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NOVEMBER 27, 2007 |
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PUBLISHING ITEMS IN THE BULLETIN
If you have information, articles, photos, etc., for publication in the weekly bulletin (printed bulletin, website and/or eFlash), please send them to bulletin@bellevuerotary.net by 2:00 pm on Fridays.
IN THIS ISSUE:
Neil Petersen, "Surviving a Rogue Wave & Lessons for Life" | Slate of Officers for Rotary Year 2008-09 | Rotary Foundation Contributions | Membership Report | St. Petersburg Dancers Perform Leading Roles in International Ballet Theatre’s Nutcracker Ballet | Important Information About Parking
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GREETERS BACK TABLE DUTY INVOCATION NEWEST MEMBER(S) |
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Laurie Larson Are you receiving |
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Barbara Johannessen, 11/03 |
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PLEASE NOTE: If your birthday is this month but does now show in the list above, you need to add it to your directory page online. |
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Classification Report: |
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Neil Petersen
"Surviving a Rogue Wave & Lessons for Life"
Neil Peterson’s professional career has two very different chapters to it, but with a common entrepreneurial theme. The first is the business entrepreneurial chapter.
The most recent business success is the highly acclaimed Flexcar, which Neil founded eight years ago. Flexcar — called by some time share automobiles — operates in 12 cities across the country, providing an answer to Americans’ desire to reduce their reliance on foreign oil, meet environmental, carbon reduction and the global warming goals, and make our cities more livable. Flexcar and Neil have been featured in national media and have received numerous awards. Neil sold Flexcar two years ago to Steve Case of AOL fame.
A self-confessed serial entrepreneur, Neil has founded four other businesses and has been the CEO, COO or CFO of five additional companies, and worked as a consultant for Booz, Allen & Hamilton.
The second chapter of Neil’s professional career is as a public servant. He is best known for serving six years as the Executive Director of METRO here in Seattle metropolitan area. He followed that by serving as the CEO and leader of the public transportation systems in Los Angeles and San Francisco’s East Bay.
Previously he served as a City Manager, worked for two US Congressmen, two state governments, and the anti poverty program. In these roles he has received numerous awards. What is not so well known is Neil’s work with and passion for the disabled in our society.
While serving as COO of the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) supervising 10,000 employees, Neil was responsible for running Washington State’s programs for the physically and mentally disabled. He served on the Board of a non-profit agency helping the blind and visually impaired. At Seattle Metro, he was responsible for making Metro the first large transit agency in the country to adopt and successfully implement a full accessibility policy for the disabled on all Metro buses. For this he received an award from the Disabled American Veterans.
The father of two children with a Learning Disability and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Neil himself has dyslexia and ADHD. Neil and his kids were featured in the May edition of ADDitude magazine.
He also has what might by some be viewed as a physical handicap — he has only one eye. Yet he is able to somehow carry a 5 handicap in golf without having any depth perception.
Most recently Neil is the founder, Chairman and President of the Edge Foundation, whose mission is to help young students who have ADHD realize their potential and their passion.
In his spare time, Neil is writing two books. One of which is about the amazing, harrowing survival story of Neil, his two children, and his nephew being swept away by a Rogue Wave recently on the west coast of Vancouver Island. You may have read about it on the front page of the Seattle P-I or Seattle Times, or heard about it on the Dave Ross talk show on KIRO radio, or seen it on the TV news or on the Northwest Afternoon TV talk show.
Neil was educated at Williams College and received his Masters Degree from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University. He has taught courses at Rutgers University and the University of Washington.
An inveterate cyclist, hiker, golfer, ballroom dancer and ice hockey player, he lives on a houseboat in Seattle, and his top priority in his life is being a great father.
Slate of Officers for Rotary Year 2008-09
On November 13th, the Nominating Committee (Past Presidents Baldwin, Jacobson and Thompson) announced the slate of officers and directors for the 2008-2009 Rotary year. As set forth in the by-laws, the Club will vote on the slate at the December 11, 2007, meeting.
