, California, on 20 December 1955. He was raised in El Paso, Texas, and graduated from Coronado High School in 1974. He joined the Las Cruces de Noche Lions Club (sponsored by Lion John Miller) in October 1997 while he was residing in Santa Teresa, NM. Lion Jeff now resides in Albuquerque where he is a member of the Albuquerque Rio Grande Lions Club.  He has made his career in Sales and Marketing working for Discover Card before becoming owner of Right Track Mobility, Inc., which donated an electric mobile chair to a young woman during the 2006 Women's Symposium held in Ruidoso.

Since becoming a Lion, MDCC Jeff has been active with many projects in particular the NM Lions Eye Foundation where he is current a member and served as President (2006-07 and 2007-08). Lion Jeff has also been involved with the NM Lions Eye Bank and the NM Lions Crane Reading Foundation. He has served as President of the Las Cruces de Noche Lions Club and District 40S Cabinet positions of Zone Chair, Extension Chair, and District Governor (2006-07).

Lion Jeff's significant other is Patti Farley and has a son, Phillip, who graduated from college in 2006.

District 40S Governor Kitty Callender

District Governor Kitty Callender was born Kathleen Metts in 1954 in New Hampshire. She graduated from high school in 1972 and attended Keene State College until she married in 1975. She and her husband had a son, E. J.Thor, who is 32 and lives in New Hampshire with his daughter and fiancé, Michelle, and her two children. Lion Kitty moved to Ruidoso with her second husband, Frank Jelsovsky, in 1995. Frank died in 1998. A year later, Lion Kitty found her "life calling" - Hospice. She worked for one hospice until 2003. She then went to work for Home Care and Hospice where she was a Volunteer Coordinator and Bereavement Coordinator. Lion Kitty left hospice in January 2005 to travel with her husband, District Governor Bob Callender, as he made his visitations and attended various Club, District, and Multiple District functions and events.

Lion Kitty met Lion Bob in 1999 and he sponsored her in Lionism in 2000 as a member of the Ruidoso Valley Noon Lions Club. Lions Kitty and Bob chartered the Capitan Smokey Bear Lions Club in June 2005. Lion Kitty was the Charter President (2 years). Both she and Lion Bob have been very active in Lionism at the Club, District, and Multiple District levels. Lions Kitty and Bob were married at a Lions Club fundraiser - the first wedding ever held at a Ruidoso Oktoberfest! When she and Bob married, she became a stepmom to Bob's 2 sons and Grandma Kitty to 8 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. Lion Kitty recently said, "Being a Lion has given me an opportunity to serve my community, my state, my fellow Lions.

Lion Bernie, a native of Germany, came to the United States as a young man in 1958. From 1960 to 1962 he served in the U.S. Army from which he was discharged with the rank of Sergeant. He then resumed his civilian career in the chemical import/export business retiring in 1996 as Vice President Sales & Marketing for a small privately owned company.

Bernie became a Lion in 1989 when he joined the Oradell, NJ, Lions club in District 16-A. Starting in 1992 he served continuously as the club’s Secretary until 2004. During this period he also served twice as Cabinet Secretary for District 16-A. He received two International President’s Certificates of Appreciation, a Melvin Jones Fellowship and numerous awards for perfect attendance. After moving to Santa Fe, Lion Bernie joined the Capital City Lions club. He became the Club’s Secretary in 2006 and continues in this position. During  2007-08, he served as Cabinet Secretary/Treasurer for District 40N.

He and his wife Barbara enjoy reading, traveling and attending opera and other classical music performances. They are the proud grandparents of one girl and two boys, all living on the East coast. In addition to their work for the Lions, they are active volunteers for the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, the Santa Fe Community Orchestra, Girls Inc., the International Folk Art Market, and the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian. They also support the Young Artists Competition of the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra.