|
 STERLING
FREEMAN
Executive Director,
Wildacres Leadership Initiative
by Leigh Derby
Mr. Freeman serves as the Executive Director of Wildacres Leadership
Initiative and is a William C. Friday Fellow from the 2001-2003
group. Prior to coming to Wildacres, Sterling had a career in
financial services as a commercial loan officer with Nations Bank
and a Commercial Insurance Agent with BB&T Insurance Services in
Durham. These experiences, he stated, helped prepare him to lead
Wildacres.
The Wildacres Leadership Initiative, a nonprofit organization based
in Durham, was started in 1995 under the auspices of the Blumenthal
Foundation as it is associated with the Wildacres Retreat in Little
Switzerland, NC. North Carolina leaders, including Bill Friday and
Jim Martin, realizing that the “new” leaders of our communities were
“different”, sought to network these diverse individuals. Today the
Wildacres Leadership Initiative seeks “to create a community of
individuals committed individually and collectively to promoting
improved human relations among and expanded opportunities for all
North Carolinians to seek solutions to pressing issues facing North
Carolina”. Fellows come from different ethnicities, as well as
different spiritual, social, and economic backgrounds. By design,
they represent virtually every vocational group including
government, law, community development, business, philanthropy,
journalism, and human services.
There are now five cycles of Fellows and each cycle, or program,
represents a two-year orientation. The Fellowship program has four
components that work together to create a two-year experience of
education, reflection, community building and action: education and
reflection seminars, individual learning plans and self-directed
learning activities, mentoring, and collaborative action.
Sterling frequently used the words, “challenging” and “being
challenged”. Fellows are challenged to get to know others who are
different, to take risks, to beak down assumptions about “who is at
the table” of leadership, and to build relationships of trust. As a
Fellow, Sterling learned about his own blind spots and had many “aha
moments”. The Initiative is also challenged. With only 130 Fellows
today (25 from the Charlotte area), the Initiative is challenged to
expand the pool.
Drawing on the collective wisdom and “genius” of our community and
its leaders is what the Wildacres Leadership Initiative is all
about, Sterling explained.
In fielding several questions from the audience, Sterling explained
the selection process, how the Initiative compares to other
leadership groups like Leadership Charlotte, and how the Initiative
attempts to keep its alumni engaged.
Head Table:
Charlie Greer, Biff Virkler,
Catherine Browning, Tony Lathrop, Eric Carrig, Martin Welton;
Invocation: Dale LeCount
Visitors and Guests:
Rusty Brink; Health & Happiness: Tom
Hutchins; Song: David Erdman
|
*
* *
|
|
NEW MEMBER APPROVAL |
The
Classification and Membership Committee recommend and the
Directors approve for consideration for all members, the
following NEW MEMBERS. Should you question the eligibility
of any nominee, please call the Rotary Office by March 8th.
You will be contacted by a member of the Board. Otherwise,
no reply is necessary and election will proceed according to
our bylaws.
|
Proposed Member
Company
Classification
Sponsor
Endorsed
|
|
David Dunn
UNC Charlotte
Education, Public Univ-Administration
Jim Woodward
Claude Lilly, Sadler Barnhardt |
|
Proposed Member
Company
Classification
Sponsor
Endorsed |
|
Robert Phifer
Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
Law, Employment
Luther Moore
Jerry Walters, Charlie Williams |
| |
|
 |
|
|
þ
From the Charlotte
Observer: Mark Norman of
Johnson & Wales University was named Chair of the Board for
Classroom Central; Budd Berro
of Quantum Leap Strategies was named President of the Board
for Catawba Lands Conservancy; The Printing Industry of the
Carolinas, Inc. recognized Loftin &
Co. Printers (Bill Loftin, Jr. and Bill Loftin, Sr.)
for printing excellence.
þ
From the Business Journal:
Tim Newman discovered
cool accommodations at Blair’s Jungle Den in Astor, FL.,
while checking out prospective advantages for the city’s
forthcoming NASCAR Hall of Fame bid; and
President Catherine Browning’s
article highlighted a century of Rotary and accomplishments
of the Rotary Club of Charlotte.
