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HOW I GOT WHERE
I'M AT
By: Hope Lanier
The June 8 meeting of the Charlotte Rotary Club was both
eventful and reflective. Tom O’Brien introduced several visitors and
guests. President-Elect Herb Harriss, recognized three club members
celebrating June 8th birthdays then recounted some stories from his
trip to the International Rotary Convention in Japan. Darrell
Holland led the club in the recitation of the 4-Way Test, Greg
Walker led the club in singing TAPS, in honor and memory of former
President Ronald Reagan, who passed away this past Saturday, and
John Rogers offered the invocation. Myra Johnston then introduced
three new members to the Club, all of whom she has come to know and
respect a great deal through their dedication to Presbyterian
Hospital and the Buddy Kemp Caring House. Gayle Smith introduced our
program – “How I Got Where I’m At” – which is always a club
favorite.
Robby Ray, who joined Charlotte Rotary one year ago, began
his story by recounting his childhood years in Chattanooga,
Tennessee. As one of three boys, he was always in the midst of some
sort of mischief, but as the lone red-head in the neighborhood, he
was often singled out as the perpetrator, such that he began to
direct his energy toward sports, with a particular interest in
Little League and Basketball. After graduating from the University
of Tennessee with a degree in Marketing, Robby moved to Asheville
where he began his career with Beatrice Foods. He noted that as a
young college graduate in a town whose median age was significantly
greater than his own, he found plenty of time to develop an interest
in cycling. And when he moved to Greenville, South Carolina, and
took up running and swimming, he tried his hand at several
Triathlons before replacing all three sports with golf.
Robby’s venture into his own business occurred quite by accident,
although he had a good deal of experience in the foods industry, As
a gag gift, he had a jar of “Tarheel Toe Jam,” (homemade jelly with
a kick), made up for a friend, and found it to be quite a hit. With
the encouragement of a friend who was working in Italy, Robby began
distributing domestic and international “finds” akin to his “Toe
Jam” creation to various specialty stores and has found success
growing his business, Norssi International, ever since. He and his
wife Kim were married in 2001 and moved to Charlotte shortly
thereafter. They are active members of St. John’s Baptist Church.
Bill Stegelmeyer has deep roots in Louisiana, and in Rotary,
in which he has participated for more than twenty years. Although
his family has been in Louisiana since 1779, his self-described
“passion for diamonds” led him to Charlotte. Bill studied Economics
in undergraduate school, achieved his MBA and had begun work on a
Doctorate when he took over his mother’s jewelry and gift business
after she suffered ill health. With a background in marketing, he
was naturally drawn to participate in the Louisiana Tourism
Commission and the World’s Fair in New Orleans. Although the World’s
Fair was not an immediate financial success, the attention brought
to the regional cuisine and tourism opportunities has been quite
beneficial to the state in the long run. Noting a difference in
market opportunities and a desire for personal success, Bill struck
up a friendship with Charlottean Robert Love on a diamond-buying
trip and became interested in the Charlotte area. Noting that he
misses family, friends, food and fun in his home state, Bill assured
us that he is thrilled by the work ethic and job creation in the
“New South.” After much research on areas ranging from Atlanta to
Raleigh, Bill accepted an offer to work with Love in Charlotte,
where he helped expand his business by opening seven stores
throughout the region and enjoying the “Diamond Moment” on a regular
basis. Upon Love’s retirement, Bill joined the Karat Patch, where he
has sold diamonds worth $50 to $45,000 to men from 15 to 72 years of
age. After many years in the jewelry business, the thing he still
enjoys most is sharing “the Diamond Moment” with his customers.
Don Millen is a third generation Rotarian, with family
connections to our club, and as such he is thrilled to be a part of
Charlotte Rotary. Don Grew up in Atlanta and attended UNC Chapel
Hill on a football scholarship. He played linebacker and special
teams under Coaches Dick Crum and Mack Brown and participated in the
Aloha Bowl during his time at Carolina. During the summers, he found
success selling fire extinguishers door-to-door in Nashville,
Tennessee, and set a goal then to one day become his own boss. After
graduating, he joined Arthur Andersen consulting in Atlanta. He left
to pursue his MBA from Wharton, and then spent some time working for
Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette on Wall Street. Eight years ago, he
felt the pull back to the South, and began working with Bowles,
Hollowell Conner here in Charlotte, with a focus on the small
business market. In 2000 he achieved his dream of self-employment by
joining forces to create Dragonfly Capital, a Charlotte-based
boutique Merchant Bank with a focus on small- and mid- market
companies in the Southeast. Don and his wife reside in Charlotte
with their two-year-old daughter.
