Report 03

of 214

Final Report Attachment

What were your reasons for participating in a GSE? Did this exchange meet your expectations?

As a Rotarian who had been involved in hosting and arranging activities for three inbound GSE teams, with my previous District activity was coming to an end due to conflict of interest, I was considering the possibility of joining the Group Study Exchange committee. This was prevented when I accepted an invitation to become District Vocational Service Chair, but fortunately the chance to apply for selection as GSE Team Leader remained as a way to extend my International and Vocational Service to Rotary and the community. The opportunity to be involved in the professional development of a team of young professional members of the community by leading them in this international program is one of the dream “jobs” in Rotary. I was pleased and fortunate to be selected.

The GSE exceeded my expectations in every respect. The best way to review this is by using the objectives of GSE.

Rotarian involvement

GSE proved to be an excellent opportunity for me to extend my International and Vocational service to Rotary and the community. I got a lot pleasure from leading the team and was very proud of the way the team carried out their task and the great success that they achieved.

It was a pleasure and a privilege for me to have the opportunity to lead this team of young professionals. I have a great deal of pride in the achievements of the team in successfully executing this Group Study Exchange, the excellent quality of the presentations delivered (which was demonstrated by the many compliments which I received as team leader) and also the conduct of the team as ambassadors for our country, Rotary District, their sponsor Rotary clubs and their own vocations.

There is always great interest from Rotarians in visiting GSE teams. I was told by Rotarians at many of our presentations to meetings that the GSE presentation is amongst the highlights of the calendar at many clubs. It was obvious that Rotarians appreciate the opportunity to learn about the country and lifestyle of the visiting team from the GSE presentations.

I was able to observe that the Rotarians in the host District received the same enjoyment from hosting and arranging visits as I have previously experienced. It is a most enjoyable way to give international service whilst at the same time learning about visitors and sharing lifestyle and culture with the visitors.

Cultural experiences Group Study Exchange provides a unique cultural experience of life and work in another country and culture. Whilst there may be some activities which tourists may also do and enjoy, the opportunity to see the real life experience at the same time makes it very different. Being able to meet a broad

of 214

spectrum of the community through Rotary and the various vocational visits allows normal conversation on a broad spectrum of normal life topics that would not be available to casual visitor.

Fellowship opportunities The fellowship opportunities within the GSE experience are second to none. This starts during the preparation phase in building a team of members, from various places and communities, who had not previously even met each other. There is work to be done, but there is fun and the development of friendships at the same time. The team became friends through our team building and that stood us in good stead whilst on GSE. Although towards the end of our GSE there were occasional spats where tiredness and irritability overcame the resilience and general good nature of team members, there were far more good and fun times. There were many opportunities for laughter and frivolity along the way and I am sure we will all remember those.

Every activity during the GSE was an opportunity for our team members to create and build friendships with all the District 5870 Rotarians and their families. In particular, I would emphasise the host families both for each team member and also as a group, area coordinators and the guides and hosts of daily activities.

On each day and planned activity we had the pleasure of the company of our hosts and guides. They in turn took pleasure and pride in being able to show us around their activity and their part of the world, whilst at the same time getting to know our team.

The District GSE coordinator was very involved in making the arrangements and we had the pleasure of Karen Bogisch’ company at a variety of activities. It was good to be able to get to know her after the long term correspondence leading up to the GSE. Her group of area coordinators played an important role in preparation for hosting and participation in the activities they had arranged. Along the way they all became good friends to our group.

Finally the host families as individuals and as groups played an important role in hosting the team. Club meetings with limited time and full program made even busier by a GSE presentation are not the best social environments. Therefore our best opportunity to get to know the members and families were the informal dinner arrangements with the host family groups plus other Rotarians where possible. It was for this reason that where there were limited group functions it was agreed with the area coordinators to add some additional group dinners in each area, thus allowing each team member to share fellowship with host families other than their own.

I found Rotarians everywhere with the same friendliness and characteristics, that I have found in other countries. This was a chance to Rotary in action, observe projects in progress, characters and new ideas that foster different clubs that can increase membership, see old friendship rekindled and new ones formed. Great ideas like the Roll of Fame, which recognises significant ongoing contribution by Rotarians, observed at the District 5870 conference can be transferred to other Districts. We also observed that our visit presented an opportunity for clubs to extend their own fellowship around the activities involved in hosting the visiting GSE team.

of 214

Vocational Experience The vocational visits are an important part of the Group Study Exchange experience; however they are only a part of the vocational benefit from participation in GSE. Apart from these visits, GSE activities include a broad range of vocational experiences and opportunities to use a develop skills outside the team member’s normal work environment, including:‐

Project management

Every team member has been involved in each aspect of preparing for our exchange which included many activities including research and creating the presentation to a common standard, travel preparation, developing our clothing and uniform requirements, selection and procurement of gifts, and developing our PR requirements (business cards, brochure, social media presence, Google map, etc.)

Teamwork

Teamwork is an important pre‐requisite in most vocations. Many organisations go to great lengths to achieve team building. The GSE was an excellent example of the importance of team building and the benefits achieved in executing a task. As a vocational experience, GSE is an intense and often high pressure situation with the team living and working together over an extended period. During our preparation this team managed to build an excellent team spirit as a group of friends with the ability to work together. This stood us in good stead as we executed our tasks as ambassadors for our District with very few problems. I would suggest that this high pressure grounding in teamwork would benefit every team member in future situations.

Virtual teams

The team was made up of members from places spread widely across the District. The monthly meeting were invaluable for preparation, discussion and developing the team spirit, however the majority of work was required to be done between meetings and therefore for the most part we operated as a virtual team and all had the opportunity to use skills and technology appropriate for disparate locations, including email, cloud storage of information, social media and online collaboration and video conference.

Ambassadors

The team and each member were selected to be ambassadors for their own vocation, their sponsor club, our Rotary District and our State and Country. This required that every member was able to network and socialise with new groups of people almost every day and be able to easily discuss aspects of Australian lifestyle and culture and represent our vocation and various organisations. The team and every individual achieved a high standard as ambassadors in all the facets they were required to represent.

of 214

Social media for PR

Social media is having an increasing impact on society. In our application it became a public relations and communication method for our part of the Rotary program, however the knowledge gained from our experience can be equally important in a business and vocation context. It is therefore a useful skill to have developed. A review of our social media strategy and an overview of the social media activity is included in the review of Team Public Relations in Appendix 2.

Presentation and Public speaking

One of the key elements of the GSE is delivering a presentation to the host clubs. The team successfully researched topics about interesting aspects of our country and lifestyle and developed a very professional presentation. Each team member had the opportunity to introduce themselves, their vocation, their sponsor club and then their selected presentation topic. An important part of developing the presentation was developing and maintaining a common standard of the presentation whilst every team member played an equal role in creation and delivery. The team maintained the professional image and presentation delivery throughout the exchange. Although some team members had previous speaking experience which also helped others to improve their own skills, we all benefitted from the improvement in personal confidence and delivery as the exchange progressed. This is an invaluable skill in very vocation.

Networking

The ability to quickly assimilate in a new group of people in a variety of environments is an excellent vocational skill. Every team member has developed this requirement to gain the best of their vocational and Rotary club visits and to varying degrees develop additional networks of friends and professional contacts.

Vocational visits My discussions with each team member, my own observations following their vocational visits and the reports of the majority of team members indicate the vocational visits were beneficial to team members. This makes me confident that every team member was able to derive professional benefit from the visits. The impact on future career development is in the hands of team members as they choose how to make use of both the knowledge derived from the visits and also the skills they have had the opportunity to exercise in the whole course of GSE.

How did the materials or training that you received from the Foundation and your sponsor district prepare you for the exchange? What specific suggestions do you have for improving the orientation process?

The materials provided by the Rotary Foundation were sufficient to allow our team to gain basic knowledge and conduct our preparations. These were supported by other District officers particularly our GSE Chair and previous GSE team leaders who were able to share knowledge and experiences.

of 214

How has your experience changed your outlook on your host country and sponsor country? What professional experience did you gain from the exchange? What was the most important aspect of the exchange? The most important aspect of the exchange was the fellowship which District 5870 and its members have shared with us. Every host and member went out of their way to ensure that we had the opportunity to enjoy an exceptional experience. In the process many new friendships have been formed along the way.

