LUNCHEON MEETING HIGHLIGHTS February 21, 2023: Semi-Annual Club Assembly

President Christopher Wiseman (Nonprofit Management | Glaucoma Research Foundation) called the meeting to order and welcomed those online and those attending in person inside the Anzu Restaurant at the Hotel Nikko. Ozan Yasavur (Engineering: Mechanical | Bioforcetech Corporation) introduced his wife, Merve, to the audience.

 

Weekly attendance at our luncheon meetings suggests that our Club has only a few members, but we have over 125 members in our Club. If there is a member whom you have not seen in a while, please reach out and invite them to a meeting.

 

A DEI Moment
Ann Daugherty (Financial Services: Private Trading | IBN Financial Services) shared the history of her family going back to the 1600s. She introduced her family members as immigrants coming to a New World in search of a better life, freedom, civil rights, and the opportunity to survive and later thrive. Upon hearing the details of her family’s stories, it was evident that Service Above Self was imbedded in their genes. Her American ancestors included judges, a publisher of John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim's Progress, a drummer boy in the American Revolution, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, a senator, a medical practitioner, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, a governor, a geologist, a textile manufacturer who was an MIT graduate, a medical missionary who served in China and developed an X-ray machine, and a great grandfather whose house had a “never ending closet” with a hidden entrance to the underground railroad allowing slaves to escape through Maryland to the North.

 

 

President Christopher called the 2023 Semi-Annual Club Assembly to order. In the Assembly, Committee Vice Presidents and Chairs shared our Club's accomplishments to date in the 2022-2023 Rotary year. Here is a brief recap of what was said:

The Rotary Foundation Chair Jim Patrick (Retail: Office Supplies | Patrick & Co.) talked about the recent Super Bowl Party and the results of the Super Bowl Pool. See full story here. 

Vice President of Vocational Service Wendy Shew (Nonprofit Administration | Building Education) reported on the successful Champagne Tasting and Networking event as well as the networking event with the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce. She invited all to Professional Portrait and Business Networking on March 2, 2023 which is a repeat event, but one worth repeating.

Luis Moran (Real Estate: Sales | Coldwell Banker), President of the San Francisco Rotary Foundation (SFRF), thanked everyone who has helped him to step into this role. He noted that the SFRF had funded a variety of projects for a total of $189,000 plus $25,000 in DDF monies. He explained how the annual amount from the Foundation (roughly $118,000 or more) is based upon taking an average of the last three years of the Foundation's corpus and allocating 4% of it to support annual projects. There will be $195,000 available to fund 2023-2024 projects. The 50/50 Campaign helps to build the assets and fund the service projects that are near and dear to our hearts.

 

Club Treasurer Gary Dales (Accounting | Fly Leasing), who keeps the books of the Club and Rotary Service, Inc., reported that our Club is in a strong financial position.

Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Scott Plakun (Management Consulting | The Plakun Group) noted that our Club is the first Rotary club worldwide to give a board seat to a DEI Committee Chair. Our DEI efforts started three years ago on an ad hoc basis presenting speakers, hosting social events, and featuring family stories across a broad member age range from their 20s into their 90s. 

 

Vice President of International Service Frank Yoke (Development) announced that 22 weeks had gone by with NO new cases of wild polio worldwide.

Vice President of Community Service Emily Borland (Engineering, Architecture, and Construction | Emily Borland Specifications) shared the many ways that our Club participates with time and talent in community outreach. See the Club's calendar for upcoming service projects such as the HPP Diaper Bag stuffing, Cameron House Comfort Bag Assembly, Supper Club at The Arc, and more!

 

President-Elect Sunny Singh (Financial Services: Advising | PK Wealth Management) joined via Zoom and gave an update on the grant review process. The deadline to submit a grant application is April 7, 2023—no exceptions! Application and additional information are found here.

 

Overall, Rotarians in our Club can rightfully feel proud of their involvement in the local, national, and international communities they serve so well