Iowa City Noon Rotary

Summary of the Iowa City Noon Rotary Meeting on March 24, 2016

 
Bruce Harreld, President, University of Iowa
Fellow Rotarian Lynette Marshall introduced President Bruce Harreld for today’s program on his vision for the University of Iowa.
 
Bruce Harreld became the 21st president of the University of Iowa on November 2, 2015. He received a Bachelor of Engineering degree from Purdue University and a Master of Business Administration degree from Harvard University. President Harreld has served in several corporate leadership positions. He is the author or coauthor of numerous articles and book chapters in journals and magazines as well as the recipient of several awards, including the Accenture Award for best business article of the year, the Distinguished Industrial Engineer and Distinguished Engineering Awards from Purdue University.
 
Since President Harreld’s arrival to our campus last November he has been a devoted student learning about our community, our university and our state. He has been introduced to colleagues and elected officials in Des Moines as well meeting friends and donors across the country.
 
Our members were treated to a glimpse into his values and vision during his time at the podium. His eagerness to lead our university was apparent when he stated that he is willing to take the heat in order to do the right thing for the University of Iowa. We must exploit the past and explore the future so we can reach his goal of being in the top 10 public research institutions during his tenure. President Harreld will continue to fight every day for more funding for the University of Iowa, but he also wants the University to be prepared to leverage resources in the ways that will produce the best results and focus on its strengths.  
 
 
 
MEETING
Singing:  Bob Crane led singing of America the Beautiful and Smile with Jim Conard on the piano.
              
President Thais had the following announcement:
 
Welcome back to our fellow Rotarians and community members who are just returning from Xicotepec, a flagship program of our Rotary District. It began 11 years ago as a vision of Gary and Nancy Pacha to develop a service project that would broadly expand the involvement of young people in Rotary International. Over time, through the collaboration with many partners here and in Xicotepec, it has grown into a multi-faceted community partnership which made an incredible impact by incremental steps and building relationships. Rotarians, community volunteers, high school students, college students, University faculty and others have all come together to do so many things over the past decade: put a firetruck and support equipment into place, new classrooms and sanitation systems for the secondary school, paved streets to the school, medical and dental equipment installed at the area Red Cross Center, annual physicals and health screenings, uniforms for students, bedding and furniture for orphanage and convents, a library and media center built and equipped, hundreds of books donated, annual deworming medications, fluoride treatments, and the list goes on. Most importantly, this project spurred activity for our area Interact and Rotaract clubs and the UI began offering an international, interdisciplinary service-learning course called, “International Perspectives: Xicotepec.”A warm thank you to the many, many people who have made this such a vibrant project and to the way it highlights everything that Rotary represents: join leaders, exchange ideas and take action.
 
Please forward any newsworthy items and/or photos to Casey Kidwell to include in the weekly presentation. You can send information to: secretary@iowacitynoon.rotary.org or to: casey-kidwell@uiowa.edu. The pre-meeting PowerPoint is a great way to reach fellow Rotarians who may not be at the weekly meeting. 
 
For questions related to Club administration, please contact us at secretary@iowacitynoonrotary.org.
 
Guests and Visiting Rotarians
President Thais Winkleblack introduced Visiting Rotarians Shanti Roundtree (Cedar Rapids Daybreak), Judy Meyer (Coralville North Corridor), Mark Ruggeberg (Iowa City Downtown), Mick Starcevich (Downtown Cedar Rapids), John Ockenfels (Iowa City AM) as well as guests Kay Weiler (Tony Weiler); Dale Crider (Cyndy Crider); Maryann Thompson (Usha Balakrishnan); Mary Ann Hendrickson (Janice Wilson); AK Traw (Chuck Traw); Jerry Rose (LaDonna Wicklund); Matt Geneser (Arthur Nowak); Anne Hesse and James Gardner (Chuck Hesse); Vince Nelson (Steve Wolken); Carly Ambrisco (Bill Ambrisco); Brent Bonner and Anne Adam (Joe Hughes); Trisha Smith, Rachel Lehmann, Lynn Allendorf, Paul Heath, Janie Braverman (Tom Cilek); Resmiye Oral (Art Spisak); Travis Brockett (Christina Kimerle); Sara Sedlacek (Eric Weiler); Ryan Brennan (Susan Brennan); Karen Chappell (Wally Chappell); Becci Reedus (Christine Catney); Aaron Warner (Thais Winkleblack); Jo Scott (James Scott); Julie Reynolds (Michael Schmitz); Michael Williams (Kelley Drowne); Anna Milbach (Curt Heideman), Caroline Hammer and Marvin Grant (John Gross), Rick Oehler (Melissa Schooley).
 
COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS
Program: Tom Cilek; Attendance: Nancy Droll; March 31 – Dave Siebert and Neil Quellhorst, April 7 – Art Nowak and John Dasher and April 14 – Michael Broadston and Linda Dasher.