The vocational experience has been excellent and I have no doubt that every team member will benefit by some improvement in their career as a result. As previously described, the vocational component is far greater than the individual vocational visits, but much broader in cross functional group vocational experiences and the development of skills and experience developed as a team by participation in the total GSE experience.

Personally I have benefitted from the experience of leading the team and from the individual vocational visits. In some cases the outcome is knowledge or an idea that can be applied, but in other cases the result is a seed from which further learning and work will develop over time. Some of the group vocational visits have presented ideas and methods that can be synthesised into our own vocational journey as opportunities occur.

My outlook on the host country is quite different from my expectations. There is certainly more to experience that one would expect and certainly many things are different from the media presentation. However the exchange certainly does also engender an appreciation of the benefits and lifestyle that we enjoy in our own country.

The culture which we experienced in the geographical area of Rotary District 5870 is created by a rich history and also the multi‐cultural background, which was much greater than I expected. We were very fortunate to experience a sample of so many places of interest that made us more aware of the multi‐cultural history and also the historical events that have shaped our host district. The rich history was a personal highlight for me.

The most abiding memory for me will be the warm welcome which we received in the district and that each host and guide opened and shared their lives with us for our short time together. This warm and welcoming nature of people was epitomised for me in a historical quote shared with me by one host PDG John Salem; “The string is on the outside”. This quote reflects the welcome they offered. In history the farm houses had to be “locked” to prevent animals getting inside and that was done using a lock bar and this could be opened from the outside by a string attached to the bar. The quote says you are welcome to come in.

The patriotism of United States citizens and also the very strong passion and pride that Texans have for their state was always noticeable and seemed to be strongly rooted in the history of the state as we found during our visits to various historical places of interest.

We found that the cultures and lifestyle between the two countries share many common aspects, but there were also many differences. There are so many points of difference between the two countries. These may be opportunities for us to learn new ideas and improvements, but equally there are behaviours, practices and ideas where we believed that our host country would have the

of 214

opportunity to learn different ways from us. Some of these are important aspects of life and lifestyle, but some are simply different preferences.

Although I grew up in a country in a state of civil war (not Australia) and therefore guns were an essential element of life, I was astounded by the prevalence of guns and the lack of control exercised over them. Many are left lying around in offices and cars. We heard so many arguments for and against the right to carry arms and the advantages, disadvantages and reasons; however the outsider perspective would be that this cannot be a safe environment.

There were many differences in system of government and we had opportunities to learn about these at State level in the Texas State Capitol and local government at the City of Corsicana. This also impacts on administration of government and civil society and political practice very different from ours. Religion and religious practices had a very different emphasis than we are used to experiencing, but also varied in different areas.

There are differences in sporting preferences of our countries and whilst the main sport American Football which clearly has extremely strong community support was out of season we were able to experience baseball and rodeo.

Economically we saw significant differences in cost of living and a different level of income. This also translated into a different view on shopping experiences and the range from the low price mass market Walmart to the sustainable and organic whole foods. We also had opportunity to discuss with people the impact of these different businesses on the community and life.

The intense rivalry and alumni support for schools, colleges and universities which seem to have a strong base in these being so important in the local sporting culture seemed to be very different from our own experience.

Other differences from experience in our own country included significant difference in mineral rights, a farming and taxation culture that did no seem to be sustainable, differences between city and rural culture, access to and usage of the internet and the drive through ATM.

In closing, we found the slogan “Don’t Mess with Texas” everywhere. To an outsider it seems like an aggressive statement of the pride and status of their state, however I later found that this had actually started as a Department of Transport campaign to stop people from littering, especially on their road system.

Give specific examples of activities that you and your team participated in during the exchange.

I have included the team’s presentation at the District 5870 conference as an appendix to this report. It provides an overview of our GSE, with pictures and notes of our thoughts as we prepared to deliver our final presentation. It also includes our thanks to everyone in District 5870 that worked hard to make it a memorable exchange and made our team feel like Royalty along the journey.

The host District provided a very comprehensive program and itinerary that allowed our team to experience the history and culture that exists in this part of Texas. We also had the opportunity to

of 214

gain a wide variety of vocational experience in both individual experiences and cross functional group experiences. Our hosts were also flexible to change allowing them to make additional arrangements for both vocational experiences and also activities and places of interest which suited the interests of team members or the whole team.

As ambassadors from our country and Rotary District we had the opportunity to make our presentation to meetings at 12 club meetings (shown below) involving members from at least 16 clubs and some visiting members from additional clubs. Also we had the chance to share some of our GSE experiences and offer our thanks and farewell in a final presentation at the District conference.

Centennial; North West Austin; Combined Killeen Clubs; Marble Falls; La Grange / Giddings; Yoakum; Corsicana; Navarro County Corsicana; Fairfield; Mexia; Austin University Area and Capitol of Texas

We have also attended many social functions and visits to places of interest. All hosted by the wonderful Rotarians and families from District 5870. The District 5870 members have treated our team like royalty, leaving us the richer for many new friends and for the wonderful memories that we will carry with us for life.

Our evening activities consisted of a balanced program that allowed both individual social activity with host families and other group dinners and activities that allowed team members to share fellowship with a wider group made up of the combined host families and other Rotarians. Over the 36 nights of the exchange the activities included:‐

• 15 nights with host families

• 14 informal dinners with group (5 were changed from host family to allow group fellowship activity and two were followed by other night time activities).

• 3 formal dinners or presentations including conference dinner.

• 2 team dinners during the rest break

I hope the following record of our activities will allow readers to share our journey and for team members that it will be a reminder of our journey of shared experience and learning and the fun and enjoyment we have shared along the way.

Group vocational visits

Texas Bioscience Institute This facility in Killeen is a combined junior college (first two years of university) and research centre for biological sciences. We were given an interesting tour of two of the main research areas for Cancer Research and Genetics and then a visit and discussion of the junior college. This gave me a little more understanding of their college system and answered a few of those nagging questions like what is a college (compared to university), what are freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors?

This facility which is making use of the buildings from a closed down industrial facility enables high school students to make a start on some college education and also makes college more accessible

of 214

for students in this community at lower cost than some of the major universities. We certainly found out that college education is an expensive undertaking and compared to own education system, there is no support and subsidy unless you are one of the lucky ones to gain sports scholarships.

Agricultural extension officer and ranch tour The visit started with a presentation by the local agricultural extension officer. This presentation included discussion of the nature of agriculture in Texas highlighting the products with production volumes and trends and also discussing the prior year drought and effect on different types of agriculture. This highlighted the importance of agriculture as both a source of food production and as an important part of the Texas economy. I found this both interesting and informative.

The presentation was followed by a field trip to two ranches which gave team members an insight into the process of cattle breeding programs and the different parts of the feedlot beef production cycle. Obviously the most direct vocational benefit was for Kylie but was certainly of general interest to other team members.

Guardian Glass (Corsicana, Texas) Manufactures glass for the commercial, residential, interiors, automotive, energy/solar and technical glass industry segments. Its products include both float and value‐added coated glass‐products.

From an engineering and production management perspective this was beneficial for me as a vocational experience, however it was equally a very interesting view of the production process for a material (glass) that affects everyone in the course of life. The process is a combination of batch (material mixing) process with continuous process (glass float process) with further interest in the

of 214

quality systems in the process, cutting and packing. The process control systems were also interesting.

Marble Falls bridge building

After the Marble Falls meeting we went on a tour of the city and then loaded onto a barge which is being used in construction of a new bridge over the river / lake. The purpose of the barge trip on the lake was to provide a unique view of road bridge building activity. This was particularly relevant to Joanne’s vocation and of interest generally.

The engineer provided a commentary of the engineering and construction for the bridge which was very interesting.

