HAIL TO THE CHIEF
W. T. “Tom” Robertson, Jr.
87^th President of Charlotte Rotary

     The man who has led the building of Charlotte Rotarians’ Habitat House for the past three years will put his organizational leadership skills to the test this next year as the 87^th president of Charlotte Rotary.  William Thomas Robertson, Jr. – Tom as we all know him – takes over as president of the club for 2003-2004 – or “two double O three, two double O four,” in his unique Virginia parlance!
     President Tom, who joined the club in 1976, is retired vice president of Procurement, Services & Materials, for Duke Power Company.  But he has not been an idle man since retirement on August 1, 1994.  He was a member of the team of Duke Power retirees that helped form The DUKE POWER-ful RETIREE VOLUNTEERS in 1995 and is still active in the group, having served as the first chair of the Charlotte group.
     In addition to traveling with wife Barbara, President Tom’s been busy with his alma mater, serving on the Committee of 100 College of engineering of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.  He is also active in Virginia Tech’s Ut Prosim Society.
     He is a past chair and vice chair of the Senior Forum and is active in the leadership of his church, Hawthorne Lane United Methodist.
     President Tom graduated from Virginia Tech with a bachelor’s degree in engineering and attended the University of Michigan’s Public Utility Executive Program.  He served in the U.S. Corp of Engineers from 1952 to 1955 and in the Corp of Engineers Reserve and the NC National Guard from 1955 to 1965.
    The Cascade, VA, native joined Duke Power’s Mill-Power Supply Company subsidiary in 1955 as a fuel-purchasing trainee.  He became president of Mill-Power in 1977, serving in that capacity until being named vice president of Duke Power when Mill-Power functions were transferred to Duke.
    During his professional career he was deeply involved in Charlotte civic affairs, and he continues to be an active member of the Charlotte Area Salvation Army Advisory Board.  For many years Tom has organized Charlotte Rotarians to “ring the bell for donations” at the Square during Christmas.
   He and Barbara have two grown sons.

     Charlotte Rotary ushered in the “Robertson Era” Tuesday with the “inauguration” of William Thomas “Tom” Robertson, Jr. as its 87^th president.  He succeeds David L. Anderson who was recognized by the club with a print of the McBee, SC, railroad station by artist Jim Harrison (“one of his favorites”) and a substantial gift toward his next level of Paul Harris Fellowship.
     Immediate Past District Governor Charles Dixon (in his first official act in that capacity) pinned President Tom with the “president’s pin” and outgoing President David with the coveted “past-president’s pin.”
     “Thank you for this opportunity to serve as president,” said our new leader.  “It is an honor to have this role, and especially in a Rotary Club that in my opinion (and of course I’m unbiased) that is exceeded by few if any clubs in RI with such a long and rich history of doing and being what Rotary is all about.
     “I believe you have a team in place for year 2003-2004 that indeed have the enthusiasm, the motivation, the innovative skills and the leadership that will give everyone of us in this club an opportunity to carry the banner high,” he continued.
     The theme for RI this year, chosen by new RI President Jonathan B. Majiyagbe of Nigeria, is “Lend a Hand.”  “I can tell you,” the new president said, “that you Avenue Chairpersons have established a schedule of work that will in every way “lend a hand.”
     The retired Duke Power executive said he has been greatly influenced by several Duke Executives during his 40-year career including the late Tom (“stand and stay stood”) Garrett, his Rotary sponsor and a former club president.  Others included club member B. B. Parker, Bill Lee and Bill Grigg.  Tom said he told each of them “It is unlikely I will every dazzle you with my brilliance, but I’m persistent as the devil.”
     Outgoing President Dave reviewed accomplishment for his year, citing the importance of continuity of leadership and teamwork between and among past, current and presidents elect.

·        Reorganized avenues and committees along functional lines,

·        Grew membership from 290 to 311, a net increase of 21,

·        Changed the format of the newsletter to email delivery,

·        Relocated the club’s office,

·        Raised $57,000 for Polio Plus in addition to $20,500 through Paul Harris Fellowships and $11,600 public service worker scholarships,

·        Organized the first golf tournament for those scholarships,

·        Initiated the World War II oral history project and

·        Winning the RI Presidential Citation (which President Tom said he’d be surprised if we did not win again this year!)

