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. Visiting Rotarian Cynthia Hamada from the Rotary Club of South San Francisco sang the Star-Spangled Banner to open the meeting.
Visiting Rotarians and GuestsIn addition to Cynthia Hamada, the following Visiting Rotarians were also in attendance: District Governor Gary Chow from the Rotary Club of South San Francisco and Loren Boyett from the Rotary Club of Fort Morgan in Colorado.
Dan Joraanstad (Financial Services: Advising | Retired) introduced his guests from the San Francisco Black Tie Club: Don Morrison, Stephen Weiner, Norm Dito, Arnold Dito, Ben Wong, and Dan Riley.
Ann Daugherty (Financial Services: Private Trading | IBN Financial Services) introduced her guests: Vicki Potthoff, Lisa Essa, and today's speaker - Lisa Mirza Grotts. Lynn Luckow (Development | LikeMinded.org) introduced his guest - Brian Healy. President-Elect Sunny Singh (Financial Services: Advising | PK Wealth Management) introduced his guest - Carlos Valdes.
Wine Reception
President Christopher announced that the Club would host a wine reception following today's meeting and invited everyone to stay if available.
Update on Grant Review Committee
President Christopher congratulated President-Elect Sunny Singh on completing a successful grant review process for 2023-2024.
President Christopher congratulated President-Elect Sunny Singh on completing a successful grant review process for 2023-2024.
Report on the 2023 District 5150 Annual Conference
President Christopher discussed and shared several photos of the recent District 5150 Conference. Our Club received every single Club Excellence Award including the Best Club Award. President Christopher thanked all who had helped to earn these awards.
President Christopher discussed and shared several photos of the recent District 5150 Conference. Our Club received every single Club Excellence Award including the Best Club Award. President Christopher thanked all who had helped to earn these awards.
President Christopher congratulated PDG Eric Schmautz (Banking: Management | Retired) for Eric's election to serve as District Representative to the Rotary International Council on Resolutions and Council on Legislation for the 2023-2026 cycle.
Anita Stangl Received the Service Above Self Award
District 5150 Governor Gary Chow invited Past Club President Anita Stangl (Medical Services | Alliance for Smiles) forward for a special presentation. See story here. DG Gary asked the question of why Rotary International had taken so long to recognize Anita.
Anita thanked everyone for the recognitions and acknowledgments. She noted that she was one of the first women to join Rotary in 1987 and expressed her pleasure that in the 2022-23 Rotary year, Rotary International had its first female President. In the 2024-25 Rotary year, the RI President will be a female again. Anita received a bouquet of flowers from our Club and a standing ovation from today's audience.
Photo of the Day
President Christopher shared today's Photo of the Day featuring Peter Logan (Law: Insurance | Peter Logan Law Offices) performing at the 9th Annual Law Rocks Competition at The Chapel on April 20, 2023. "You Rock, Peter!"
Friend of Rotary Presentation
Dan Joraanstad (Financial Services: Advising | Retired) invited his guest, Don Morrison, forward for a special presentation. Don has been a great friend to our Club for a long time. Recently, Don donated $15,000 in support of our Emergency Services Day. Dan thanked Don for his generosity.
Dan Joraanstad (Financial Services: Advising | Retired) invited his guest, Don Morrison, forward for a special presentation. Don has been a great friend to our Club for a long time. Recently, Don donated $15,000 in support of our Emergency Services Day. Dan thanked Don for his generosity.
President Christopher presented Don with a copy of our Club's 100th anniversary book, our Club's flag, and a certificate stating that 100 children would be inoculated against polio in Don's name. President Christopher announced that Don would also receive a Paul Harris Fellowship.
Dan Joraanstad shared some information about The Rotary Foundation and the San Francisco Rotary Foundation. The Rotary Foundation was founded in 1917 and now manages $4 billion in assets. This is compared to the San Francisco Rotary Foundation, which manages $4 million in assets. Donations to either Foundation benefit International Service Projects and also come back to benefit our Club's Projects. Gifts such as the one from Don Morrison are held in perpetuity with 4% of the assets used for the projects of our Club.
Share Your Good News ($20 for Twenty Seconds)
- Mary Liu (Real Estate: Sales | JM Real Estate Group) donated to honor District Governor Gary Chow, Don Morrison, and Anita Stangl.
- Michael Petricca (Education Management | Academy of Art University) donated to announce his retirement at the end of this month.
- Dan Davies (Information Technology: Consulting | North American Lighting) donated to invite others to help him with PR for our Club.
- Jim Patrick (Retail: Office Supplies | Patrick & Co.) donated to announce that polio cases went from 500,000 to zero so far in 2023. He also announced that his granddaughter had been accepted to the University of Texas on a rowing scholarship.
- Andrea Gung (Non-profit Administration | Duo Duo Project) donated to honor Anita Stangl.
- Allan Herzog (Financial Services: Advising | Wells Fargo Advisors) donated to celebrate his daughter's acceptance into Cal Berkeley. He also challenged the audience to donate an amount that when combined would equal his donation. About 10 Rotarians accepted the challenge.
- Ann Daugherty donated to celebrate Michael Petricca's upcoming retirement and to acknowledge his service to our Club.
- Bob Hermann (Information Technology: Administration | Retired UCSF) donated to thank Don Morrison for supporting Emergency Services Day.
Club Events for Rotarians
Club Events: Check the Club's calendar for upcoming Committee meetings and service projects.
Announcements
Bill Poppen (Banking: Management | MUFG Union Bank) announced that more volunteers were needed to build bikes at the Bike Build on May 6, 2023.
David Dye (Management Consulting | Retired) invited the audience to help the Rotaract Club of the University of San Francisco support HomeMore and its effort to address homelessness. You can donate to fund the cost of a backpack and all of its contents. or you can donate any amount that you wish in increments of $10.
Happy Birthday!
Mary Liu led the audience in singing Happy Birthday to President Christopher.
Guest Speaker
Maureen O’Shea (Governmental Relations | Retired) introduced today’s speaker - Lisa Mirza Grotts. Lisa is a certified authority on etiquette and a former Director of Protocol for the City and County of San Francisco. Her presentation was a dialogue with President Christopher.During the dialogue, Lisa shared her experiences working closely with Charlotte Shultz while they traveled the nation and the world serving the citizens of San Francisco. She noted that Charlotte never turned down anyone and that the most challenging part of her job was sometimes saying "no" to Charlotte. In addition to working with Charlotte, Lisa had worked with past mayors of San Francisco Frank Jordan and Willie Brown. Lisa also shared how she had prepared for her role and left the audience with some rules of decorum such as silencing your phone while in a conversation, making eye contact with the person you are talking to, and not texting when talking to someone.
President Christopher thanked Lisa Mirza Grotts and announced that 100 children would be inoculated against polio in her name.
The meeting was adjourned at 1:30 PM
Meeting Volunteers
President Christopher thanked today's meeting volunteers: Frank Yoke (Development Consulting) for serving as scribe; Jim Patrick for serving as photographer; Ozan Yasavur (Engineering: Mechanical | Bioforcetech Corporation) for managing the microphone; Kurt Burdick of the Academy of Art University for managing the audio-visual equipment during our in-person meeting; Tim Hornbecker (Nonprofit Management | Retired, The Arc CA), Clifford Phillips (The Arc San Francisco), and Ann Daugherty for serving as greeters; and Mary Liu for doing check-in at the Hotel Nikko.