City of Corsicana The team met with the chief executive and management team of the City of Corsicana. This is a direct vocational experience for Mick, but was also of cross functional value to the vocation of other team members. It was also a good experience as general interest to provide an insight into the local government system in Texas.

One of the most significant differences in comparison to our own local government is the inclusion of police and emergency services at local government level.

Luminant – Big Brown Power Plant and Mine We visited the Big Brown facility, a combination of open cut coalmine and 1,150mW power station. This started with a presentation that gave an overview of the company, power station and mining operations. The most important focus was the reclamation after mining operations are completed. The mine has some significant achievements

An important engineering vocational take away experience was a presentation slide with the following quote; “Arguing with an engineer is like wrestling with a pig in mud – after a while you realize he is enjoying it”.

of 214

Probably the most impressive aspect of the visit for all team members would be the bus trip out into the open cut mine to have an opportunity to get up close and personal with the massive dragline.

Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) Power Plant LCRA is the primary wholesale provider of reliable, competitively priced electricity in Central Texas. Supplying wholesale power to 42 city‐owned utilities and electric cooperatives and one former co‐op, LCRA serves more than 1.1 million people in one of the nation's fastest growing regions, helping fuel the growth of rural communities, towns and cities. This is a substantial power station with three generators (2 x 600mW and one 450mW)

An opportunity to have a tour of a public utility such as this power station is rare these days. This was a good general interest visit for most team members to see a power station. Having worked previously in power stations the power generation equipment was known to me, so the emissions control adaptations and the recycle of waste product into saleable materials (everything has a place to go, mostly into construction) were the most informative vocational aspects for me. Scrubbers have been retro‐fitted to remove sulphates which are subjected to chemical conversion with calcium carbonate to make calcium sulphite which can be marketed as a bi‐product.

Industrial Country Market With the world facing climate change and the necessity for energy conservation and growth in renewable energy usage, this unique business and educational centre was an interesting eye‐opener. Our tour was guided by the colourful owner Dan Brech who was entertaining whilst being informative. He expounded some very interesting views on a variety of subjects including government policies.

The business is a family owned and operated retail operation billed as “Non‐General, General Store”, educational & gardening center. In addition there water gardens, art gallery, educational facility and production greenhouse. All are stocked with goods and information and still growing! The whole operation is 100% off grid, uniquely sustained by the sun, wind and rain.

of 214

Further their business and home life is a classic example of the lean business methods and functioning waste minimization cycle (reduce, re‐use, recycle, recovery, waste disposal). Reduce‐ the family is in the process of building a new form of energy efficient home building with very low energy consumption requirement (again 100% off grid) and Dan was able to explain to us some very interesting construction techniques and technology ideas. Re‐use and Recycle – are implicit in many garden art items constructed and available for sale.

Their and leading by example hands on experience is a solid basis for sharing knowledge and experience by educating visitors. They provide education opportunities to school classes and also offer to the public classes on Texas solar energy, hydroponic gardening, water harvesting and guest lecturers in fresh herbs and beekeeping.

Tour of Businesses in Shiner, Texas We were taken on a tour of businesses in Shiner (population 2,069; 2010 census). This city and its businesses are a case study of the economic impact of successful entrepreneurial and historical businesses. The city has three businesses that have national and even international impact. These are Spoetzl Brewery, Kaspar Wire Works and Boedeker Plastics which between them employ more than 600 people. Taking into account employees and dependants gives an idea of the impact of their success in a relatively small community. The city and its businesses were therefore excellent from the perspective of vocational experience, demonstrating some excellent stories of entrepreneurial and business success, as well as being of general interest from an historical and economic

of 214

perspective in this area. The tour by the team included and Kaspar Wire Works and Boedeker Plastics was one of my own vocational experiences.

Each of them has a secret to their current success: Spoetzl Brewery changed to marketing their product as premium brands, Kaspar did not rest on their laurels but rather maintained an entrepreneurial process of product extension and new product development often building on previous success, and Boedeker offered a service that was willing to sell to the customer what they wanted custom made or cut to required size compared to existing plastics businesses selling what they had as whole sheets or lengths.

Spoetzl Brewery Our visit joined the regular guided tour of the business in which they show visitors (customers) through the process from prescribed viewing areas whilst talking about the history of the business and the beer production process.

Spoetzl Brewery is the oldest independent brewery in Texas. The brewery produces the popular line of Shiner Beers, including their flagship Shiner Bock, a dark German/Czech‐style beer that is now distributed in 43 states.

Founded in 1909, a group of businessmen incorporated Shiner Brewing Association and placed Herman Weiss in as the company's first brew master. In 1914 Kosmas Spoetzl, a German immigrant brewer, co‐leased the brewery with an option to buy in 1915, bringing with him a family recipe for a Bavarian beer.

During the prohibition, Spoetzl kept the brewery afloat by selling ice and making near beer. At the end of Prohibition only five of the original 13 Texas breweries were still intact. Larger beer plants, such as Anheuser‐Busch, moved to Texas making life harder on the smaller independent breweries, but Spoetzl kept things small and simple, never going more than 70 miles for business.

In the 1970s and 1980s the brewery's Shiner Beer and Shiner Bock had less than 1 per cent of the Texas market. In 1983 Spoetzl produced 60,000 barrels of beer; in 1990 only 36,000. Sales improved after Carlos Alvarez of San Antonio acquired the brewery in 1989: Production grew to 100,000 barrels in 1994, and over the next ten years, production nearly tripled. The company now has 85 employees.

The secret of success, the Shiner product had been sold as a low price beer. Alvarez changed this and marketed the product as premium brands at higher prices. Proving that low price does not always sell more product.

The brewery is owned by The Gambrinus Company, a family‐owned company in San Antonio. As of 2012, it was the fourth‐largest craft brewery and tenth‐largest overall brewery in the United States.

of 214

Old portion of brewery, Hospitality room & gift shop

Shiner Brew Kettle Old

Shiner Hospitality Inside

Shiner Product

Kaspar Wire works The Kaspar Wire Works was one of the hidden gems of our exchange; although there were so many of those you could lose count. A very interesting visit to a business started by using a waste product and developed into an innovative and entrepreneurial organization with more than 100 years history.

As a manufacturing process it was extremely relevant to my vocation and as such I requested that my vocational visits be amended to include a return visit to consult with their information systems analyst to learn how their process information is managed.

We were given a guided tour by one of the company managers which passed through all the various parts of the business. Throughout the tour we were given commentary on the business processes, products and history of the organisation. This was a very good overview of mass production processes, the equipment used and products produced. There was opportunity to see a large variety of production processes in progress, including wire cutting and forming, metal fabrication, and a variety of mass production coating processes (painting, powder coating and electroplating).

of 214

Kaspar Wire Works, Inc. began its grand existence more than 100 years ago when August Kaspar made and sold his first wire basket. August recovered some of the smooth wire being discarded by rancher changing fences in favour of barbed wire and fashioned for himself a crude looking basket intended to help him carry hay and corn shucks from the barn to the animal stalls. A neighbour saw the basket and bought it for a dollar. He made a second basket which was sold to another neighbour, again for one dollar…the humble beginnings of Kaspar Wire Works.

Today, more than 100 years later, the company manufactures thousands of wire, tubing and sheet metal products, truck accessories (Ranch Hand) and is the world's largest manufacturer of coin‐operated newspaper racks (Sho‐Rack). Kaspar Wire Works uses state‐of‐the art machinery in all aspects of its operation, employs more than 400 people and occupies more than 550,000 square feet in the small rural Texas town of Shiner. The business is proud of its history and growth but also about maintaining the founder’s principles of Quality, Integrity, and Service through three generations.

From a historical building to a million newspaper racks and warehouses of

automotive products

The secret of success of entrepreneurial extension of product range and new product development is epitomised by the newest part of the business, water treatment technology. By the 1990s the firm had the largest electroplating plant in the Southwest. In its efforts to introduce more environmentally acceptable processes it was finding available technology and methods ineffective which led to its development equipment and treatment systems for electrocoagulation of heavy metals, initially for its own use and subsequently as new products and extended to other contaminants of water.