Head Table:
Darrell Holland, Myra Johnston, Robby
Ray, Gayle Smith, Tom Robertson, Bill Stegelmeyer, Don Millen
Visitors and Guests:
Tom O’Brien; Health & Happiness: Herb
Harriss; Song: Gregg Walker; Invocation: John Rogers
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CLUB
ASSEMBLY JUNE 15th 6:00 PM
BY SMS CATERING |
(There will not
be a meeting at noon on June 15th)
Reservations are required…please notify the Rotary Office ASAP |
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2003-04
RI
Theme
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z Claude Lilly was
moving a bit slow on Tuesday, but seems to be recovering nicely
from his knee surgery.
z
Herb Harriss covered Health
& Happiness on Tuesday and presented “for real” chop sticks
(made in China) to President Tom.
As you know, Herb has just returned from the RI Convention in
Osaka, Japan. Herb also recognized Hope
Lanier for her outstanding success on last week’s
Wheel of Fortune. Hope’s quick thinking resulted in a
substantial prize package that included a trip to Costa Rica.
How appropriate that the answer to her final puzzle was “It’s No
Joke”. She also received a Rotary Wheel lapel pin from Herb that
advertises RI’s 100th year anniversary.
z
Contact the Rotary Office or Chip Scholz
(chip@scholzandassociates.com)
to see what you can do to make the 9/11 Scholarship Golf
Classic, September 21, 2004 at Raintree Country Club a huge
success.
z
Congratulations to
Phil Volponi and
Christine Wilhoit, who were
united in marriage on May 27, 2004.
z
Presbyterian Hospital Foundation hosted the seventh annual
Presbyterian Hemby Children’s Golf Classic, raising funds to
benefit the renovation of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit in
the children’s hospital. Martin Welton
of NAI Southern Real Estate was a co-chair of the event.
z
John Stedman, chief
executive of The Scottish Bank, has brokered an agreement to
sell the bank’s mortgage business to lifelong friend, Brad
Church, owner of Bradford Mortgage. Scottish Bank Mortgage will
keep its name.
z
For his many years of enthusiastic service and commitment, the
Board of Directors has designated Bill
Meanor an Honorary Member of National Personnel
Associates (NPA). Bill also received the NPA Chairman’s Award in
1998 and is one of only two individuals in NPA to receive both
the Chairman’s Award and the distinction of Honorary Membership.
z
A warm Rotary welcome is extended to
Dick Reiling, Eric Baldwin, and
Jim Combs, who were introduced
this week by their sponsor Myra Johnston.
z
Richard Bailey, Dave
Adams and Mary Ciminelli
invite you to attend the free Charlotte Philharmonic Pops in the
Park concerts at 7:00 P.M. in Matthews on June 11th, and at 7:30
P.M. at Gaston County’s Dallas Park on June 12th. The theme for
the concerts is a “Salute To America”. |
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Charlotte Rotary 9/11 Scholarship
Golf Classic
September 21, 2004 – Raintree Country Club
Rotary Club of Charlotte Moves to the
ADAM’S MARK HOTEL JULY 6, 2004 |
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Attendance
Record |
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6/08/04 |
6/10/03 |
| visitors &
guests |
12 |
10 |
| club
members |
186 |
179 |
| total
attendance |
198 |
189 |
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Wedding
Anniversaries |
15 Julie and John Armistead
15 Debra and Bob Webb
16 Peggy and Bob Culbertson
16 Mary and Brian Gibson
17 Emily and Doug Booth
17 Jody and Chuck Lew
17 Mary and Bruce Rinehart
17 Ruth and Carroll Thomas
17 Dee and Ed Turner
17 Steffanie & Hunter Widener
18 Gayle and Luther Fincher
18 Peggy and Dale LeCount
18 Peggy and Ken Wesp
19 Gloria and Vernon Anderson
19 Laura and Charlie Greer
20 Pamela and Wes Clark
20 Dot and Tony Marciano
20 Jennifer and Arch McIntosh
20 Brenda and George Rohe |
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New Members | Resignations |
Cecily Durrett
Tom Senger
Eric Baldwin
Jim Combs
Dick Reiling |
n/a |
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| Roaming
Rotarians |
Susan Patterson, Columbus, GA
Mary John Dye, Frankfort, KY
Sadler Barnhardt, Blowing Rock,NC | |
| Birthdays and
Birthplaces |
18 Hugh McColl,
Bennettsville, SC
18 Todd Stevens,
Savannah, GA
18 Bob Reid, Mooresville, NC
18 David Tate, Pittsburgh, PA
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