Elson S. Floyd, President
Washington State University
"The Future for WSU"
Elson S. Floyd, 51, was named President of the four-campus Washington State University on December 13, 2006. He took office as the 10th president of Washington State’s land-grant research university on May 21, 2007.He leads one of America’s most productive research universities. WSU is classified among the nation's 96 leading public and private universities with very high research activity by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.
Dr. Floyd brings to WSU an exceptionally wide range of administrative experience, as well as valuable state and national perspectives on higher education issues and policies.
Before coming to WSU, he was president of the four-campus University of Missouri for four years and president of Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo for more than four years. While at Western Michigan University, he also was a tenured faculty member in the Department of Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology and in the Department of Teaching, Learning and Leadership.
Dr. Floyd spent from 1995 to 1998 at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, one of the nation’s leading research institutions, where he served as chief administrative and operating officer and the senior official responsible for business and finance; human resources; auxiliary enterprises; student affairs; information technology; university advancement and development; and enrollment management.
For two years he was executive director of the Washington State Higher Education Coordinating Board, the agency responsible for statewide planning, policy analysis and student financial aid programs for Washington's post-secondary education system. From 1990 to 1993, Dr. Floyd served as vice president for student services, vice president for administration, and executive vice president at Eastern Washington University. In the latter capacity, he was the university's chief operating officer.
WSU’s president began his career in 1978 at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he held deanships in the Division of Student Affairs, the General College and the College of Arts and Sciences. From 1988 to 1990, he was assistant vice president for student services for the UNC system office, where he helped develop and articulate student affairs and academic affairs policy for the 16-campus university system.
A native of Henderson, N.C., Dr. Floyd holds a bachelor of arts degree in political science and speech, a master of education degree in adult education, and a doctor of philosophy degree in higher and adult education, all from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Among other honors, Dr. Floyd is the recipient of the 2005 Communicator of the Year Award, given by the Mid-Missouri Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). He also received the 2004 James C. Kirkpatrick Award given by the Northwest Missouri Press Association for public service. Other honors include the 2004 Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and the Distinguished Alumnus Award from Dr. Floyd’s former high school, Darlington School, in Georgia.
Rotary’s 103rd Birthday
Rotary International News - 01 February 2008
During the first Rotary club meeting on 23 February 1905 in Chicago, Paul Harris, Gustavus Loehr, Hiram Shorey, and Silvester Schiele met to talk about their personal experiences. Harris then unfolded his general plan for their club meetings.
This was the simple beginning of the world’s first service club, the Rotary Club of Chicago. It was created because of Harris’ wish to capture in a professional club the same friendly spirit he had felt in the small towns of his youth. The Rotary name derived from the early practice of rotating meetings among members’ offices.
Rotarians continue to take pride in their history. In honor of that first club, Rotarians have preserved its original meeting place, Room 711 in Chicago’s Unity Building, by re-creating the office as it existed in 1905. For several years, the Paul Harris 711 Club maintained the room as a shrine for visiting Rotarians. In 1989, when the building was scheduled to be demolished, the club carefully dismantled the office and salvaged the interior, including doors and radiators. In 1993, the RI Board of Directors set aside a permanent home for the restored Room 711 at RI World Headquarters in the Chicago suburb of Evanston.Scott East
This year's SV event will be memorable for having had an ominous beginning, but a deep powder ending as far as the skiing went, and another round of parties that would have made the trip worthwhile anyway.
Debbie Acton and Frank made it to the Valley before the worst weather hit, then got to play in the powder for days before the rest of us arrived. Carol Mast was the first to tackle the drive after the storms started, getting over Snoqualmie Pass early in the week of our Thursday arrival, before the series of freeway closures began. But, she got caught in the Blues, having to weave her way through the less skilled drivers and ended up needing 16 hours of driving over two days, compared to the 10 or so when she normally goes. Five of those of us who had planned to drive over on Thursday, January 31st, had second thoughts on Wednesday night and instead booked flights.
Chuck and Joyce Doland decided to brave it, ended up being diverted all the way to Redmond, Oregon, and didn't get in until 2AM Friday, after an 18 hour drive (poor Rondi having to keep the candle in the window way past her bedtime).
Once there, however, it was another series of ski, party, ski, party, ski party, much like last year, but for the daily deep "pow" (meant no one was pouty ... groan).