Individual Vocational Experience

Boedeker Plastics, Inc. Shiner, Texas Mike Raindl (General Manager)

Boedeker Plastics was an excellent case study of the combination of business information systems and operations. The Apprise ERP system plays an important role in operations including procurement, inventory control and manufacturing.

of 214

At the beginning of the tour of the facility Mike Raindl described the business as the “wood shop of plastics” which is differentiating factor from competitors. Material is supplied to customer specification and requirement, rather than by whole sheet or length, and no order too large or small. They supply plastics for a variety of high tech industries which have a wide variety of applications and use many material specifications and properties. I was interested in a business with supply to customers around the world being sited in a small town in central Texas. Mike responded that whilst this was considered when starting up and may appear to be a concern, UPS provide easy access to world‐wide distribution systems however the access to a supply of loyal and diligent employees from the local population has been a critical success factor. This was demonstrated by an employee turnover of zero, with Mike himself being employee number 3 of the business and now general manager. This led to discussion which provided an insight into some quite unique employee recruitment, training and retention strategies. No matter what position you may eventually hold everyone starts at the bottom with cutting and distribution and trains in all parts of the business to gain a full understanding of business and customers.

The business provides all forms of plastic materials cut and processed to order. I was able see examples of the manufacture of products ranging from a large 1.5metre gasket for the gas extraction industry to a tiny machined 8mm tool holder used in robotic surgery.

All stock is coded for complete traceability.

The industry's widest range of inventory available from stock

Kaspar Wire Works Celia Glass, IT Director

Following visit to Kaspar Wire Works as a group vocational visit, I was fortunate that my host Gery Maneth was able to respond to my request to arrange this additional vocational experience to allow me to have discussion of the ERP system used in this organisation. I was able to discuss with Celia the transition from manual and card systems the Apprise ERP system, and especially the benefits which the organisation achieved in product costing, bills of materials and manufacturing execution. Being able to relate the discussion to the operations of the business from the tour the previous day was an important part of the experience.

Business Ink Rich Barbee, VP Business Development

Rich Barbee was a Rotarian, host family and my guide for the first vocational day. The visit to his business was an extremely interesting mix of ERP system, business process and operations

of 214

management in a very unique type of business. Business Ink services their customer requirements in converting customer data into targeted communications. Since their customers include government and public agencies and individual consumer finance and health data, quality control and process management are essential systems to manage critical issues such as privacy protection, compliance with customer business specifications and on time delivery. An interesting walk through the process from first engagement with the customer, data collection and management, conversion to deliverables, construction of customer specific process, fulfilment of packages and distribution to consumers.

Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. Chris Rolfsen, Global Supply Chain Manager; Steve Whitman, Global Product Supply Planning Manager

Was given an overview of their ERP systems where they use a composite of components from many ERP systems in a “best of breed” system. They use SAP for advanced product and manufacturing process planning. Master data is a key issue in ERP operation with accuracy and updating always an issue. An extremely important take away from this visit was discussion of their system of business rules for automated update of planning master data, using the sequence of Completeness, Accuracy, Consistency, Validity, Yield, and Utilisation.

McLane Advanced Technologies McLane Advanced Technologies is a global logistics, information technology, and training solutions company built on over 100 years of global supply chain, warehouse, distribution, and technology experience. McLane was founded by in 2004 to provide logistics information technology to the United States Army. The program, known as the Standard Army Maintenance System involved the development, testing, and fielding of the logistics and maintenance system to the entire United States Army.

This visit provided a different view of ERP systems since McLane completed in house development of their ERP system purpose built for the defence industry requirement. They also provide training and support to users. I was given a guided tour and also a presentation on the history and operations of the organization.

The history of the business was interesting in the leadership in development of supply chain management. Founder and CEO, Drayton McLane Jr., had previously been President and CEO of McLane Company. He had used computer‐based technology to enhance the distribution system and was largely responsible for expanding the family business (started by grandfather as a retail grocery) from a three million dollar a year operation into a 19 billion dollar enterprise. It was then acquired by Walmart and its process and technologies integrated to form the basis of its grocery distribution system. He was also owner of the Houston Astros.

Huber Corporation Richard L Lewis, EH&S Manager; Tom Sieter, Process Engineer

Huber Corporation mines Ground Calcium Carbonate at Marble Falls, Texas. This visit was related to my engineering profession and mining industry association. I was given a presentation as an overview of their products, processing (including safety) which includes both underground mining

of 214

operations and processing of the mineral into products with a particular focus on particle sizing of the mineral to achieve specifications to meet their customer’ needs. This included discussion of some of the types of the equipment used to produce the particle sizes.

In many years of providing engineering products to the mining industry I had never been into an underground mining operation, so being given a tour of their underground operations was a new experience.

SAP I was given an opportunity to meet with Carrie van Sickle, Principal Retail Solutions for SAP. She gave a presentation on a current project, in retail pricing solutions, which she had in progress. This was a completely new aspect of SAP for me, which was very interesting and informative, and an increase in my professional knowledge base. We were also able to have a discussion about SAP as a company, a product and share experiences in the area of SAP implementations.

McComb School of business Ashish Argawal, Assistant Professor (Information, Risk and Operations Management)

of 214

I had expressed a variety of different areas of vocational interest. This visit covered a very useful conjunction of two of the main ones, ERP systems and supply chain management. The McComb School of Business uses the SAP enterprise resource planning system for a practical component in the course on information systems for supply chain management students. I was able to enjoy an interesting discussion around the curriculum for the course and the use of SAP. The curriculum and case study reading list were an important take away to form the basis of continuing vocational study.

I had already found it interesting that the university was offering an undergraduate degree in the important business function of supply chain management. McCombs business school is also home of the Supply Chain Management Center of Excellence which was created to develop and communicate new knowledge about supply chain management, supported by many big names in industry Proctor and Gamble, Chevron, Shell, Dell, Conoco Phillips, Halliburton, Accenture.

I also found another interesting activity within the supply chain management study. Students in an operations management class follow a product upstream through the supply chain, starting at an Austin Target store and ending up in factories located throughout the Pearl River Delta region in southern China. (A Toy’s Story ‐ http://www.utexas.edu/know/2012/07/24/supply_chain/ )

Caterpillar Ethan L. Pauly, Manufacturing Engineer

Caterpillar was high on my wish list since they are suppliers of components used in our business and also in the process of roll out of an SAP system. This was not on my itinerary so I am very grateful to Steve and Kaye Neal for arranging this extra vocational visit for travel to and the day in Waco that made it possible together with some other extra places of interest.

Discussion of their experience in the system development and preparing for roll out in their organisation provided a useful and interesting background related to a much larger organisation in a similar industry to mine. The guided tour of the manufacturing process at this Caterpillar operation was the highlight of this visit.

From the perspective of manufacturing process management it was interesting to see some different methods of processing the cutting of steel plate.

of 214

Places of Interest, History and Culture

Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum The Bob Bullock Museum in downtown Austin is the Texas State History Museum and tells the “Story of Texas” through the three themed exhibits each occupying a full floor: Land, Identity and Opportunity. The feature short term exhibition at the time of our visit was a history of Texas music which documented the state’s contribution to world music. This made an interesting start to the museum visit. Many of the interactive and film presentation exhibits almost transport you back into history with a feeling of being there.

Early in our visit we experienced the special effects show, The Star of Destiny, in the Texas Spirit Theatre which is a part of the museum. The film narrated by the character of the historical figure Sam Houston provided a vivid introduction to the history of Texas.

Some unique features are a demonstration of the pride which Texan’s have in their state and special history, including the 35‐foot‐tall bronze Lone Star sculpture which greets visitors in front of the museum, and the colourful display of enduring themes from Texas’ past built into the terrazzo floor in the Museum’s rotunda.

