President Don welcomed everyone and recognized Frank Martin to introduce visitors and guests. For the first time in anyone's memory, there was only one guest and one visitor to welcome. Jerry Orr gave the Health & Happiness report with comments regarding the state of airline travel. Following the pledge of allegiance, Dale LeCount gave the invocation and Ed Ellis led a rousing rendition of "You Are My Sunshine," ably assisted by Thomas Moore at the piano. Henry Bostic announced the upcoming Memory Walk on September 23 in Freedom Park, sponsored by the Alzheimer's Association, and noted the growing interest in Alzheimer's research by Rotary as mentioned by Governor Dot in her remarks last week. The board will be considering whether to participate in the CART (Coins for Alzheimer's Research Trust) Program, which was started by the Rotary Club in Sumter, South Carolina. President Don introduced the head table, which included John Rogers, Henry Bostic, Jerry Blanchard, Jim Kelly, Dale LeCount and Bill Spencer, who introduced our speaker, Michael Marsicano.
     Michael is the current President and CEO of Foundation for the Carolinas, succeeding Bill Spencer, who retired from the Foundation in September 1999. Marsicano is probably best known in the community for his leadership of the Arts & Science Council from 1989 to 1999. Marsicano spoke on the work of the Foundation, whose purpose is to advance philanthropy by serving donors, increasing charitable giving and improving communities. This community foundation was created by and for the people of North and South Carolina to help do good work in the community by matching donors with community needs. Community foundations are among the fastest growing forms of philanthropy due to the intergenerational transfer of resources and the result of a strong economy that is creating 15% more millionaires each year. Marsicano stated that this period of wealth transfer presents an incredible opportunity for the Foundation and the community.
     The Foundation was established in 1958 and covers twelve regions in North and South Carolina. It ranks among the top 30 community foundations in the United States. The Foundation has $250 million in assets and manages more than 1300 funds. Over the past five years, the Foundation's assets have experienced 18% growth, and last year the Foundation received $43 million in contributions. Michael described three distinct features which make community foundations different, including permanence, a broad flexible purpose familiar with a wide range of community needs, and personalized giving. There are a variety of ways to establish a fund with the Foundation, including permanent endowments and non-permanent funds that allow donors to make donor-directed gifts and lake immediate charitable deductions. The Foundation currently manages endowments for 150 non-profit organizations and awards over 400 scholarships annually.
     Michael shared the advantages of a community foundation versus private foundations, which include greater deductions, no excise tax, no distribution requirements and no limits on closely held stock. For these and other reasons, many local families have decided to coordinate their charitable giving through the Foundation by endowments, donor advised funds, planned gifts or Supporting organizations. Michael shared stories from some of these families and the impact their gifts have had on the community. The Foundation works in partnership with donors to address community needs. Marsicano cited as examples the Project on Out-of-School Time (POST), the Community Building Initiative to improve race relations, Central Carolinas Choices, the Regional HIV-AIDS Consortium, and the Carolinas Land Conservation Network.
     Marsicano mentioned a new initiative that the Foundation has begun to benchmark the region's level of civic engagement by participating in a national study conducted by Dr. Robert Putnam of Harvard University. Dr. Putnam is the author of a recent book. Bowling Alone, outlining the decline of social capital in the United States. Some of the indicators of this problem are the decline in civic participation, church attendance, socializing, PTA membership and civic club membership between 1975 and 1995. Dr. Putnam's study will tell us what impact this is having on American life and in particular our corner of the world.
     Marsicano concluded his remarks by stating that anyone can be a philanthropist. We simply have to have a desire to help our community, and the Foundation can help with the rest. Following a brief question and answer period in which Marsicano addressed how grants are awarded in the community, the seed grant program and the current estate tax debate, President Don adjourned the meeting.

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New Member

BILLY   O. WIREMAN

Joined 1963
Rejoined 1978, 2000

Honorary
(Former Class., Education,
College for Women)

Queens College
1900 Selwyn Avenue (28274)
704-337-2217
fax 704-337-2503
E-Mail: wiremanb@queens.edu

     Called "one of America's best college presidents," Billy O. Wireman was born October 7, 1932, in Jackson, Kentucky. He attended public schools in Louisville and was graduated in 1954 from Georgetown College (Kentucky) with a degree in history and physical education. He received his master's degree in educational administration from the University of Kentucky in 1957 and his doctorate from Peabody College of Vanderbilt University in 1960. He has been awarded honorary degrees by Eckerd College, the University of Tampa, and Georgetown College.
     Dr. Wireman served in the United States Marine Corps during the Korean War. He has been a registered representative with a stock brokerage firm and helped run a family business in Florida. He served as vice president for development at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida, before becoming its president in 1968.
     Dr. Wireman left Eckerd to become dean of the School of Finance and Business Administration at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida.
     He became president of Queens College in 1978. Since then, total enrollment has increased some 300 percent from 500 to 1700 and the endowment has grown to $30 million. Queens has successfully completed a number of capital campaigns: the McColl Challenge and "Aim High, Alumni!" Campaign have raised $30 million. Among the new programs at Queens during Dr. Wireman's administration are: the Pauline Lewis Hayworth College, the graduate school, undergraduate and graduate nursing degrees, the Core Program in the Liberal Arts, the International Experience Program, the shift to fully coeducational status, the Executive M.B.A. and the Learning Society at Queens. Several scholarship programs — including Presidential Scholarships, Mecklenburg Scholarships, and Minority Scholarships — have been launched during his tenure at Queens. In March 1993 a $4 million gift resulted in the naming of the Hugh L. McColl Jr. School of Business at Queens College. Also, for the last three years, Queens College has ranked in the top ten for Best Value and appeared in the top 25 of Southern Regional Universities in the annual U.S. News and World Report survey.
     Dr. Wireman also served as chairman of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Community Relations Committee. He is chairman of the Charlotte World Affairs Council and is on the International Commission of the American Council on Education. He is a member of the board of directors at Wild-acres where he is also chairman of the Friday Fellowship Selection Committee and serves on the Wildacres Leadership Initiative Advisory Board. Dr. Wireman is a member of the Young Presidents' Organization and is an elder at First Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, N.C.
     Dr. Wireman is married to the former Katie Marie Coomer (B.A., Georgetown '57; M.A. Peabody '61). They have two grown children. A former athletic coach, he is an avid basketball fan. He also enjoys tennis, flying, and travel. Dr. Wireman is also a writer. He has published over 250 articles on education, politics, religion, and international topics focusing on Europe and Asia. He and two Queens professors have written three books: Dangerous Grace (September 1992), The Peninsula Plot (December 1995), and Women of Thunder (October 1998). He is in demand as a speaker to churches, groups, and organizations on leadership, adult learners, motivation, volunteerism, diversity, and internationalizing education.
     Welcome back to Charlotte Rotary, Billy.

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