Rotary Ramblings

Tue, 22 Jun 2004 19:34:12 EDT

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Rotary Ramblings
June 22, 2004

Outgoing President Mark Denkler presided over today=E2=80=99s meeting.  Our=20=
veterans=20
and the military were remembered in Ron Backer=E2=80=99s thoughtful invocati=
on.  Song=20
leader Jimmy Weatherspoon managed to put us in a happy frame of mind with a=20
smile on our faces through his choice of musical numbers.=20

Fred Bonardi reported that the stock market has more or less been at a=20
standstill this month and will probably continue in that mode until June 30t=
h.  On=20
that important date the transfer of power will take place in Iraq, and inter=
est=20
rates will probably be raised, so those factors could get the market moving=20
again.  In the meantime, it was a quiet day on wall street and no one was=20
making money in the investment world.

Our guests and visiting Rotarians were introduced by Harvey Brown.  Joining=20
us today were Eric Meyer, who came as Joyce Lunsford=E2=80=99s guest, and Jo=
hn Wubbel=20
who attended the meeting with Jim Blocker.  Our special guest was Atlantic H=
igh=20
School student Jared McDaniel, one of our scholarship recipients.  Jared sai=
d=20
he had a "blast" in high school.  He was active in ROTC and participated in=20
every sport "without a ball" such as swimming, cross country, and wrestling.=
 =20
He will attend Lee University, a small private school in Cleveland, Tennesse=
e=20
(and, yes, Ellie knows where it is!) and he plans to become a teacher.  Welc=
ome=20
to all!

Our hearty congratulations to Sergeant-at-Arms Ernie Simon who, in addition=20
to celebrating his 44th wedding anniversary, was also recognized for his 50=20
years as a member of the Florida Bar Association.  Ernie=E2=80=99s generous=20=
contribution=20
in honor of these milestones, along with dollars donated by other charitable=
=20
members brought today=E2=80=99s total to $105.00.  The special of the day wa=
s a big=20
"THANK YOU!" to Mark Denkler for a great job as President. The banner was do=
nated=20
by Ron Ripley, but was not given away.  And, Art Nejame, sporting a jaunty=20
Krispy Kreme hat, made a donation in celebration of the doughnut company=E2=
=80=99s=20
birthday.=20

Bill Adams announced that there are still rooms available on the cruise ship=
=20
for the District Conference on October 8-10, 2004.  He has more information=20=
if=20
you would like to attend.

Bill also called for a round of applause for the Ellie=E2=80=99s Diner staff=
 for=20
doing such an outstanding job last week at the installation luncheon.

There=E2=80=99s a sign up sheet at the registration table for Rotarians inte=
rested in=20
receiving e-mails from the District.  Just write down your e-mail address an=
d=20
your signature.

Bill Adams introduced today=E2=80=99s speaker, Bob Keltie, Assistant Directo=
r of The=20
Adams Center (no relation to Bill!) for IT Entrepreneurship and Venture=20
Capital at Florida Atlantic University.  He spoke to us about his favorite s=
ubject=20
-- small business management.  How important are small businesses?  Accordin=
g=20
to statistics, 99.7% of the companies in the United States have 500 or fewer=
=20
employees; 96% have less than 100 employees; 92% have less than 50 employees=
;=20
and 50% have less than 10 employees.  Of the 23 million businesses on record=
 in=20
this country, 17 million don=E2=80=99t have employees.  The numbers indicate=
 that=20
small businesses are very important. =20

Bob noted that among the drawbacks for small businesses are the strict=20
Federal regulations, and the risk involved starting up a small company.  He=20=
said=20
that 1/3 of the businesses that open this year will not be around in 2010. =20=
To be=20
successful as an entrepreneur the most important thing you need to have is=20
passion.  He cited the single biggest problem faced by small businesses is a=
=20
lack of marketing skills.  In order to succeed, you need to know who your ma=
rket=20
is and how to reach it.

Florida Atlantic University has a program starting next week that offers=20
consulting services to local businesses.  It is designed to assist the busin=
ess=20
with a significant problem needing attention.  Among the services provided a=
re=20
feasibility studies, strategic plans for growth and expansion, product=20
evaluation and international business opportunities determination. =20
Entrepreneurially-minded Rotarians who are interested in this program can co=
ntact Bob at=20
297-3177 or log on to www.fauentrecenter.org .

Kurt Godfrey held the winning ticket for the Green Hat and walked away $5.00=
=20
richer.=20

Next week=E2=80=99s program:  Rotary Group Study Exchange Students Leticia C=
amargo=20
and Priscilla Campos will be back for one last visit to give us an update of=
=20
their recent travels and to say "farewell".  The girls will be returning to=20
Brazil in July.  Let=E2=80=99s all plan to give them a great send off!

Enjoy your week!

