Rotary Spoke

Thursday Rotary Club of Hickory

Chartered 1921 – Hickory, NC - USA January 11, 2018

Today’s Program: Todd Okolichany and Planning for

the City of Asheville

Today, we’re pleased to welcome Todd

Okolichany, from Asheville, North Carolina, to

our Thursday meeting. Todd serves as the

Director of Planning and Urban Design for the

City of Asheville, where he is responsible for

managing sustainable growth and development,

shaping the built environment, and promoting

the quality of life for Asheville’s diverse

community. Prior to moving to Asheville and

taking on his current position in 2015, he was

Principal Planner for the City of Fort Lauderdale,

Florida, where he was responsible for managing

the city's long-range planning program. Todd

also previously worked for an internationally

renowned architecture firm in New York City. He received his Master of Science degree in Manhattan in City and

Regional Planning from Pratt Institute. He is a certified planner and holds the “LEED Accredited Professional in

Neighborhood Development” credential, which focuses on best practices in green building and green infrastructure

design.

Today’s program will include many interesting facts about what’s going on in the western part of our state. Some of

the topics to be covered will include:

• a history of downtown Asheville;

• the downtown's revival;

• key elements to its success;

• the importance of planning;

• tools for sustaining economic investment, including the creation of innovation districts; and

• current city initiatives to guide future growth and development, including the Living Asheville Comprehensive

Plan and planning for the South Slope innovation district

Club Business and Announcements

From Regina Hartley, District Rotaract Chair:

Rotaract celebrates fifty years of service during 2018. A conference to celebrate the event is scheduled

in Charlotte, North Carolina, from June 1 – 3, 2018. All Rotarians are invited to attend and support the

conference. In order to help make this happen, the early-bird registration has been extended until

January 15th! Your support is appreciated.

From District Governor Bill Biddle: During January, Rotarians are encouraged to focus on the important avenue of vocational service. Discussions on vocational service can lead to

projects that develop not only the ethical consciousness and vocational skills of Rotarians but also the talents within their communities.

Vocational Service Month is an opportunity to begin year-long vocational service activities, ranging from Rotary discussions to awards to

community projects. The following are some suggested activities to undertake during Vocational Service Month:

• Present a vocational award to someone in the community who has exemplified outstanding professional achievement while

maintaining very high ethical standards. Promote the presentation within the community, and consider making it an annual event.

• Invite experts to give a presentation on the vocational needs of the community and develop a project in response to those needs.

Possible projects could focus on developing character, providing career information to youth, mentoring small businesses, or

organizing workshops that provide employees with new skills.

• Encourage club members to put their vocational skills to work as a Rotary volunteer. Volunteer opportunities abound if we but look

around.

Suffice it to say, our values must shine through as we are engaged in our profession. Using the Rotary Four-Way Test as our guide, we have the

opportunity to demonstrate our unique values. If we follow the standard of Rotary, others will see the true essence of our organization. “More

people are convinced by the depth of our conviction than by the height of our knowledge.”

Thursday Rotary Club of Hickory Officers and Board of Directors

Officers July 2017 – June 2018 Board of Directors Terms Expiring

Mark Teague President Jennifer Clark June 2018

Linda Lutz President-Elect Philip Reed June 2018

Gerry Knox President-Nominee John Ross June 2018

Leslie Ferrell Middleton Secretary Andy Cote June 2019

Jan Bohmuller Assistant Secretary Tara Bland June 2020

Brian Setzler Treasurer Bruce Bumbarger June 2020

Andy Cote Assistant Treasurer Robert Locke June 2020

John Rambo Past President Cliff Moone June 2020

Last Week

Last week, John Ellis was our featured presenter.

Since retirement, John has volunteered in

numerous states and countries, working very

specifically in disaster recovery. During the past

two years, he has become a passionate advocate

for clean water in developing countries. His

most recent work has been traveling to

hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico where he

distributed hundreds of water filters.

