Club Business
Dick O’Donnell presided over the meeting.
Marta Moos led the pledge and prayer.
13 members were present on the zoom call.
Club birthdays – March 11 – Matt Patel.
Dick welcomed Sharon Bernstein from Western Alamance H.S. Interact Club.
Dick shared funny signs and notable “on today’s dates.”
Club news
- The board voted to meet in person one time per month for the period April – June, likely at the Alamance Country Club. The 2021 second quarter invoice will reflect this decision.
- Please encourage potential members to join our in-person and zoom meetings.
- The Board voted to provide $2,000 to the Reads program led by the Graham Rotary Club. The Reads program provides books to students at Title I elementary schools in Alamance County.
- The Board voted to spend the $1,600 raised to provide meals to healthcare workers. We will cover two shifts of employees at Cone ARMC in the emergency and OB/GYN departments.
- Brooke Carpenter is making plans for a fundraiser to take place the third week in April. Stay tuned.
- Bonnie Whitaker is continuing to think about opportunities for social events.
Program: Sharon Hill – How to Make a Positive Impression in a Few Seconds
Dick introduced Sharon Hill, the speaker for today.
Sharon A. Hill, author, speaker and MBA spent more than 20 years as a development and marketing manager at Fortune 500 giant IBM.
She is the president of Sharon Hill International which is her motivational and educational speaking business. Sharon is a certified etiquette trainer, trained by the American Business Etiquette Trainers Association.
Combining her passion for business etiquette, diversity in the workplace and her MBA research on Organizational Behavior, Sharon is recognized as an authority on American business etiquette for companies, universities, groups, associations and individuals.
Sharon has served on several Boards of Directors including:
- 2013-2015 Board of Directors President for Big Brothers Big Sisters – Raleigh Chapter
- 2013-2014 Past President for the National Association of Women Business Owners- Raleigh Chapter.
- 2013-2015 Toastmasters International Director
- 2017 – Present – Goodwill Community Foundation Member
She was recently appointed as a member of the Orange County Economic Development Advisory Board.
Chapel Hill/Carrboro Chamber of Commerce named Sharon Hill as the 2016 Woman Business Owner of the Year.
Sharon is the author of five books that focus on etiquette, succeeding in college and corporate America. She has been heard on numerous radio programs throughout the country.
She is married to her husband and soul mate, Elmer Hill, and lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Sharon shared practical tips around being successful at networking events:
- Practice a firm handshake –not too hard and not too limp
- Two to three pumps on the handshake and then drop
- Eye contact – if there is something distracting on a new acquaintance’s face, concentrate on that individual’s third eye (forehead region between eyebrows)
- Ask new people the Who, What, Where, Why and How questions. To really get to know someone, you should speak 20% of the time and listen 80%. Use their first names. Show respect to their business cards.
Rick Moore and Sharon reminded all those present about the links between Toastmasters and Rotary. Sharon invited members to visit a Toastmasters meeting.
Conclusion
Dick wrapped up the meeting with the Four-Way Test.