Meeting |
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Report |
Meeting |
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Report |
October 2, 2001 |
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| Filling in for President Jim, past president
Worth Williamson called the meeting to order at 12:38. Bob Freedman introduced
our guests and one visitor. Preceded by Thomas Moore on the piano, who played the
Mickey Mouse Club theme, Mike Whitehead told a cute story for Health and Happiness. Worth then introduced two other special visitors. Nick Bond and his wife, Sue Bond. Howard Chadwick, accompanied by Thomas on piano, led us in song with the timely and poignant "America the Beautiful," followed by the invocation by Duke Ison. Richard Bailey announced a proposed project of our Club, the "Oral History Archives of World War II — Charlotte, North Carolina." The goal of the project is to digitally videorecord, catalogue, and preserve the personal recollections and experiences of the men and women who served on the home front and overseas during the war years. Richard asked members to help by addressing your questions, comments, and words of support to him or the other members of the Exploratory Task Group: Cindy Johnston, Tony Zeiss, Ed Kizer, Tom Burgess, and Barry Miller. Worth made the following additional announcements: (1) The board decided to provide all members an excused absence for September 11. Those members who attended will be given credit for a "makeup" that can be used any time this year. (2) The Rotary Foundation Banquet will be held at the Renaissance Suites Hotel November 7 at 6:30 p.m. (3) The Nominating Committee has formed and consists of David Anderson, Theresa Evans, Don Steger, Jim Woodward, and Worth Williamson. Worth introduced the head table and two other special guests of the Club, Ann Neill and Miriam Suarez. Worth called on Marilyn Bowler to introduce our special guest, Rolfe Neill, the "real introducer" of our guest speaker. Rolfe was the president of Knight Publishing Company, the president and publisher of the "Charlotte Observer" and the "Charlotte News," after which he became chairman and publisher. Rolfe introduced our speaker, Roberto (Bob) Suarez. Bob was born in 1928 in Havana where he attended Belen High School. Bob won the first scholar athlete medal given at the school; Fidel Castro won the next year. Castro took over Cuba on January 1, 1959. Bob appeared on page one of the "New York Times" with several others when they were sent by Castro to NYC to take over the Cuban consulate. Castro made Bob president of a Cuban bank. Bob's wife Miriam (pregnant with their ninth child) and eight children left Cuba in 1960. Bob got out in 1961. His first job in Miami was bundling newspapers at "The Miami Herald" for truck delivery. In 1990, he was president of the "Herald"! Meanwhile, he came to Charlotte in 1972 at the "Observer," first as the controller, then business manager, then general manager, and then in 1986. In 1987, he returned to Miami to start "El Nuevo Herald," a Spanish-language paper owned by the "Herald." In 1989, Bob won the John S. Knight gold medal, given annually by Knight Ridder to the outstanding employee. Bob presented powerful, sad, and somber comments about his birthplace. Prior to President Batista (Cuban president and dictator 1940-44 and 1952-59), Cuba's population of 6.7 million had a growing middle class and the second highest income level in Latin America. Bob lamented that Cuba was prevented from becoming the paradise it could have been. The greed and power of Batista was the beginning of Cuba's problems. "Without Batista, there never would have been a Castro." In 1952 Castro was an aspiring politician; by 1959 he had gained an estimated 90 percent of the people's support, and forced Batista to resign. Between 1959 and 1960 business people and professionals began leaving Cuba. "Castro's real goal was to attain power, real power, and indefinitely." Bob explained that Cuba is not a dictatorship, but is under totalitarian control: one man, absolute, a huge, powerful state control over everyone. There are spies on everyone and every workplace. There are executions, political imprisonment, and control through hunger. Castro betrayed his promise of a democracy and eventually turned Cuba into a totalitarian state. Castro himself is taking desperate steps. He has allowed citizens to have U.S. dollars, he has approved foreign investment — particularly tourism — but the government controls it. Cubans can own limited businesses if there are no employees, only family members. When the government realized that these businesses made money, they taxed them so heavily that most owners gave up. The government then took over. Castro's philosophy is to keep the Cuban people dependent upon him in order to maintain absolute control. Bob stated, "The US embargo is not hurting the Cuban people, the [totalitarian] system is hurting the Cuban people." Cuba has become the largest debtor in the world with a $47 billion debt: $12 billion to the west, $25 billion to Russia, and $10 billion commercial. It is the only country in this hemisphere where the GNP has gone down in the last four years. One half of all infants have anemia. Bob closed with two verses from a popular song by a Cuban singer and composer, and then responded to a couple of questions. The last question asked how long Castro might be around, to which he replied, "Castro is 75 years old — he will die soon, a natural death." Worth thanked Bob for his "message of despair" and presented him with a Rotary pen, then adjourned at 1:32. * * * |
New Member
Joined 1973 Rejoined 1980, 1981, 1986, 2001 Holding Company, Healthcare Additional Active — Ordinary Novant Health Fred T. Brown, Jr., FACHE, joined Novant Health, Inc. in June 1997 as executive vice president for Novant Health Network Development. In August 1998 he was appointed executive vice president, Novant Health. He is responsible for supporting growth of the hospital, physician, and managed care network, including mergers, acquisitions, and development of affiliations with hospitals, managed care organizations, and other healthcare systems. He also provides consulting services to affiliate and managed hospitals in the Novant Health system. Prior to joining Novant Health, Fred established a regional office for VHA, a large health care cooperative, and he served as president and CEO of the Carolinas-Tennessee Regional Healthcare System for eleven years. Fred has thirty-one years of active duty and reserve military service. Starting as an Army Airborne Ranger Infantry Officer, he recently retired as a colonel in the North Carolina Air National Guard. He was a Medical Service Officer and commanded an Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron for seven months in Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Kuwait in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. His decorations include the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star and the Meritorious Service medal. Fred holds a Master's degree in health administration from UNC-Chapel Hill and a Bachelor's from Lenoir-Rhyne College. He also has received a certificate in hospital administration from Charlotte Memorial Hospital and Medical Center. His professional affiliations include serving as a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives; member of the American Hospital Association and the North Carolina and South Carolina Hospital Associations; member and secretary of the board of directors of The Long Term Care Foundation; member, North Carolina Healthcare Enterprises Board of Directors and Adjunct Professor of the . UNC School of Public Health. Welcome to Charlotte Rotary, Fred. * * * |
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