New Directors (3-year term)
Debbie Acton
Leslie Lloyd
Rick Hervey
Secretary – Stu Vander Hoek
Treasurer – Ron Rauch
Sergeant At Arms – Dale King
Vice President/President Nominee – Gail Ryder
Board members returning in 2008-2009:
Rick Taylor (2nd year)
Bob Ward (3rd year)
Sherry Ladd (3rd year)
President – Sarah Langton
President-Elect – Rich Herzberg
Past President – Gary Zimmerman
Rotary Foundation Contributions
Colleen Crowley
Thank you to everyone who has stepped forward and made your annual contribution to the Rotary Foundation. You are agents of change!
Your thoughtful and generous gifts will change the lives of thousands of people in need, both here at home and throughout the world. The Rotary Foundation is a powerful force for good in the world and your contributions play a significant role in accomplishing these results!
I am very pleased to tell you that we are nearing a 70% participation rate by the club towards this year's goal of attaining 100% participation in giving.
If you have not yet had an opportunity to make your pledge to the Rotary Foundation for the 2007-2008 fiscal year, please download and complete the pledge form and return it to me at the meeting or by email.
Again, a million thanks for your contributions and support.
Rotary International has requested that each Rotary club pay special attention this year and the coming years to membership development and retention. This request generates from recognition that nationally Rotary membership is declining.
Reasons for the decline are numerous. In our club, member loss is due most often to job retirement or job relocation. We currently have 200 members, which is the minimum number necessary to remain a “large club” designation. We have committed to Rotary International that we will end the year with at least 201 members.
Our average annual member loss is 10%, amounting to 20 members each year. As the median age or our club increases, we may have more members retiring than in past years; thus we can expect that more than 20 members per year will be leaving the club.
To insure that we end the year meeting the minimum goal of 201 members, we need to remain proactive in recruiting new members.
In recruiting new members, the BRC board felt it important to identify the BRC goal as it pertains to membership development. The BRC club goal is:
To maintain a vibrant, energized and sustaining club, recognized as the leading service/networking organization located in Bellevue, relevant to each of its members, satisfying their need for:
- Local and international service opportunity
- Business networking
- Social networking and fellowship
- Community information and education
Applying this goal to membership recruitment, the BRC board has further developed a profile of prospective new club members. This Prospective Member Profile is:
Persons who are, or are likely to be, leaders in the growth, promotion and development of Bellevue and the Greater Eastside Community, expressing a genuine interest in service above self.
Every club member is on the Membership Committee. During this Rotary Year, the BRC board requests that each of you make an effort to actively solicit new members meeting Prospective Member Profile.
St. Petersburg Dancers Perform Leading Roles in International Ballet Theatre’s Nutcracker Ballet
Katherine Thompson
Russian dancers Dmitry Zavalishin and Maria Makarenko from St. Petersburg will star in all twelve performances of International Ballet Theatre’s classical production of The Nutcracker. This year, IBT’s production is steeped in Russian tradition featuring not only top professional guest artists from St. Petersburg, but also new exquisite costumes and museum-quality backdrops from the famous Lviv Theatre of Opera and Ballet in Ukraine. “It doesn’t get more traditional than this!” said Vera Altunina, Artistic Director, who spoke recently at the Bellevue Rotary Club.
Ms. Altunina has a strong reputation for leveraging her deep ties to top professional ballet companies around the world to bring leading dancers to the Puget Sound region as guest artists in IBT’s European classical productions. “Our mission is to present classical, ballet repertoire in traditional Russian style with professional dancers from around the world complementing our own classically trained IBT company dancers,” recounted Ms. Altunina.
Tickets are on sale now by calling 425.284.0444, or visiting www.ticketwindowonline.com or 206.325.6500. Prices are: $45 adult, $35 seniors/students, and $20 children under 12.
Important Information About Parking
From the Harbor Club
As a matter of routine, the Bellevue Corporate Plaza staff will do their best to hold a sufficient amount of parking stalls open for Rotary Club patrons. There may be an occasion whereby additional demands reduce the number of available stalls at Bellevue Corporate Plaza. In such instances, the following will apply:
Option One:
Valet attendants will be dispatched to Bellevue Corporate Plaza to valet-stack cars for Rotary on the roof top level of BCP.Option Two:
If a valet is not an option due to time constraints or staffing limitations, divert Harbor Club parkers to the Symetra building for either valet at SFC or overflow parking into Key Center.