The first floor exhibit “Encounters on the Land” describes the story of Texas as one of people and the land. The Texas of today is the sum of all the encounters on the land reflecting how people responded to the land and each other. A tour through history from native peoples that occupied the land for at least 11,000 years before Europeans (Spaniards, and later the French and others) discovered the New World in the 1500’s and progression though life size exhibits that recreate the life on the land of pioneers (including the Spanish missions), slaves, immigrants and others.

of 214

The second floor exhibit “Building the Lone Star Identity” explores two centuries of conflict and compromise and the visions of the people of Texas. This history progresses from the Mexican State of Tejas y Coahila in the 1820’s, the American settlement and growing separation from Mexico, “visiting” Stephen Austin in his jail cell in Mexico City and “viewing” the battles of the revolution, including the Alamo. This was followed by the history of Texas as a free Republic and then the annexation as a state of the United States; just in time to be pulled in to the U.S. Civil War. A mural timeline of the war showed how cotton and slavery defined the Texas identity, and even her borders. Finally seeing how the Lone Star identity was expanded and redefined as immigrants from other states and countries settled and sought opportunities.

The third floor exhibition “Creating Opportunity” describes Texas as a hard land, vast and diverse, that people for centuries have seen as a place of possibilities. This was shown through exhibits showing the diverse history of opportunities; from ranching (with the influence of longhorn cattle and the introduction of barbed wire), to the diversity of geographic regions, the discovery of oil, leading to Texas becoming a major international force in economics, politics, and technology. Texas was the place to locate key military bases and defence‐related industries during World War II. Exhibits also explored milestones in technology, medicine, and space exploration.

Institute of Texan Cultures

The Institute of Texan Cultures in HemisFair Park in San Antonio is a museum which provides an appreciation of the multicultural nature and history of the state of Texas. The displays represent the large number of nationalities and cultures which have contributed to the history of Texas and demonstrate their impact on the development of Texas.

The cinematic overview of the cultural diversity of the state projected onto the central dome roof was a special introduction. There were some live displays of some historical aspects of life in the state. These all provided another experience feeling for the history and development of the state and more background to the experience we felt in our interaction with Texans of pride in themselves and their state.

of 214

The Alamo Mission This was another of the great experiences which our team had the privilege to enjoy. I am sure the visit is one of those which would be classified unforgettable by anyone that has the opportunity to visit this site. An informative and enjoyable experience was that our hosts arranged a member of the museum staff to give us a verbal presentation. The 15 minute presentation covered the history leading up to the siege and battle of the Alamo and the course of the major parts of the remainder of the Texan Revolution. This brought much of the history to life.

The Alamo, originally known as Mission San Antonio de Valero, is a former Roman Catholic mission and fortress compound and was the site of the Battle of the Alamo in 1836. The siege and battle of the Alamo was a defining moment in Texan history. Almost all of the small numbers of soldiers were killed in the heroic defence against the massed force of Mexican soldiers led by General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. This set the scene for the remainder of the Texan Revolution and eventually defeat of the Mexicans by the army led by Sam Houston.

San Antonio River Walk During the San Antonio day trip we enjoyed the Mexican lunch on the banks of the river with passing tourist boats, whilst some ducks decided they should have their own feast on one of our lady team members. This was followed by the scenic river walk to reach the Alamo.

We closed of the day with a visit to local Mexican market centre which allowed us an opportunity to see some of the local arts and crafts and purchase some gifts and souvenirs.

of 214

Hero’s Night Out The Centennial club took us to Hero’s Night Out as a demonstration of a community service project in their area that they have supported. This was an inspirational demonstration of what can be done when people care about others. This non‐profit organisation providing support for returned veterans started from a considerate gesture by the founders, Wes and Judy, to provide a meal for a family they met at a veteran’s hospital while visiting one of their many foster children. From this small beginning developed a community organisation providing an essential link to assist veterans an essential link to assistance with return to civilian life, receiving their rightful benefits, loan applications, job applications, life and job skills training, and also an organisation that cares and a community centre to meet with others in similar situations.

Round Top Festival Institute In the small town of Round Top (population 80) is the Round Top Festival Institute where young classical musicians are educated through an intensive summer music education program whilst also participating in a series of public performances. Our hosts treated us to a personal guided tour of the Festival Hill Institute campus and particularly its magnificent central feature the 1,100 seat Festival Concert Hall. This concert hall with its beautifully hand‐crafted interiors, glowing woodwork, grand staircases, hand‐crafted chandeliers and keen attention to detail inherent in the design would certainly be the pride of any major city worldwide.

of 214

Lady Bird Lake & Mt Bonnell We had a picnic lunch in the scenic park overlooking one of Austin’s favourite sites, described as an Austin jewel. The Barton Springs Pool is a 1,000 foot long natural limestone pool, fed by several

underground springs. The fresh spring water we were told is delightfully cool (68 degrees F) even in record breaking heat. The early Native Americans called it a place of healing.

Under a pecan grove at the entrance to Barton Springs Pool we found Philosophers' Rock which is a larger‐than‐life‐size bronze sculpture of three renowned Austin writers. J. Frank Dobie, Roy Bedichek, and Walter Prescott Webb used to meet at Barton Springs every afternoon and hold forth in what has been characterized as "Austin’s first literary salon." The men met on a rock at the edge of the pool that Bedichek dubbed "Philosophers’ Rock." The statue is an unforgettable depiction of three good friends engaged in an informal but intense discussion. A monument to friendship, ideas, the glory of nature and the joy of conversation,

Lunch was followed by a stroll down a scenic trail through lush green parks next to the peaceful lakes to a spot looking out across Lady Bird Lake (previously Town Lake) towards the city of Austin. This is a view quite reminiscent of the view of the City of Perth from the South Perth foreshore (as shown in our GSE team photos). The area filled with bird life and swans on the lake and also people making the most of the facilities with bikers and hikers on the trails and canoes and rowboats on the water. This part of Lake Austin flows for five miles through the heart of downtown Austin.

of 214

In the afternoon we continued the scenic tour with a visit to Mt Bonnell. This is a scenic lookout and historical point of interest in a beautiful park looming almost 800 feet over Austin. A nice bit of much needed exercise climbing the stairs. And at the top, the chance to relax and enjoy the beautiful overlook of the Colorado River and the homes on the river.

Monument Hill & Kreische Brewery State Historic Sites The state park ranger gave us a guided tour of the brewery and the house. This site gave us an insight into the history of early immigrants to Texas and the contribution of the German immigrants to the area.

The Kreische Brewery site consists of the Kreische house and outbuildings, which were built in 1855‐1857 and the ruins Kreische Brewery, built in the 1860's. In the 1870s the Kreische Brewery was one of the top three producers in the state. Although the brewery fell into ruins after his untimely death in 1882, his children occupied the house into the 1950s. Even though the brewery is ruins, they are now preserved and the ranger was able to guide us through the process and in doing so explain the history. The house is preserved with period furniture and clothing and provided an insight into life conditions in the area in the 1800’s.

of 214

The Monument Hill site is a tomb and monument to the brave men who fought to keep the Republic of Texas free from 1842 to 1845. The tomb has the remains of some of these men which were brought to La Grange during the Mexican‐American War in 1847‐48. The history provides another part of the story of Texas Independence along with the Alamo, and other state sites.

of 214

E.A. Arnim Archives & Museum of Flatonia This quaint little museum was opened after hours to give us a special guided tour. The ground floor of the Museum’s main building showcases goods and furnishings for home and office, advertising memorabilia, antique children’s toys and clothing, all of which reflect the development of Flatonia from its founding in 1873.

The second floor is a Veterans Museum; a tribute to the men and women from the Flatonia area who served in the Armed Forces, and as a reminder to the sacrifices they have made for their country. A “Wall of Honor” displays photographs of individual veterans. Exhibit rooms display uniforms worn by local servicemen and women, memorabilia brought back from foreign wars and news articles reflecting the times and action in various wars.

of 214

The outside barn exhibition contains a wide array of farm implements and a collection of vehicles ranging from a genuine covered wagon to a 1926 Chevy truck. In addition, displays of laundry mechanisms spanning a century or more, a complete farm kitchen features everything a hardworking farm wife needed, from butters churns to a wood burning cook stove.

