Immediate Past President Mary Liu (Real Estate: Sales | JM Real Estate Group) welcomed everyone attending either online or in person inside the Carmel Ballroom at the Hotel Nikko at 12:14 PM. She then introduced our 2022-2023 Club President - Christopher Wiseman (Event Planning | Glaucoma Research Foundation).
Induction Ceremonies Led by District Governor Gary Chow
Our new District Governor, Gary Chow, joined in person to induct President Christopher and then, our Club's 2022-2023 Board of Officers and Directors. DG Gary brought out his bag of coins and gave President Christopher and each Board member present a Rotary Four-Way Test Coin.
Visiting Rotarians and Special Guests
Today's Visiting Rotarians were District Governor Gary Chow from the Rotary Club of South San Francisco, Immediate Past Assistant Governor Liz Mark from the Rotary Club of San Francisco Chinatown, Peian Harness (President of the Rotary Club of Novato), Rhonda Pierce (President of the Rotary Club of San Francisco Chinatown), and Alessandro Morganti all the way from Italy. Also in the house was Assistant Governor David Dye (Management Consulting | Retired). Joining via Zoom were District Governor-Elect Laine Hendricks (Public Relations and Marketing | County of Marin), Dick Bennett (President of the Rotary Club of San Mateo), and Fritz Brauner (President of the Rotary Club of Burlingame). Among the many special guests who attended to honor President Christopher were Alan Wong (City College of San Francisco Trustee), Johana Klade (a former Rotary exchange student from Austria), David Murphy (Chief of the San Francisco Park Police), Valerie Evans on Zoom, and Larry Meek on Zoom.
Thank You
President Christopher thanked today's meeting volunteers (listed at the end of this story). He also presented a plaque and gavel to Immediate Past President Mary for bringing hybrid meetings to our Club, for being his mentor, and for her outstanding year as our Club's President.
First Presidential Message
President Christopher kicked off his first meeting with some fun facts about himself. There was a handout at each lunch table containing these facts. Next, he took us through our Rotary's history. Can you guess what the first ever Service Project in Rotary was?
President Christopher shared his goals for this Rotary year:
- Empower the Membership - All of you!
- Develop Club Leadership.
- Enhance Member Engagement.
- Grow our Community - Partnerships, New Members, and Collaborations.
- Encourage Long-Lasting Friendships.
Rotary is also about fun. President Christopher shared some of the fun events in the year ahead including a fall fashion show. Then, he announced the dues increase effective July 1, 2022.
2022-2023 Board and Special Volunteers
President Christopher introduced the members of the 2022-2023 Board. Each took a turn to share plans or goals for the year. Vice President of Community Service Emily Borland (Engineering, Architecture, and Construction | Emily Borland Specifications) spoke from the East Coast via Zoom. President Christopher shared the goals of Vice President of Development Maureen O'Shea (Governmental Relations | Retired) and Vice President of Public Relations and Communications Brian Lan (Information Technology: Financial Services | DocuSign) who were unable to attend.
Then, President Christopher introduced some Special Volunteers within our Club: Dora Dye (appointed Executive Secretary and Editor of Grindings); The Rotary Foundation Chair Jim Patrick (Retail: Office Supplies | Patrick & Co.); Scott Plakun (Management Consulting | The Plakun Group) who leads our DEI Committee, our Speakers' Committee, and is our webmaster; Andrés Vera (Entertainment | Self-Employed) who chairs our Rotary Climate Action Team; Alisha Marfatia (Information Technology: E-Commerce | EvolveWare) who is our new Social Chair; and Luis Moran (Real Estate: Sales | Coldwell Banker) who is president of the San Francisco Rotary Foundation. Each took a turn to share plans for the new Rotary year.
Share Your Good News ($20 for Twenty Seconds)
The following donated in today's $20 for Twenty Seconds to honor President Christopher: Bob Hermann (Information Technology: Administration | Retired UCSF), Eric Sleigh (husband of President Christopher), Tom Brunner (Nonprofit Management | Glaucoma Research Foundation), JT Forbus (Accounting | Bogdan & Frasco), and Anita Stangl (Medical Services | Alliance for Smiles).
Baby News: Bob Hermann inadvertently announced that a new baby might join our Rotary family. Check back in about nine months for an update.
In addition to donating to celebrate President Christopher, the following also donated as follows:
Allan Herzog (Financial Services: Advising | Wells Fargo Advisors) donated to celebrate two Club Presidents: his cousin Kramer Herzog (President of Rotary Club of Ross Valley) and President Christopher. Allan then donated $1,000 to the San Francisco Rotary Foundation and invited others to match his donation up to $1,000. Among those who accepted the invitation and donated were: Tom Brunner, Mary Liu, Stacey Poole (Law: Family | Lerner Poole & Stewart, LLP), Nancy Graydon (Development | Glaucoma Research Foundation), Luis Moran, DGE Laine Hendricks, John Mathers (Management Consulting | eVo Associates), Stephanie Schmautz (Elder Care and Senior Services | The Carlisle), and Robin Azevedo (Retail: Mattresses | McRoskey Mattress).
Rhonda Poppen (Grant Writing | GRANTdog) donated to celebrate her 35th wedding anniversary with Bill Poppen (Banking: Management | MUFG Union Bank) and to express delight and appreciation for today's dessert - a decadent, mini chocolate Bundt cake.
Luis Moran donated to celebrate being a Rotary exchange student 30 years ago.
Andrés Vera donated to share about climate change and to celebrate President Christopher.
The meeting was adjourned at 1:31 p.m.
Editor's Note: Thank you to Dora Dye (Education: Elementary and Community College) for serving as scribe at this meeting; to Peter Logan (Law: Insurance | Peter Logan Law Offices) for serving as photographer; to Ozan Yasavur (Engineering: Mechanical | Bioforcetech Corporation) for managing the microphone; to Jesse Austin and Kurt Burdick of the Academy of Art University for managing the audio-visual equipment during our in-person meeting; to Nancy Graydon, John Mathers, Bill Poppen, Rhonda Poppen, Margaret Miley (Hospitality: Hotels | Retired) and Wendy Shew (Nonprofit Administration | Building Education) for serving as greeters; to Scott Plakun for managing those who were attending via Zoom; and to Larry Booth (Engineering: Mechanical | Frank M. Booth, Inc.) and JT Forbus for doing check-in at the Hotel Nikko.