How I Got Where I’m At

     Always one of the most fun and enjoyable programs of the quarter, the club was treated to its quarterly rendition of “How I Got Where I’m At” (HIGWIA) presentations.  Four newer members, Mike Rash, Bob Carlson, Paul Solitario, and Randy Minter gave brief presentations of their backgrounds and careers.

     Paul Solitario began by stating the “the world is my hometown.”  His pedigree and background is truly international.  He described himself as the son of an Italian-American father and an Irish-Mexican mother, born in the Belgian Congo.  His father was a U.S. Foreign Service Officer and he grew up in the locations of his father’s postings in Belgian Congo, Greece, Ireland, Costa Rica, Yugoslavia, Washington, D.C., and Hong Kong.

     Following high school graduation in suburban Virginia, Paul graduated from the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia.  Following college, Paul joined First Union National Bank and is now a Sr. Vice President at First Citizens Bank in Charlotte.  Paul considers that he has “had a great life and is ready for more.”

     Bob Carlson, inspired by Sunday’s Parade Magazine, structured his presentation as “Life as a series of road trips.”  Bob described the trips his sales and marketing career had taken him on, including the cars involved (mostly “non-descript, 4-door, company cars”) in his trips and life in Wilmington, Delaware, Philadelphia, New York City, Kansas City, and Chicago.  With an economic downturn cutting short his stay in Chicago, he took a road trip back to Kansas City to join Right Associates Career Consultants as an outplacement specialist.  His most recent road trip brought him from Kansas City to Charlotte and his present position as the managing principle for Right Associates.

     Randy Minter began his presentation by recounting a telephone conversation with his father after his father received Randy’s first semester mid-term grades from Hampden-Sydney College.  Randy apparently survived the crisis and recounted how strongly his banker father in Martinsville, Virginia had influenced his life.  His father often told him that he “had to be in the arena,” a phrase referring to a quotation from Theodore Roosevelt that Randy read to the group.  Randy is presently “in the arena” with Patterson Business Systems in Charlotte.

     Mike Rash is a native of Charlotte and a graduate of Myers Park High School.   After graduation, Mike joined the U.S. Army “to see the world.”  Following basic and advanced training, his government travel agent provided him with a fully paid trip to beautiful Viet Nam.  Mike saw a lot of the country from his vantage point as a door gunner on a helicopter.  Following a bout with malaria, Mike got an early discharge to attend college, an experience he described as the “best two weeks in his life.”   He joined McKesson-Robbins as a drug salesman and then 3M selling orthopedic implants.  He then sold real estate in Charlotte before having the opportunity to open a Merrill Lynch Realty office in Cary, NC.  From there he was transferred to Lakeland, FL.  After Prudential Realty bought Merrill Lynch Realty, he returned to Charlotte and is presently president of the Charlotte office of Prudential Realty.  Mike quoted Winston Churchill “We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give.”  With that, he encouraged all members of the club to participate in the Polio Eradication campaign.

     As always, the club enjoyed the interesting and humorous presentations of how these members got to where they’re at.

     Head Table-Christie Taylor, David Anderson, Paul Solitario, Selena Rogers, Bob Carlson, Randy Minter, Mike Rash; Song-David Erdman.

      Invocation-Erskine Harkey; Health & Happiness-Jamie McLawhorn; Club Education-Jim Barnhardt; Visitors & Guests-Tigger Alexander.

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POWELL'S
OBSERVATIONS

Central Piedmont Community College, headed by Tony Zeiss, has won another award – this time from the National Alliance of Business.  The award honors partnerships between public two-year institutions and the public sector.  CPCC was given the Community College of the Year Performance Award for 2002.

Catherine Browning’s election to President of Charlotte Rotary for the year beginning July 1, 2004, was the lead article in “Table Talk” in the Business Journal.

Jerry Orr’s remark – “That is stupid,” was quoted in Time Magazine.  Jerry told this to a Federal employee that wanted to close the airport for a minor infraction.

Mac McCarley defended members of the City Administration on the editorial page of the Observer for charges made regarding a closed-door meeting.

In an article in the Observer, Phil Van Hoy suggested to employers that forethoughts could save them from lawsuits.

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