Courthouses and Fayette County Courthouse In most of the cities and towns the court house is the central public building, which includes not just the court but also most administrative functions for the management of the city or town. In most small towns it is the most dominant building on the central square. We found most of these to be historical buildings and also impressive architectural features.

Like many of the small towns and cities, the courthouse in the central square is an interesting architectural structure. However, I found the interior just by chance an interesting exploration, including a small piece of history, the bust and story of the Count de Lafayette after whom the county is named was a Frenchman who came to fight in the American Revolution.

of 214

American Experience Day

Shopping Experience We started the day with a shopping experience. Our starting point as requested by team members was Wal‐Mart. Although my contact on the Georgia GSE team to District 9455 responded on Facebook that this is not an American experience, for us as visitors and considering the size and reach of this retailer and effect on consumers, it is an important view on economic activity and conditions. This also opened discussion about employment practices, competition and other issues that some consider unethical which in turn influences their own shopping choices. This did show that our countries are affected by similar issues in economics, consumerism and impact of large sometimes monopolistic businesses.

By contrast, we followed this with a visit to Whole Foods Market Rooftop Plaza for a view of grocery shopping with a difference at a retailer with a mission – “we seek out the finest natural and organic foods available, maintain the strictest quality standards in the industry, and have an unshakeable commitment to sustainable agriculture”. Growth from one small store in 1980 to more than 340 stores seems to indicate that are doing something right.

Opposite ends of the retail spectrum

Livestrong Foundation Our visit to the Livestrong Foundation was inspired by our team’s resident sports fanatic, Mick who was reading the biography of Lance Armstrong whilst travelling and supported by the flexibility of our hosts to adapt our visits to align available opportunities with additional interests.

of 214

The Livestrong Foundation, founded in 1997 by cancer survivor, cyclist Lance Armstrong, is a nonprofit organization based in Austin, Texas that provides support for people affected by cancer. The Livestrong Foundation states that its mission is 'to inspire and empower' cancer survivors and their families. It also aims to provide practical information and tools for people affected by cancer.

The guide gave us a good overview of the operations of the Foundation as he guided us through the building. The building was a converted paper distribution warehouse. He highlighted that as the building was being developed for the Foundation, Lance Armstrong had two goals, that the building should be energy efficient and that it should be COOL (not temperature). Since the building is LEED certified to the highest level as an energy and recycle efficient building, that objective was achieved, and our tour through a variety of very interesting artworks throughout proved that it certainly meets the COOL objective.

Although later to become controversial as a result of allegations of doping during his cycling career, the Foundation remains a tribute to Lance Armstrong’s personal triumph over cancer and to the application of personal fame, fortune and contacts to create an organization with a purpose for the greater good in society. It was well worth the visit.

We also went across the city to visit Lance Armstrong’s bike shop, called Mellow Johnny’s (a word play on “Maillot Jaune” for yellow jersey) and also the coffee shop within (“Juan Pelota café” – another word play associated with the Lance Armstrong anatomy).

of 214

Broken Spoke Advertised as Last of the true Texas Dance Halls, The Broken Spoke is Texas' most definitive dance hall. It's has a musical history that dates back forever. The advertising says,” visit The Broken Spoke and experience a true Texas Honky‐Tonk. You never know who's going to show up”, so Jo took them at their word and rustled up Desperate Housewives star in the midst of our visit.

The members of the Austin Cosmopolitan Rotary Club gave us an enjoyable evening with dancing lessons in Texas style; however I noticed that the team deserted the team leader in this activity.

South Congress Avenue The South Congress area is a nationally‐known shopping and cultural district famous for its many eclectic small retailers, restaurants, music and art venues and, more recently, food trucks. The tour along South Congress Avenue allowed us to view a street lined with restaurants and smaller shops whilst discussing the cultural and nightlife experience. We visited a small store, “Ten Thousand Villages of Austin”, a fair trade store with jewellery, home décor and other gifts handmade by artists from around the world. Every item has a story behind it from what country it came from to the person involved and the transaction was done via fair trade. The fit with the overall objectives of Rotary made this a very appropriate visit for a Rotary exchange.

The area has food choices from expensive restaurants to low price tasty trailer food, so lunch was another of those unique experiences, a stop at a square featuring a number of food trucks serving a variety of different food options. This was followed by a move to another food truck for the special dessert treat.

Congress Avenue Bridge/Austin Bats The Congress Avenue Bridge is the home of nearly 1.5 million bats. Every evening people line the bridge waiting for the bats to appear. We joined the viewing, but unfortunately the bats chose not to appear by the time we had to move on to our next engagement.

of 214

Sixth Street Austin's official motto is the "Live Music Capital of the World", and over one hundred venues stage live music every night. Although it is spread to other areas, the nucleus is Austin's most famous night location, Sixth Street. This is a busy street lined with clubs, restaurants, pubs and galleries. It is transformed after dark to a City sponsored multi block party every weekend.

A visit to Sixth Street was therefore a cultural necessity and we all enjoyed listening to the live band at the selected venue.

Round Rock Express baseball game Attending a local sporting event was the last stop of the day for our “American experience”. One of the significant differences we have between countries is the choice of sports to play and view. A visit to the local baseball was an opportunity to enjoy one of the local sports preferences, along with the food and entertainment associated with a visit to a sports stadium. In interesting comparison with our own Australian sports lifestyle.

The Round Rock Express is a Triple‐A minor league baseball team with home at the Dell Diamond in Round Rock. The league is one level below majors and the team is affiliated with the Texas Rangers, so an opportunity to see up and coming baseball players. Our evening meal at the game gave me the opportunity to enjoy the best burger ever in a sports stadium. A great contrast to the notoriously bad food at our own stadiums.

Our visit was well and truly capped with the behind the scenes tour of stadium and team facilities, discussion of the team management and training and the visit to the media management facility that provides the in stadium commentary, announcements and entertainment as well as television

of 214

broadcast. This was a treat enjoyed equally by our hosts as they would not normally get an opportunity to see this aspect of their sport.

Fort Hood Fort Hood is one of the largest United States military installations in the world, and is the home of III Corps and other US army units. Before the Breakup of the Soviet Union, Fort Hood was billed as the largest military base in the free world (Fort Benning is larger in personnel though not in land area). During peacetime, Fort Hood is a gated post, with the 1st Cavalry Division Museum, the Belton Lake Outdoor Recreation Area (BLORA), and a number of other facilities that are open to the public.

We made a couple of visits to Fort Hood, the first with a group of District 5870 Rotarians as a part of the 1st District Conference was to the First Cavalry Division Museum. A second visit for a morning was a guided tour, briefing and hands on review of some training facilities followed by lunch in the base canteen.

The First Cavalry Division Museum indoor exhibition records the long history of the 1st Cavalry Division. It includes some history of its predecessors from the Civil War and American Indian Wars and First World War. The Division was formed in 1921 to become one of the most famous in the United States Army with service in the Second World War, Korea, Vietnam, Desert storm and the War on Terror (Afghanistan), as well as peace keeping mission in Bosnia. It is now a part of III Corps.

The outdoor display at the museum features a wide selection of historical equipment. The massive outdoor display is a sight to behold. Whether it's an armoured vehicle or aircraft, it has touched the division in a unique way and has added to the historical significance of the First Team.

We started the day with tour of the 111 Corps headquarters building whilst our tour guide gave us a brief history. This was followed by a briefing by the Administrative Commander of the Fort Hood Base. This briefing covered the recent missions undertaken by 111 Corps, the logistics involved in preparing, training and deployment of troops, the training facilities, the size and economic impact of the base and relations with the community. The base has an annual economic impact of over US$10billion and supports a community of over 400, 000people including over 46,000 soldiers.

of 214

Our visit to the Warrior Skills Training Centre was a special hands‐on experience. It gave us a rare opportunity to get an insight into the sophisticated facilities and equipment and highly developed training programs that prepare the troops at this facility for the defense of their country. We tested our skills as drivers and gun operators in the tank simulators, and then experienced how the latest computer game technology is used to develop tactical battle skills and sharpen reflexes. Finally we were let loose on an urban battle simulation. How quickly can you clear the bad guys out without killing the hostages? This exercise uses modified versions of the real weapons.