John shared with the club about everyday life in

Cuba where millions continue to live quiet years

of resignation but with peace and hope. In the

photograph at the left, John is seen with his

clean-water gear, a much needed technique for

many in poorer countries.

Next Week

Next week, our featured guest will be

Keith Sipe to talk about Catawba Valley

Community College’s Leadership Academy.

(Members of the 2017 class are pictured

at the right.) According to publicity for

the academy, Catawba Valley’s Leadership

and Management Academy provides

professional development and training

addressing:

• Continuous improvement;

• Supervisory, management and executive leadership;

• Project management;

Club Member Weekly Assignments Date 1-11-2018 1-18-2018 1-25-2018 2-01-2018

Greeter Philip Reed Gerry Knox Steven Walker Marvin Qualls

Invocation Linda Lutz Thomas Griffis Mike Johnson

Visitors Anne Williams Linda Lutz Tony Reed Tony Reed

Rotary Moment Tara Bland David Millholland

Program Jon Carfagno Linda Lutz Rick Seay

Speaker Todd Okolichany Keith Sipe Brock Long

Topic Asheville City Planner

CVCC Leadership Academy

FEMA

Raffle David Williams Tony Reed Mark Seaman Josh Shampo

2017 – 2018

Rotary Theme

Rotary

International

Ian H.S. Riseley

President

District 7670

William Taylor Biddle Jr

District Governor

Jason Herman

Assistant D.G.

Of the things we think, say, or do:

1. Is it the truth?

2. Is it fair to all concerned?

3. Will it build good will and

better friendships?

4. Will it be beneficial to all

concerned?

The Rotary Spoke is published weekly

by the Thursday Rotary Club of Hickory,

PO Box 2628, Hickory, NC 28603.

Editor: Rick Seay

e-Mail: seayrh@charter.net

Rotarians, please e-mail information

on your upcoming program or other

Rotary event to the editor two weeks

in advance of publication. (E-mail text

or a Word document; please—no fax.)

Visit us on the web at

www.hickoryrotary.org

Thursday Rotary Club of Hickory Roster DALLAS C. ABEE JR. †PHF Architecture SHUF ABERNATHY III PHF Housing, Senior Adult SUSAN ALLSHOUSE PHF Health Care Marketing DOUG AUER Clothing, Custom Design JOHN W. BATES PHF • University Teaching PATRICE BERTRAND Manufacturing ROBERT A. BISANAR †PHF MICHAEL BLACKBURN †PHF Hospital Management TARA BLAND PHF Non Profit JAN L. BOHMULLER PHF Construction, Administration JOHN N. BRAY †PHF JOE BRITT Past Service JEFFREY BRONNENBERG Financial Analysis BRUCE BUMBARGER †PHF ROBERT BUMBARGER †PHF STAN BUMGARNER Securities Brokerage JEFF BUTLER Insurance, Personal JON CARFAGNO Art Museum Director JENNIFER CLARK Real Estate CARL V. CLINE III †PHF ANDY COTE Insurance JOAB COTTON III †PHF TERRY C. CREASMAN †PHF BETHANY DELANEY Salvation Army DAN DUKE Christianity, Protestant KELLY FARR Commercial Banking FORREST FERRELL PHF Retired Judge BONITA FERRETTI Business Office Manager SANDI FOTHERINGHAM PHF Education, Public Schools STEVEN R. FRYE †PHF • GEORGE P. FURLONG †PHF Digital Communications W. RONALD GARDNER †PHF CLEM GEITNER †PHF MITZI GELLMAN PHF Habitat for Humanity NOAH GEOGHEGAN Private Bank KIMBERLY GEORGE Food Distribution