     President Dave also pointed out several challenges: the need to consider whether the club has reached the point at which membership should be capped, how to be more active in district affairs, members’ payment of dues and fees on time and what to do with accumulated reserves due to “solid” financial management.
     In closing, he thanked the club for allowing him to be president.  “I’ve never been more highly honored than by you.  Being president of this club has changed my life for the better.”
     Immediate Past District Governor Charles Dixon admitted that he sat up last night and watched the clock pass midnight as his year in office ended.  He congratulated the club for its “outstanding year.  You made great strides as a club getting more involved in the district where after all you were the root club for most clubs in the district.”  He also introduced new District 7680 Governor Bill Belk who will make his official visit to the club on November 11.  Don Steger was also recognized as being named an Assistant Governor for the upcoming year.
     Both incoming and outgoing presidents praised the work of club Executive Secretary Sandy Osborne!
     Head Table: David Anderson, Ken Harris, Worth Williamson, Martin Waters, Charles Dixon, Ronnie Pruett, Tom Robertson.
    Invocation: Lee Morris; Visitors & Guests: Martin Waters; Health & Happiness: Fred Brown; Song: David Erdman.

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2003-04 RI Theme

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New Member

Natalie H. English

 

Goodrich Corporation

Classification: Aerospace

2730 W. Tyvola Rd. (28217)

704-423-7489

Natalie.english@goodrich.com

     Natalie English is Director of Community Relations for Goodrich Corporation.  Natalie has been married to Fred for a little over four years and they live in the University Area of Charlotte with their two dogs, Nicklaus and Jake.  Fred is golf professional at Fox Den Country Club in Troutman.

     Natalie has lived in Charlotte since January of 1997 and spent most of that time as chief lobbyist for the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce.  That role required Natalie to spend most of her time in Raleigh representing the positions of Charlotte businesses on issues in the North Carolina General Assembly.

     At Goodrich, Natalie serves as Director of Community Relations for Goodrich Corporation.  She manages the Goodrich Foundation as well as charitable giving at Goodrich facilities all over the United States.  Additionally, Natalie manages Goodrich’s visibility in the communities where there are significant numbers of employees.  She is in the process of developing a more formal program for encouraging volunteer activities among employees.  Natalie is also responsible for state and local governmental affairs in NC for Goodrich.

     Natalie received her B.A. in Communications from North Carolina State University.  Natalie and Fred are very active in their church, Eastfield Presbyterian, where Natalie is the Chair of the Board of Deacons and sings in the choir.  They both serve as leaders of the Youth Group and in many other activities in the church.

     Natalie serves on the Board of the Physical and Mathematical Sciences Foundation at NC State University, the Board of the NC Center for Public Policy Research, the Board of Leadership America North Carolina and was just elected to a term on the Board of the Children’s Theatre of Charlotte.   In what little spare time she has, Natalie likes to play golf, read and play with their dogs.

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DID YOU KNOW ...

z George Thompson has been named District Superintendent of the Charlotte District of Western NC Conference of the United Methodist Church.

z Wishes for a speedy recovery are extended to Bill Loftin, Sr. as he recuperates from surgery last week.

z The Raleigh N&O featured a wonderful article, with lots of photographs, about our favorite Rotarian, Powell Majors.  As the article details, Powell is a walking oral history of baseball, having seen the legends: Ruth, DiMaggio, Mantle, and Robinson; and wanted to pass on his ultimate baseball odyssey to his family’s men.  On June 25 he chartered the J. Pinckney Henderson, a restored stainless steel Pullman railway car from the 1950s and hitched it to the end of Amtrak’s Carolinian.  Powell left Charlotte along with four others, then picked up his son, grandson-in-law and oldest great-grandson in Raleigh, and headed to watch games at Boston’s Fenway Park and Baltimore’s Camden Yards.  The entire article is available on the web or just ask Powell.

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