USS Lexington ‐ Museum on the bay On the bay at Corpus Christi is a National Historic Landmark, the US naval aviation museum is accommodated on board the USS Lexington which was a world war two vintage

aircraft carrier that served the defence of the United States for almost 50 years. The flight deck accommodates the display of examples of US naval aircraft displayed together with

of 214

heroic stories of naval operations. There are also displays of other equipment such as cut away aircraft engines.

On board we were able to participate in the variety of activities available including the Pearl Harbour exhibition, IMAX theatre, flight simulators, and to explore the various areas of the ship from flight deck to bridge, accommodation to gun batteries.

The museum also serves as an education facility and we observed the arrival of youth groups who were about to be accommodated on board.

Pearce Civil War and Western Art Museum The Pearce Museum at Navarro College in Corsicana provided a view of two epic historical events of the 1800’s, the American Civil War and the westward expansion that followed. The civil war section exhibited the course of the American Civil War in artefacts and photographs; however it also provides a unique view of the times because it was crafted around letters and documents written during the war, and therefore provided a view through the eyes of officers and soldiers as they wrote during the course of the war.

The Western Art was a collection of paintings and sculptures that depict both the historic and modern American West. The collection is a mixture of paintings and sculptures in a variety of media. It includes some magnificent artistic depictions of scenic landscapes and of the drive to explore and settle “The West” (unfortunately no cameras allowed).

of 214

Fort Parker and Confederate Reunion Grounds This is a reconstruction of the original Fort Parker, and the visit to give us an insight into settler life during the Western expansion, including the fort and living conditions, type of accommodation, clothing, furniture and utensils. It also showed the impact of war between the settlers and the Indians.

Our guide, Rick Price, described to us the most famous historical event of this particular fort ‐ On May 19th 1836, a band of Indians came to Parker's Fort asking for beef, water and a place to camp. When greeted by the Parkers the Indians attacked, taking five captives! The most famous of these was 9 year old Cynthia Ann Parker. Cynthia Ann, who has been depicted in some movies of the period as “The White Squaw” was adopted by a Comanche family and grew up as a member of the tribe to become the wife of the Comanche War Chief Peta Nocona and the mother of Quanah Parker, the last and greatest of the American Indian chiefs.

of 214

In later travels after GSE I was able to see more of this history in other parts of Texas.

University of Texas at Austin Our hosts Kathy and Sally took us on a guided walking tour of the campus of the University of Texas. This was a large campus with wonderful natural setting among the large city environment. There were lots of hills, so the walking tour provided some much needed exercise (to work off some of those meals). Walking and talking as we explored the clean and well maintained landscaped campus with impressive building and architecture, the result of more than a century of history

Sally was able to provide an insight into student life from her own experience. Many of the Rotarians and family members we met during our exchange were also proud alumni and Longhorn supporters.

of 214

The university was founded in 1883 and is the largest single campus in Texas and fifth largest university in the United States. The campus includes many great buildings and one of the greatest is the main building with the UT tower which dominates the centre of the campus. From that point there are fine views overlooking the City of Austin and also the Texas State Capitol which is situated 400 metres from the campus. The UT tower is often specially lit to commemorate special events including major sporting wins. Access to the tower is restricted to official tours after passing through metal detector as a result of a mass shooting in August 1966 by sniper from the tower observation deck.

UT tower lit entirely in orange

The university is a major entre for academic research and the magnificent campus supports over 50,000 students with great facilities and a variety of museums and libraries. In the course of the tour we passed various dorms and halls of learning, visited the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum and Harry Ransom Centre. We made a separate visit to the Blanton Museum of Art.

UT Austin student athletes compete as the Texas Longhorns and our guided tour included various sporting facilities (including the Darrell K. Royal‐Texas Memorial Stadium which we were able to see inside on our visit to the Rotary Club of Austin University Area) and across the road to the Etter‐Harbin Alumni Centre with its statues and memorials. Finally out past the Rod McComb Business School which I would visit again for one of my vocational visits.

Darrell K. Royal‐Texas Memorial Stadium

of 214

Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum On the tour of University of Texas, we visited the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum which is the most popular Presidential Library (highest long term visitation). It houses 45 million pages of historical documents, including the papers of Lyndon Baines Johnson and those of his close associates and others.

Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library ‐ Austin, TX

The LBJ Oval Office

There were interesting exhibits which represent some of the history of his presidency including a 7/8ths scale replica of the Oval Office decorated as it was during Johnson's presidency. This visit together with Lyndon B. Johnson State Park (Texas White House) and a brief stop at the George W Bush Presidential library was an opportunity to learn about some of the history of a particular US Presidency and the presidency in general as part of the US Federal Government system.

Harry Ransom Center On the tour of University of Texas, we made a short stop at the Harry Ransom Center which is an archive, library and museum specializing in the collection of literary and cultural artifacts from the United States and Europe for the purpose of advancing the study of the arts and humanities.

We had the opportunity to view the two most prominent possessions in the Ransom Center's collections; a Gutenberg Bible (one of only 21 complete copies known to exist) and Nicéphore Niépce's View from the Window at Le Gras, the first successful permanent photograph from nature.

of 214

Austin Duck Adventures We were given a different view of Austin when we were taken on a Sunday afternoon combined land/water adventure tour that takes visitors on a downtown sightseeing tour before splashing into Lake Austin. The tour was a great introduction to the city including Historic Sixth Street, the State Capitol Building, Bob Bullock State History Museum, the Governor’s Mansion, and Lake Austin. Our driver/tour guide was amazing; knowledgeable whilst being funny and entertaining. Blow the duck whistle at passers‐by was fun too!! A couple of team members had a chance to “captain the ship” on the water and did not manage to sink us.

LBJ Ranch & Fredericksburg

A day trip to Fredericksburg, approximately 100 km from Austin, takes us into an area of agri‐tourism and historical interest. Passing through some scenic countryside we passed many agricultural activities which include herb farms, grape culture, lavender production and wildflower seeds and also many businesses which are combinations of agribusiness with day spas, wedding facilities, or bed and breakfast accommodations. The Fredericksburg‐Stonewall area has become known as the Peach Capital of Texas

Lyndon B. Johnson State Park & Historic Site

The Sauer‐Beckmann Farmstead ‐ Rural Life, 1900‐1918

This is a living history farm. Life on the farmstead is presented as it was in 1918. Costumed interpreters wear period clothing and carry out the day‐to‐day activities of farm and household chores of a turn‐of‐the‐century Texas‐German farm family as they were done at that time. We saw grass cutting with a hand scythe and meals being cooked on a wood‐burning stove, but also the buildings, farm implements, furniture and clothing representative of life at that time.

of 214

LBJ Ranch

The LBJ Ranch was where President Johnson was born, lived, died, and was buried. The self‐drive tour of the ranch allowed us to stop at sites along the way such as the President's birthplace, Johnson family cemetery (the final resting place of President Johnson and Ladybird Johnson), and the Johnson's ranch house known as the Texas White House.

The Air Force One aircraft used at that time is displayed at the entrance. There are parts of the exhibition which recognise the role of aviation in making this remote “Texas White House” possible.

The museum has exhibits recognising Lyndon Johnson’s Civil Rights Legacy. LBJ had a passion for exotic automobiles, several of which are on display in the Ranch garage.

Fredericksburg With nearly 20 per cent of Texas’s population claiming pure or partial German ancestry, the Fredericksburg area has both cultural and historical importance for its German immigrant heritage. The settlement was the first German town in Texas and the precursor to what’s now known as

of 214

Texas’s German Belt. It has become a popular place to enjoy German festivals like Oktoberfest, German‐style beer gardens, menus laden with brats and schnitzel, and shops selling beer steins

The architectural structures of Fredericksburg are often unique to the Texas Hill Country, and are historical edifices of the German immigrants who settled the area in the 19th Century. Many of the structures have historic designations on a state or national level. Fredericksburg Historic District is a collection of specialty stores, restaurants, wine bars, boutiques, art galleries, cheese & coffee shops, and many other attractions that align Main Street in the centre of town.