JULIET GOOD Insurance KATHY GREATHOUSE PHF Council for the Arts THOMAS GRIFFIS PHF Christianity, Protestant GUY J. GUARINO JR. PHF • Occupational Health HANK GUESS Municipal Government JEFFREY A. HALE PHF • Printing, Commercial JOHN F. HALL PHF Office Machine Sales JEFF HINES PHF Sign Mfg. & Distribution MARK R. HUCKABEE PHF • Foam Insulation ALLEN W. HUFFMAN JR †PHF DANIEL F. HUFFMAN †PHF Ground Water Development SUSAN H. HUFFMAN PHF Medical Practice Management RUSSELL I. ISENHOUR PHF C.P.A., Tax G. WALLACE JOHNSON PHF Christianity, Protestant MIKE JOHNSON PHF Automobile Dealer, New CAROL B. KAMMER PHF Occupational Therapy PETER KENDALL Education, Private College DANA KILLIAN Business Development DAN W. KIRBY †PHF • Past Service GERRY KNOX United Way JON LaFONTAINE Newspaper, Editor TERRI LIVINGSTON University Athletics MEG LOCKE Hospitality ROBERT LOCKE LOA Hospitality LYNN LOEHR PHF Arts Council LINDA LUTZ PHF Education Systems Support KEVIN McINTOSH PHF Law, Business LESLIE FERRELL MIDDLETON Non-Profit DAVID MILLHOLLAND †PHF JOHN MILLHOLLAND PHF Real Estate Management DAVID MILLSAPS PHF Medicine, Pediatrics

CLIFF MOONE PHF Past Service DAVID R. MOORE PHF Plumbing & Heating STEVE M. MULL PHF † • Grocery, Retail DAVID B. MYERS †PHF HOMER L. NEWTON †PHF JOHN C. OLSON PHF Financial Planning JOHN B. ORGAIN IV PHF Groceries, Wholesale JILL PATTON PHF Hosiery Manufacturing WILLIAM M. PEKMAN †PHF Medicine, Hand Surgery AMY POWELL Employment Agency CLARENCE PUGH †PHF • MARVIN J QUALLS Real Estate Agent JOHN RAMBO PHF Community Theater PHILIP REED PHF Marketing TONY REED PHF Manufacturing CHARLES REEVES PHF Furniture Manufacturing THOMAS L. RICHARDS †PHF RUSSELL C. ROBERTS PHF Employment Agency, Temp. DOUGLAS RONGO PHF Financial Advisor MICHAEL ROPER Marketing Services JOHN G. ROSS PHF • Symphony Conductor SUSAN SAYLOR PHF Home Care MARK SEAMAN Baseball, Minor League RICK SEAY Education BRYAN SETZLER PHF Investments JOSH SHAMPO Advertising GABRIEL SHERWODD Plumbing ROBERT H. SHOFFNER PHF Christianity, Protestant WILLIAM A. SIGMON †PHF BOB SINGLETARY U.S. Government CHARLES M. SNIPES †PHF J. ALFORD SPIVEY JR. †PHF ANTHONY STARR Regional Government GREGG SUDDRETH Counseling MARK TEAGUE PHF Financial Advisor

MARY TEXER PHF Gas Products MICHAEL P. THOMAS Attorney STEPHEN M. THOMAS †PHF SUZANNE TROLLAN Counseling J. STEVEN WALKER Architect ROBERT E. WARMUTH †PHF C. JOHN WATTS PHF Securities Brokerage ROBERT WELCH PHF Past Service JERRI LEE WILFONG PHF Banking, State W. AVERY WILFONG †PHF ANNE R. WILLIAMS PHF Community College DAVID WILLIAMS Barber SARAH WILLIS Banking, Commercial CHARLES R. YOUNG †PHF FRANK YOUNG III PHF Financial Advisor ROSEMARY B. YOUNG PHF Funeral Home Bold = Past-President • = Benefactor † = Senior Active Member PHF = Paul Harris Fellow LOA = Leave of absence HONORARY MEMBERS: Jerry D. Caldwell Phil N. Carter †PHF