Posted by Stacey Poole on Jun 23, 2021
Seventy members and guests in person and online combined attended President JT’s first and last in-person meeting and our first meeting at our new location — the Hotel Nikko. Those attending in person especially enjoyed fellowship, hugs, and seeing people “in real life” after 15 months of Zoom meetings. The meeting was kicked off by President JT Forbus (Accounting | Bogdan & Frasco) who asked for a round of applause for the fact that we were meeting in person. 
 
Visiting Rotarians and Special Guests
In today's audience were the following guests in person: Bud Dillon, William Gregory, Bob Hunter, Esther Landau, Forrest Liu, and Eric Sleigh. Online were these guests: Salvador Farfan, Anne Marie Forbus (President JT's wife), Gabriel Kupeli, Rotary District 5150 Assistant Governor Liz Mark, and Malinda Monterrosa of the Rotary Club of Los Angeles.
 
Marti Sullivan (Development | The Arc San Francisco) announced her retirement and introduced Esther Landau as her replacement. Christopher Wiseman (Event Planning | Glaucoma Research Foundation) introduced his partner, Eric Sleigh. Bill Poppen (Banking:  Management | MUFG Union Bank) introduced Forrest Liu from TogetherSF. Mary Liu (Real Estate: Sales| JM Real Estate Group | Vanguard Properties) told the audience that Bud Dillon had returned several times to the Hotel Nikko to help our Club set up the technology used today. A huge applause to Bud!
 
Club Excellence Awards 2020-2021President JT delivered his final speech. First, he named the 15 members whom he had inducted during his year and welcomed them to their first-in person meeting. Next, he congratulated the Club on all it had accomplished despite the pandemic, such as earning District Club Excellence awards, building the ALPS program, raising $100,000 in the 50/50 Campaign, and awarding more than $172,000 in grants. President JT acknowledged that he did not achieve all of his goals during his presidency, but explained that he was proud and grateful for the work that the Club and he had accomplished. He thanked the past presidents and the Board for their support and commitment.  
 
Christopher Wiseman, Mary Liu, and past presidents Casey Blair (Financial Services: Private Trading | KCB Trading, LLC) and Rhonda Poppen (Grant Writing | GRANTdog) roasted and toasted JT. Christopher told us about President JT’s upbringing and family and took us on a trip down memory lane with the many faces of JT over Zoom during the last year. Casey continued in the fun by presenting JT with a gag gift — a 100-mile bike ride through Marin with other Rotarians! Many accountant jokes were made. JT was presented with a gift certificate for Harris’ Restaurant to enjoy a night out with his wife, Anne Marie.   

President JT then personally recognized each board member who served with him as well as mentor Scott Plakun (Management Consulting | The Plakun Group) for their hard work, advice, and leadership.  
 
$20 for Twenty Seconds
The following donated in honor of President JT and his presidency:  
 
Bob Hermann (Information Technology: Administration | Retired UCSF), John Mathers (Management Consulting | eVo Associates), Scott Plakun, Jim Patrick (Retail: Office Supplies | Patrick & Co.), Lynn Luckow (Development | LikeMinded.org), Kaushal Chokshi (Management Consulting | Scaale Inc.), David Dye (Management Consulting | Retired). Laine Hendricks (Public Relations and Marketing | County of Marin), PDG Sue Rokaw (Law: Insurance | Deans & Homer), Dora Dye (Education: Community College | City College of San Francisco), Rhonda Poppen, Miranti Ojong (Financial Services: Advising | Team Armada), Assistant Governor Liz Mark, Dan Joraanstad (Financial Services: Advising | Retired), and Cecile Chiquette (Accounting | Fiduciary Administration).
 
The meeting concluded with a raffle prize of a box of candy; Moustafa Harfoush (Law: Real Estate | Law Office of Moustafa Harfoush) was the winner!
 
Editor's Note: Thank you to Stacey Poole (Law: Family | Lerner Poole & Stewart, LLP) for serving as scribe at this meeting.