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<HTML><HTML>Rotary Ramblings<B=
R>
June 22, 2004 
 
Outgoing President Mark Denkler presided over today=E2=80=99s meeting.&nbsp;=
 Our veterans and the military were remembered in Ron Backer=E2=80=99s thoug=
htful invocation.&nbsp; Song leader Jimmy Weatherspoon managed to put us in=20=
a happy frame of mind with a smile on our faces through his choice of musica=
l numbers. 
 
Fred Bonardi reported that the stock market has more or less been at a stand=
still this month and will probably continue in that mode until June 30th.&nb=
sp; On that important date the transfer of power will take place in Iraq, an=
d interest rates will probably be raised, so those factors could get the mar=
ket moving again.&nbsp; In the meantime, it was a quiet day on wall street a=
nd no one was making money in the investment world. 
 
Our guests and visiting Rotarians were introduced by Harvey Brown.&nbsp; Joi=
ning us today were Eric Meyer, who came as Joyce Lunsford=E2=80=99s guest, a=
nd John Wubbel who attended the meeting with Jim Blocker.&nbsp; Our special=20=
guest was Atlantic High School student Jared McDaniel, one of our scholarshi=
p recipients.&nbsp; Jared said he had a "blast" in high school.&nbsp; He was=
 active in ROTC and participated in every sport "without a ball" such as swi=
mming, cross country, and wrestling.&nbsp; He will attend Lee University, a=20=
small private school in Cleveland, Tennessee (and, yes, Ellie knows where it=
 is!) and he plans to become a teacher.&nbsp; Welcome to all! 
 
Our hearty congratulations to Sergeant-at-Arms Ernie Simon who, in addition=20=
to celebrating his 44th wedding anniversary, was also recognized for his 50=20=
years as a member of the Florida Bar Association.&nbsp; Ernie=E2=80=99s gene=
rous contribution in honor of these milestones, along with dollars donated b=
y other charitable members brought today=E2=80=99s total to $105.00.&nbsp; T=
he special of the day was a big "THANK YOU!" to Mark Denkler for a great job=
 as President. The banner was donated by Ron Ripley, but was not given away.=
&nbsp; And, Art Nejame, sporting a jaunty Krispy Kreme hat, made a donation=20=
in celebration of the doughnut company=E2=80=99s birthday. 
 
Bill Adams announced that there are still rooms available on the cruise ship=
 for the District Conference on October 8-10, 2004.&nbsp; He has more inform=
ation if you would like to attend. 
 
Bill also called for a round of applause for the Ellie=E2=80=99s Diner staff=
 for doing such an outstanding job last week at the installation luncheon.<B=
R>
 
There=E2=80=99s a sign up sheet at the registration table for Rotarians inte=
rested in receiving e-mails from the District.&nbsp; Just write down your e-=
mail address and your signature. 
 
Bill Adams introduced today=E2=80=99s speaker, Bob Keltie, Assistant Directo=
r of The Adams Center (no relation to Bill!) for IT Entrepreneurship and Ven=
ture Capital at Florida Atlantic University.&nbsp; He spoke to us about his=20=
favorite subject -- small business management.&nbsp; How important are small=
 businesses?&nbsp; According to statistics, 99.7% of the companies in the Un=
ited States have 500 or fewer employees; 96% have less than 100 employees; 9=
2% have less than 50 employees; and 50% have less than 10 employees.&nbsp; O=
f the 23 million businesses on record in this country, 17 million don=E2=80=
=99t have employees.&nbsp; The numbers indicate that small businesses are ve=
ry important.&nbsp; 
 
Bob noted that among the drawbacks for small businesses are the strict Feder=
al regulations, and the risk involved starting up a small company.&nbsp; He=20=
said that 1/3 of the businesses that open this year will not be around in 20=
10.&nbsp; To be successful as an entrepreneur the most important thing you n=
eed to have is passion.&nbsp; He cited the single biggest problem faced by s=
mall businesses is a lack of marketing skills.&nbsp; In order to succeed, yo=
u need to know who your market is and how to reach it. 
 
Florida Atlantic University has a program starting next week that offers con=
sulting services to local businesses.&nbsp; It is designed to assist the bus=
iness with a significant problem needing attention.&nbsp; Among the services=
 provided are feasibility studies, strategic plans for growth and expansion,=
 product evaluation and international business opportunities determination.&=
nbsp; Entrepreneurially-minded Rotarians who are interested in this program=20=
can contact Bob at 297-3177 or log on to <A HREF=3D"www.fauentrecenter.org">=
www.fauentrecenter.org</A> . 
 
Kurt Godfrey held the winning ticket for the Green Hat and walked away $5.00=
 richer. 
 
Next week=E2=80=99s program:&nbsp; Rotary Group Study Exchange Students Leti=
cia Camargo and Priscilla Campos will be back for one last visit to give us=20=
an update of their recent travels and to say "farewell".&nbsp; The girls wil=
l be returning to Brazil in July.&nbsp; Let=E2=80=99s all plan to give them=20=
a great send off! 
 
Enjoy your week!</HTML>

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