þ
District 7680 will hold its District
Conference in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, TN on
April 22-24, 2005. To reserve your room at the Park Vista
Resort Hotel, you should call 1-800-227-5622 (reference
Rotary District 7680 for the special rate) BEFORE March
21st. This conference is open to all Rotarians and is being
organized by Allen Langley from the Rotary Club of Shelby.
If you know Allen, you know it will be fun. On-line
registration is being set up at the District’s website,
www.rotarydistrict7680.org,
and it should be available in the next day or so.
þ
THE
GALA at Charlotte Country Club was great and
plans are already underway for a repeat performance next
year. Richard Bailey and
Tom Burgess presented a
complete set of DVDs from the World War II interviews to
President Catherine. What a
fantastic Centennial Project. Further celebration of this
project is in the planning, so stay tuned.
District Governor Jim Morton
had the honor of presenting Rotary International’s Service
Above Self award to Powell Majors.
This distinguished recognition is awarded to a maximum of
150 Rotarians throughout the World each year. What an honor
for Powell and this Club.
þ
Thanks to the hard work of
Harriman Jett and
Wes Clark, the Club is the
proud owner of two new projectors.
þ
Notice was given to all
members that on March 1, 2005, a vote would be taken to
authorize, approve and adopt a restatement of the Club’s
Constitution and Bylaws (the proposed forms of which have
been approved by the Board of Directors and recommended to
the members). Following a motion duly made and seconded, the
motion was unanimously approved.
þ
Some 50 years ago,
Ronnie Pruett entered (and
won) a global issues essay competition, which resulted in a
trip to the United Nations in New York. This experience
opened his eyes and interest in International law. On
Tuesday, Katlynn Smith (Myers Park Interact Club) was
introduced to the Club as first runner-up in the same
contest and is planning the same trip to the United Nations.
Congratulations and the best of luck to you, Katlynn.
þ
HABITAT UPDATE: Volunteers are needed for the
Habitat for Humanity project, scheduled to kick off on March
10th. You may sign up on the Club’s website,
www.charlotterotary.org
(click on Habitat 2005), or call the Rotary office.
Joey Godbold’s ask for a
lunch sponsor on April 1st has been accepted by
Bryan Moore and the Adam’s
Mark Hotel. Thanks Bryan!
þ
CLASSIFICATION REVIEW:
Rob Thomas and committee
will begin reviewing Classification assignments of all Club
members. If your Classification is outdated or no longer
represents your vocation, he wants to know about it. Please
contact Rob (or Sandy at the Rotary office) with your
suggested Classification. |
|
*
* *
|
|
Attendance
Record |
|
3/01/05 |
3/02/04 |
| visitors &
guests |
13 |
14 |
| club
members |
204 |
211 |
| total
attendance |
217 |
225 |
|
|
|
Wedding
Anniversaries |
01 Carolyn and Ed Nowokunski
03 Katie and Billie Wireman
07 Carol and David Jordan
08 Diana and Carlos Sanchez
10 Terri and Tom Bartholomy
10 Shirley and Charlie Ibach
10 Kim and Robby Ray
12 Sarah and Worth Williamson
13 Sally and Ken Harris |
|
|
New Members | Resignations |
|
N/A |
Martin Godwin Ed John
|
|
|
| Birthdays and
Birthplaces |
01 Charlie Ibach, Sioux City, IA
03 Mike Parrott, Houston, TX
04 Jimmy Flowers, Charlotte, NC
05 Ken Samuelson, MD
06 Richard Bailey, NYC, NY
06 Donald Haack,
Milwaukee, WI
06 Edwin Peacock,
Charlotte, NC
08 Alan Barnhardt,
Charlotte, NC
08 Harley Dickson, Asheville, NC
09 Bob Carlson, South Bend, IN
10 Luther Fincher, Charlotte, NC
10 Randolph Smith,
Columbia, SC
11 Jack Smylie, Memphis, TN
12 Tigger Alexander,
Wilmington, DE
12 Jeff Triplette,
Granite Falls, NC
14 Pam Meister,
New Orleans, LA
14 Ed White, Hickory, NC |
|
|
|
|
|