Last year was fast crusing on groomed, but still firm runs, i.e., boilerplate that crunched Julie Creighton's shoulder), and plenty of crystal clear, cold sky. All you needed was edges, as there wasn't much resistance on the surface to wear the legs down. This year made up for it, and more, featuring light but deep powder on every run, often unbroken as the new snow and that blown about would fill the tracks. And that was the case, not only in the bowls, but on the normally groomed runs, and even more so on the edges of those runs.
The skiers grouped up well, everyone having someone to ski with when they wanted (good thing, as there were no lift lines to speak of most of the time)., and our group was joined by other friends we met up with at the Seattle Ridge Lodge, then skied with. It seemed like everyone was a very accomplished skier.
Debbie Acton, Janine Florence, and Chuck Doland served as the chief guides and deep powder instructors, for those who wanted to focus on the bowls. Debbie really pigged out on the powder during her two weeks there, even dragging brave husband Frank, fairly new to skiing, off on a cat skiing adventure with a back country skiing cousin of hers who lives there, all fat ski territory. I understand that Frank even got to drive the cat a bit. I think he's got the bug enough for us to see him on slope with us in the future.
Despite the extra energy it took for most of us to work the powder, the parties were lively and well attended. Frank and Susan Young once again hosted the wine reception at the Knob Hill Inn on Friday, Frank presenting spectacular wines from his cellars, and Susan doing the honors on selection of appies that kept us all happy, both at the outset, as well as after we had guzzled a few of Frank's supposed sipping wines. They also had friends and other guests at the Inn join in, which made for an even more festive occasion.
That was followed by many of us staying for dinner at the Inn, to help the Youngs test the new chef. He and staff acquitted themselves well (but the verdict is out on whether they'll let our enthusiastic crew come again).
Carol and Larry Mast hosted the Saturday night dinner at their place, perfect for entertaining large groups, with a kitchen that warrants a guided tour on its own. Carol, a regular Martha Stewart, but for not acting on stock tips, did the planning and most of the preparation of a menu delicious from start to finish, featuring a tasty chowder after generous and varied appies, tenderloin sandwiches, and a double chocolate melt from her favorite dark chocolates that would make anything taste good (had mine over raw nuts, but some used creme puffs for dippers ... must switch to their cardiologists).
Sheri Hervey and Kathy East got to help Carol with the preparation, getting the early part done soon enough to get away for a ladies' day in town.
Larry selected the wines and roasted the tenderloin to perfection. (Wild guess, but I'd say the Masts have done this before — rumor has it for a party of 100 or more for their annual NW Physicians and Dentists meeting at the Valley).
Debbie and Frank hosted the Super Bowl party, setting all up and having snacks at the ready for start of game in the big screen TV communty room at their place, the Hemmingways. It is closest to the Warm Springs lift, litterally a ski in ski out.
We had planned to order pizzas for halftime. But Carol brought over so many tasty tidbits from the night before that everyone got filled on that fine fare. She helped Debbie keep the food and drink flowing (and not just because those activities allowed them best access to the extra TV at the kitchen and bar. This was another venue that worked very well for us, as did all the others this year and last (Florence's & Anderson's)
Debbie and Frank also had a couple of local fun and interesting cotenants and cousins, so even if one didn't follow that great game all the way, there was plenty of good conversation to see them through.
We had a pretty good turn out, even with 3 cancellations a couple of days before departure related to ski injuries this season as they trained for the trip. And we had a couple of last year's hosts not being able to offer rooms this year due to unexpected family medical matters.
But, between Larry and Carol, Debbie and Frank, and Rondi Bennett, who scored a friend's condo in the late planning stages, there were free accommodations for all who didn't have their own places or book a room at the Knob Hill Inn.
We still ended up with 19 participating Bellevue Rotarians and spouses/friends, in addition to friends from other Rotary clubs who enriched the events on slope and off, for a total of amost 40 involved in one or more events.
The test of travel to get there made it all the more special for this ski and party hardy group.
Thanks to all who participated, and especially the events and accommodations hosts who made it extra special!
I urge all skiers to block your calendars for the extended Super Bowl Weekend next year, just in case we can tempt any hosts into having us again. For those who couldn't get away, block the first Tuesday of March for another fun ski event, the Crystal Mountain overnight, March 4 and 5 this year.