National Museum of the Pacific War Fredericksburg was the boyhood home of Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, Commander in Chief, United States Pacific Fleet during World War II. The Admiral Nimitz Museum which is housed in the old Nimitz Hotel where Admiral Nimitz lived during his early childhood while it was owned by his grandfather. This section of the museum tells the story of Fleet Admiral Nimitz beginning with his life as a young boy through his naval career as well as the evolution of the old hotel (now museum).

The Admiral Nimitz Museum located in the historic Nimitz Hotel

Plaza of Presidents

of 214

In 2000, the complex was renamed National Museum of the Pacific War and is dedicated to perpetuating the memory of the Pacific Theatre of WWII ensuring that the sacrifices of those who contributed to our victory may never be forgotten. Situated on nine acres the Historic Site includes the George Bush Gallery, Admiral Nimitz Museum, Plaza of Presidents, Veterans' Walk of Honour, Japanese Garden of Peace, Pacific Combat Zone, and the Centre for Pacific War Studies.

The Plaza of Presidents is a striking outdoor tribute to the ten American presidents who served in the armed forces during WWII. The Presidents from Franklin D Roosevelt to George H.W. Bush all either served as commander in chief or in the military during the war. Ten monuments arranged in a semi‐circle chronicle their contributions during that era.

The George H. W. Bush Gallery features a state‐of‐the‐art exhibit on the story of WWII in the Pacific and East Asia. The route through the exhibit sequentially guides one through the entire history of World War II in the Pacific, From Pearl Harbor to Tokyo Bay, the epic story of the Pacific War is told, as viewed from both the American as well as the Japanese eyes.

Blanton Museum of Art The Jack S. Blanton Museum of Art is the art museum and research centre of the University Of Texas At Austin. The museum is one of the largest university art museums in the United States, housing some 17,000 works.

of 214

Texas State Capitol The Texas State Capitol houses the two chambers of the Texas Legislature and the office of the Governor of Texas.

This visit was another great opportunity to learn more about the State of Texas, a triple bonus; Government Building, Historic Site and Architectural Building. The excellent guided tour covers all aspects; the system of State government, the history and features of this magnificent building, some aspects of the history of Texas and many historical artefacts (including historical flags from the Texan Revolution) and art works covering the history of Texas that are on display throughout the building.

Sited on one of Austin’s highest points, the Capitol commands a sweeping view towards the Colorado River from its southern façade. The main campus of The University of Texas at Austin is situated four blocks to the north. Wonderful views of the Capitol’s dome from many vantage points throughout the Austin area are protected from obscuration by state law.

The Texas Capitol is an extraordinary example of late 19th century public architecture and is widely recognized as one of the nation’s most distinguished state capitols. This is a beautiful building that shows off many of the natural resources which are so prevalent in Texas. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1986 for its “significant contribution to American history.” It was originally designed in 1881 by architect Elijah E. Myers, and was constructed from 1882 to 1888. Texas paid for the construction not in dollars, but in land: some three million acres in the Texas Panhandle that would later become the famous XIT Ranch. After the local fire department condemned the operation of the building as a result of fire danger due to overcrowding, a $75 million underground extension was completed in 1993.

If it's in Texas, it must be bigger and better. That is the motto that architects followed with the Capitol Building in Austin. An extraordinary edifice by any measure, the 1888 Texas Capitol is the largest in gross square footage of all state capitols and is second in total size only to the National Capitol in Washington, D.C. Like several other state capitols, the 1888 Texas Capitol surpasses the National Capitol in height, rising almost 15 feet above its Washington counterpart.

of 214

“Retributive Justice by H.A McArdle” The Battle of San Jacinto (April 21st 1836) the Triumph of Texan Independence.

The Texas Rangers Museum (Waco) On the visit to Waco for an additional vocational experience, thanks to Steve and Kaye Neal, I was fortunate to have the chance to visit this great museum. Sadly the other team members missed out on this one.

The Texas Rangers have a heritage that began with the earliest settlements in Texas (created by Stephen Austin to protect settlers), though protection against Indian raids, the Civil War and into modern law enforcement. Since they have played a part in every era of Texas history the museum was another view on the history of Texas through the activities of the Rangers. It has artefacts from the long and successful history and highlights the stories of the heroes and leaders that made it so successful.

of 214

The Texas Rangers are part of the history of the Old West, and part of its mythology. The Texas Rangers are the subject of numerous movies, television series and books and a section of the museum is devoted to showing these views of the Rangers.

Waco Suspension Bridge I was also able to visit this place of interest while in Waco for my vocational visit.

This suspension Bridge was the first bridge across the Brazos River. When it opened as a private toll bridge in 1870 it was the longest single span bridge in the world. It is recognised in various plaques on the bridge as an outstanding engineering achievement (Texas Society of Professional Engineers) and as a Texas Historic Civil Engineering Landmark for having contained new innovations that were the forerunner to the long span suspension bridges of the world.

At the entrance to the bridge is an impressive set of statues making up a cattle drive and at the other end a memorial dedicated to the memory of civil rights leader Dr Martin Luther King recognising his “words and deeds prove that one person can make a difference”.

Texas Sports Hall of Fame Another of those opportunities where our hosts were able to respond to the personal interests of our team members and add this requested extra activity into the itinerary as we transitioned from one host area to another.

Sport plays as important a role in American lifestyle as it does in Australia. No surprise therefore that there are many current and historical sporting heroes. The Texas Sports Hall of Fame features exhibits on Texas athletes and sports, ranging from scholastic to professional teams. This was also another depiction of the intense rivalry in college sports.

Some team members also enjoyed testing their skills in some of the physical activity tests.

Inner Space Cavern When an afternoon of sailing on Lake Travis had to be cancelled due to unusual weather, a quickly arranged substitute was the Inner Space Cavern near Georgetown. We had a guided tour of the caves which have some very interesting formations. The discovery of these caves also had a vocational element for Jo, since they were discovered by accident whilst drilling was taking place for the piles and foundation of a bride for the Interstate Freeway. All you road‐builders make sure you know what is underground!

A bit of fun as Jenny made use of a newly learned word – spelunking.

of 214

Yoakum Rodeo Rodeo is an American activity that is not common anywhere in Australia. At the first conference we expressed an interest in being able to see one. Fortunately our hosts and the Rotary Club of Yoakum were able to make that happen for us as our visit coincided with the Yoakum annual festival and rodeo.

The whole event was really interesting as the community dresses up fort eh event (see the little kids in the picture all dressed up in their hats and boots. The whole event from the opening parade displaying the six flags of Texas through a variety of other events was great fun.

It was a pleasure to have the opportunity to experience another local cultural event.

Day trip to Lake We were given an exceptional rest day hosted by Kim and Kelly Barr at their lake house. It was also an opportunity to catch up with some old friends as Kim had been on a GSE to District 9460 and Rick McKelvey (last year GSE team Leader) came out to have lunch with us. Apart from some rest and relaxation team members enjoyed their preferences of fishing, swimming, canoeing, and a boat ride up the lake. A good time was enjoyed by all.

of 214

Double Eagle Ranch rest break

The much needed rest break at double Eagle Ranch gave is an opportunity to rest and recuperate. This was a very nice spot off the beaten track and the exotic game and swimming pool added to our enjoyment.

What advice or information would you give future GSE participants? See evaluation attachment.

How will you continue to stay involved in Rotary? If invited, would you become a member of a Rotary or Rotaract club? I will continue my membership of Rotary, and participation in District activity as District Vocational Service Chair and participation in the GSE committee. I will look forward to continued friendship with members of District 5870 and hope that we will see some of them visiting our District before or after the 2014 Rotary International Convention in Sydney allowing us the opportunity to return the hospitality we received. I will also be keen to pursue some of the ideas which I observed in a couple of District 5870 clubs with the recruitment of younger members.

Report 03

Documents

Transcript of Report 03