Bert Martin saw the project thorough to completion. As district governor of Rotary International District 35, he was president of the Council of International House for the period 1955 to 1962, and retained that position until the committee was replaced by the board of governors as the executive body of council in June 1962 following revision of the constitution. He became president of the board of governors in 1963, holding this office until 1986, thus completing thirty years of service to International House.