Our Rotary meeting had international flair. Visitors from both China and Russia witnessed the warmth and camaraderie of our club. In appreciation of our invitation, our Russian guest Leonid I. Ukhin, Department Head of the Internal Affairs Ministry of RF State Fire Prevention Service and the Internal Affairs Department of the Voronezh region, offered these words:

     Translation:
     Thank you Mr. President and Rotary members for your kind invitation.
     The ten firefighters joining me on this trip to our sister city have enjoyed this time spent experiencing your fine city.
     Good health, good luck, and best wishes.
                                                         Leonid I. Ukhin

     On a special note. Henry Bostic is home recovering from surgery. Henry, the club sends you our best.
     Bob Reid had head table responsibility, and the meeting was called to order by President Ronnie. Randall Groves recognized our many international guests and visiting Rotarians. Tom Hutchins presented the Health and Happiness Report, and took the opportunity to tell a few lighthearted jokes at the Army's expense. Howard Chadwick was the song, and Ric Cannada provided the invocation.
     David Anderson recognized our newest member John Tabor. John will surely be a great addition to our club. Look for his future bid.
     The head table consisted of E. K. Fretwell, Bob Knight, Tom Norwood, guest speaker Charlie Slagle, Ronnie Pruett, Ric Cannada, Marilynn Bowler, and Sam Spencer.
     Charlie Slagle's program was on the NCAA College Cup at Ericsson Stadium. Charlie currently is the Head Coach of Soccer at Davidson College. Coming to our great city is the World Series of soccer. This event is as big as it gets in college soccer.
     Charlie actually played soccer at Davidson, and remembers the days when the NCAA College Cup was a nonevent. Though the event suffered from poor attendance, poor stadiums, and poor press coverage then, today Charlotte has the opportunity to make our city the Omaha of college soccer. For those who do not know, Omaha, Nebraska, is home for the College World Series.
     In 1992, Charlie Slagle and Terry Holland, Athletic Director and Ex-ACC Coach of Basketball at Virginia, bid for the College Cup to be hosted at Davidson. They expected their bid to be good practice and won. Then reality set in, and our fellow Rotarian Pat Millen stepped in to assist. Miraculously they pulled it off, exceeded attendance expectations, and the only problem was where to park 8,000 cars.
     Now soccer has moved from Richardson Stadium at Davidson to Richardson's Stadium in Charlotte. Ericsson is considered to be the finest venue for soccer in the United States. Can you believe a goal of 6,000 spectators in 1992 has grown to the current goal of 34,000 at Ericsson Stadium. Charlie has a lot to be proud of.
     The College Cup will be a definite boost. Ticket prices will range from $50 for the lower seats, to $60 for mid-field and lower bowl seats, to $85 for club level seats that include an amenity package. For more information, call Chad Kuperanick, the Tournament Director, at 332-7717.
     Games start Friday, December 10 and go through Sunday, December 12.

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JOHN H. TABOR
Joined 1999

Mortgage Banking
Additional Active

817 E. Morehead St., Ste. 200
(28202-2725)

358-8000
FAX 358-8800

     John H. Tabor, GRML, AIA, was born in Charleston, West Virginia/and grew up in Waynesboro, Virginia, and Greenville, South Carolina. John attended Clemson University, where he walked onto the football team his first year. He graduated with a Bachelors of Science and Masters of Architecture in '77 and '79.
     From Clemson, John moved to Charlotte and joined Middleton McMillan Architects. There he had the opportunity to work on some of Charlotte's most prestigious projects, including the Blumenthal Center for Performing Arts, Spirit Square Center for the Arts, UNCC's C. C. Cameron Applied Research Center, and Corporate Headquarters for Cogentrix and Continental General Tire.
     In the architectural profession, John has been very active in the local, state and national organizations of the American Institute of Architects. He served as President of AlA/Charlotte, on the Board of AIA/North Carolina, and on the national Committee of Design for fifteen years. He chaired four national COD design conferences, and served on a Blue Ribbon Gold Medal Committee.
     John received a Masters of Business Administration from Duke University's Fuqua School of Business in 1990.
     In 1997, John and his wife Lee started US Mortgage Group, which provides residential mortgages to borrowers whose credit ranges from perfect to "challenged." John is responsible for marketing, strategic planning, and the general business aspects of the company. He has been active with legislative issues in the North Carolina Association of Mortgage Brokers, and has also received a designation for completing the Residential Mortgage Lending School, one of only 150 in North Carolina.
     John serves as Chair of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Planning Commission. He was originally appointed to the Commission in 1990. He also serves as President of Leadership Charlotte, and on the executive committee of the board for Leadership North Carolina. John has been very involved in leadership programs, having attended six different programs and served on the boards of three. He served many years on the Chamber's Leadership School Board, and chaired it two years.
     John and his wife Lee have two children — John Paul, 6, and Alexandra (Allie), 5, along with two Sheltie puppies and one cat.
     Welcome, John, to Charlotte Rotary.

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