In ons land werd de eerste Probusclub opgericht op 26 januari 1984 door George Dick, lid van Rotaryclub Antwerpen-Ring. George was ook als nationaal coördinator 16 jaar lang de bezieler van de Belgische Probusclubs. Hij overleed op 15 april 2017.
Stany Verougstraete, lid van Probusclub Dendermonde en oprichter van het C.I.C. in 2001, volgde hem in deze functie op van 2000 tot 2005.
Wereldwijd overschrijdt PROBUS 4.500 clubs en telt op heden meer dan 300.000 leden. In België zijn er op dit ogenblik 114 clubs met meer dan 4.150 leden.
Probus clubs were first formed, as an acronym for Pro(fessional) and Bus(iness), in the early 1920's in Saskatchewan, CANADA, and in New Haven, Connecticut, U.S.A., the latter devoted to helping people with mental retardation, physical disabilities, and autism. Because they were not restricted to retired Professional and Business leaders, and had a different objective, they are (were) not associated with our present mainstream of Probus clubs worldwide.
The name was fused into a different type of club in England, and the first non-sectarian Probus club specifically for active retirees was formed in 1966 by the Rotary Club of Caterham, England to allow retired professionals to continue to meet together for fellowship. The previous year, the Rotary Club of Welwyn Garden City, England, formed the "Campus Club" that had the same purpose. The two soon merged and flourished under the sponsorship of the Rotary Club of Bromsgrove, Birmingham, England.
The Probus Information Centre was established over 50 years ago, by our founder Ralph Derek Harper.
Ralph designed the infamous insignia that today gives Probians worldwide recognition.
The P.I.C. was created by Ralph to provide a crossroads of communication, information, and services to Probus Clubs in the UK (as in the late sixties there was none in existence) and is recognised by worldwide Probus board members and Rotary International as the point of contact in the UK.
For over 50 years we have published a listing of the clubs in a directory format. This has become a valuable tool, assisting with the movement and recruitment of Probians, and establishing new clubs.