Club Business
Dick O’Donnell convened our yearly visit from the District Governor at Noon at the Alamance Country Club. Randy Perkins led us in prayer and the pledge of allegiance to our flag. Phil Brown gave a short Rotary Minute talk emphasizing the importance of looking outward.
Today’s guests included the following:
- Dr. Bebe O’Donnell
- Russell Guy
- Melissa Fargis
- Reagan Gural
- Tammy Wall
- Mike Brown
- Nancy Carpenter
- Reida Perkins
- District Governor Elect Chris Justice
- District Governor Nominee Debbie Scott, and
- Joshua Huffman, Assistant District Governor
Getting to Know Our Members
Carolyn Rhode’s life adventure began in Minnesota. After a brief foray to Philly, her family returned to live in the Minneapolis – St. Paul area. She attended college at Carleton College in Northfield, where she majored in economics. This is where it gets interesting. Immediately after graduation she moved to New York City to take a job on Wall Street as an analyst with Solomon Brothers, where she stayed for two years. She attended Dartmouth, where she earned an MBA and enjoyed snow skiing. Next up – London, where she worked with an international consulting firm. She spent time in Sweden, too, where she had to go outside at lunch just to see the sun shine in the winter months. After a few years of that, she decided she liked seeing sunlight and decided to join her brother in NC, where he taught pottery making at Central Carolina Community College in Pittsboro. In Durham, Carolyn spent time working for a public education network for four years. During that time she met her life partner, Mark. She also did a gig with a Teen Pregnancy Prevention Advocacy center. She eventually wound up at Alamance Community College, where she is the VP of Institutional Advancement. That is when she joined Rotary in 2005 to become our amazingly accomplished secretary. (Now we understand why she does such a terrific job.) She said she would like to be remembered as a woman of action. She will by us; that’s for sure. Carolyn is also a Paul Harris Fellow.ed secretary. (Now we understand why she does such a terrific job.) She said she would like to be remembered as a woman of action. She will by us; that’s for sure. Carolyn is also a Paul Harris Fellow.
Program: District Governor, Tommy Rosser
Tommy grew up in Broadway, NC, and is a graduate of NC State University. Following graduation, he relocated to Winston-Salem working in the sales field before moving back to the Sanford area where he managed a grocery store for seven years. In 1987, Tommy made a career change going into the insurance and financial services industry.
In 2000, he joined Consolidated Planning as a Financial Planner and is a Registered Investment Advisor. Tommy owns and operates Rosser Financial Group, LLC dba Consolidated Planning of Sanford specializing in individual financial, retirement and estate planning. He is a Certified Exit Planner helping business owners with business succession and business exit planning. He has earned the designations of Charter Financial Consultant, Retirement Income Certified Professional, Certified Exit Planner and Life Underwriter Training Council Fellow.
In August of 2000, Tommy joined the Sanford Rotary Club where he served in several positions before serving as President from 2005-2006. Tommy received the honor of Rotarian of the Year of the Sanford Club in 2002 and 2007. He has served as Area 10 TRF Representative and as Area 10 Assistant District Governor. While serving as Area 10 Assistant District Governor, Tommy was instrumental in forming the new Pittsboro Rotary Club and new Interact Club in Sanford. He was awarded The Rotary Foundation District Service Award in 2007. Tommy and Glenda were the Rotary International President’s representative host for the 2016 District Conference.
He is a Bequest Society Member, Sustaining Member, Paul Harris Society Member and Benefactor. Tommy and his wife, Glenda are both Paul Harris Fellows.
He has also served in several non-profit organizations. Tommy has been an active member of Broadway Baptist Church since 1984 where he has served in numerous positions including Deacon.
Tommy and Glenda were married in 1980 and have lived in Broadway for the past 36 years. Glenda is a graduate of Campbell University and is Financial Services Supervisor with the City of Sanford. Their son, Justin, is a police officer with the Apex Police Department and is married to Alicia with two step sons. Their daughter, Amber, is a Mortgage Loan Officer, is married to Derek Cameron and they have one son. Amber is a member of the Sanford Rotary Club where she served as President of her club and has served in a District leadership role. Tommy enjoys spending time with his family, going to the beach, fishing and playing golf.
To begin his message, Tommy recognized two past district governors in our midst – Phil Brown and Randy Perkins. He told us he forgot his mascot, Clyde the Flamingo. Flamingos remain faithful to their mates for life, just as Tommy hopes we will be to Rotary. He gave Hero Awards to Rick Moore and Dick O’Donnell.
Tommy joined Rotary after being invited by a friend and never looked back. He said his first District Conference was a real eye opener, but that he really got the Rotary idea at his first international conference in Chicago in 2005, the 100th anniversary of Rotary. That is when he realized what a big family the organization is and why he was a part. He said we must all find our passion in Rotary. For him it involves three areas: fellowship, doing good in the world, and the Rotary Foundation, which he said is the cog wheel for it all.
Tommy said we will survive the coronavirus, just as our forefathers made it through the polio scare. The virus is forcing us to rethink some things and find new and better ways to accomplish our goals. Our aim in 2020 is to become stronger in membership, more diverse and inclusive, and to be a reflection of the larger community. He invited us to join him at the annual District Conference at Grove Park in Asheville, April 16-18.
Next week the plan is to meet via Zoom. Dick concluded by leading us in reciting the Four Way Test and reminded us to Exit to Serve.