President-Elect Christopher Wiseman (Event Planning | Glaucoma Research Foundation) called the meeting to order at 12:15 PM and welcomed everyone attending either online or in person inside the Anzu Restaurant. Ozan Yasavur from Ankara Bahcelievler Rotary Club exchanged flags with President-Elect Christopher.
Visiting Rotarian and Special Guests
Today's visiting Rotarian was Rudy Asercion from the Rotary Club of San Francisco Sunset who attended in person. Also attending in person were guest Merve Yasavur and today's speaker, Rodney Fong. The guests attending online were Aida Jones and Jeanne Gnuse.
News from Club Service
President-Elect Christopher delivered a special thank you to Michael Petricca (Education Management | Academy of Art) for serving as Interim Vice President of Club Service since July 1, 2021 and congratulated Jeffrey Lerner (Retail: Home Improvement | Floorcraft) on his appointment as the new Vice President of Club Service starting March 1, 2022 until June 30, 2023. See full story here.
Rotary Day of Service
Stephanie Schmautz (Elder Care and Senior Services | The Carlisle) told the audience of the upcoming Rotary Day of Service. Rotary International President Shekhar Mehta has challenged Rotary club members and clubs around the world to host a Rotary Day of Service event while celebrating the 51st Earth Day. Rotary District 5150 is holding a Day of Service on April 9, 2022 in THREE locations in the Bay Area:- Children's Island / Lagoon Park -- San Rafael /Marin County
- Heron's Head Park -- San Francisco
- Coyote Point Recreation Area -- San Mateo
Read this entire page for more details and registration. Stephanie is overseeing the day at Heron's Head Park.
Service Project
On Saturday, February 26, 2022, David Dye, Susan Dean (Healthcare: Nursing Services | Retired), John Dean (Education: Law | Dean Dispute Resolution), Todd St. Vrain, and President Mary joined Darlene Wilson (Nonprofit Administration | Catholic Charities SF) to assemble essential needs, emergency hygiene, and nutrition kits for Catholic Charities. Darlene prepared a tasty and home-cooked brunch for the volunteers.
Birthdays
Today's audience celebrated our members who have a birthday in March 2022.
Today's audience celebrated our members who have a birthday in March 2022.
New Members Inducted
President-Elect Christopher and our Vice President of Membership Nancy Graydon (Development | Glaucoma Research Foundation) inducted Wendy Shew (Nonprofit Administration | Building Education) and Ozan Yasavur (Engineering: Mechanical | Bioforcetech Corporation).
President-Elect Christopher and our Vice President of Membership Nancy Graydon (Development | Glaucoma Research Foundation) inducted Wendy Shew (Nonprofit Administration | Building Education) and Ozan Yasavur (Engineering: Mechanical | Bioforcetech Corporation).
Wendy Shew is a very proud San Francisco native and is the Executive Director of Building Education, a non-profit dedicated to eliminating extreme poverty by building 1,000 schools and sponsoring education to spark a legacy of change. She has been involved in community service for 25 years and has traveled extensively for service projects. Wendy is looking to Rotary as another way to give back to her local community and is interested in public relations and Club Service/Operations. Wendy’s sponsor and mentor is David Dye (Management Consulting | Retired).
Ozan Yasavur is a mechanical-structural engineer at Bioforcetech Corporation. He has been a Rotarian for four years and transferred from the Ankara Bahcelievler Rotary Club in Turkey. His interests include renewable energy and environmental projects, international projects, and animal rights. Ozan’s mentor is Dan Davies (Information Technology: Consulting | North American Lighting). Joining Ozan at the induction was his wife, Merve.
Welcome to Wendy and Ozan!
(l to r: Dan Davies, Ozan Yasavur, Wendy Shew, David Dye, and Nancy Graydon)
$20 for Twenty Seconds
Nancy Graydon donated to celebrate newly inducted Rotarians, Wendy Shew and Ozan Yasavur, and to congratulate President-Elect Christopher Wiseman for leading his first in-person Rotary meeting.
Dan Davies donated to announce that he will soon start a new job at a San Francisco start-up company and to honor fellow Rotarians at the Rotary Club of Kyiv.
Bob Hermann (Information Technology: Administration | Retired UCSF) donated to honor the Emergency Services Committee and their work leading up to the March 8, 2022 luncheon.
Tom Brunner (Nonprofit Management | Glaucoma Research Foundation) donated to celebrate President-Elect Christopher Wiseman leading his first in-person Rotary meeting.
Anita Stangl (Medical Services | Alliance for Smiles) donated to celebrate Alliance for Smiles' current medical mission in Guatemala and to announce its upcoming gala on April 30, 2022.
President Mary Liu (Real Estate: Sales | JM Real Estate Group) donated to thank President-Elect Christopher for leading today's Rotary meeting.
Raising Money for ALPS
Nathanael Crawford (Education: Tutoring | Improve Your English Tutoring) offered to match up to $1,500 for anyone who would agree at this moment to purchase a ticket to the ALPS Gala on April 1, 2022. The following people accepted Nat's offer: President Mary Liu, Anita Stangl, Nancy Graydon, Jim Patrick, Jeff Lerner, Stacey Poole (Law: Family | Lerner Poole & Stewart, LLP), Bill Poppen (Banking: Management | MUFG Union Bank), Robin Azevedo (Retail: Mattresses | McRoskey Mattress Company), Maureen O'Shea (Governmental Relations | Retired), Larry Booth (Engineering: Mechanical | Frank M. Booth, Inc.), Ann Daugherty (Financial Services: Private Trading | IBN Financial Services), and Cecile Chiquette (Accounting | Fiduciary Administration).
Guest SpeakerSunny Singh (Financial Services: Advising | PK Wealth Management) introduced today's guest speaker, Rodney Fong, the President and CEO of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce. Rodney provided an update on how San Francisco business, economy, and tourism were greatly impacted by COVID-19. See this story featuring Jim Patrick (Retail: Office Supplies | Patrick & Co.). Rodney highlighted the importance of tourism to the City and how important public safety is. He also discussed how the City’s image has been damaged by news reports. Rodney gave encouraging news about new businesses coming to Market Street and how the City is slowing coming back.
President-Elect Christopher thanked Rodney and announced that 100 children would be inoculated against polio in his name.
The meeting was adjourned at 1:31 p.m.
Editor's Note: Thank you to Nancy Graydon for serving as scribe at this meeting; to Jim Patrick for serving as photographer; to Ann Daugherty for managing the microphone; to Margaret Miley (Hospitality: Hotels | Retired) for collecting lunch tickets; to Jessie Austin of the Academy of Art University for managing the audio-visual equipment during our in-person meeting; to Wendy Shew for serving as greeter; to President Mary Liu for managing those who were attending via Zoom; to Jeff Lerner for doing check-in at the Hotel Nikko; and to Gary Dales (Accounting | Fly Leasing) for serving as cashier.