Making Connections » Capital Rotary Club

Capital Rotary president Philip Flynn (center in photo) congratulates Jimmy Gibbs (left) and Bud Foy for earning Paul Harris Fellow Plus-Four honors recognizing their continued contributions to The Rotary Foundation, the international service club’s charitable arm that supports programs for world understanding and peace. Gibbs and Foy have each made an initial $1,000 donation to the fund, followed by four additional gifts of $1,000. Gibbs, an insurance broker, is a past president and past assistant district governor who joined Capital Rotary in September 1995. Foy, a retired dentist, joined the club in March 2015 and was a member of the Rotary Club of Monterey, CA for 24 years before relocating to South Carolina.

In July, District Governor David Tirard visited the Capital Rotary club to lead way into an exciting new Rotary year. During his comments, DG Tirard relayed Rotary International’s 2018-19 motto, “Be the Inspiration”, but emphasized that you don’t have to be a leader to be an inspiration and that everyone can leave their footprints in the sands of time to make a lasting change.

Tirard is originally from Plymouth, England where he had a 34 year banking career. He moved to the United States in 2002. Past District Governor Sandee Brooks invited Tirard to a Rotary meeting in 2003 and he has been a Rotarian since. He now lives in Hilton Head, SC where he enjoys chasing a little white ball around golf courses and has accomplished a single handicap.

At the annual club assembly to review Capital Rotary’s accomplishments for 2016-2017, president Tommy Gibbons thanked members for achieving highlights that included:

Earning a Leadership Citation badge for participation in local/district community service projects plus contributions for international humanitarian outreach.
Donating dictionaries to third-grade students in 12 Richland County District One schools. Over the past 12 years, the club has distributed personal dictionaries to12,150 youngsters.
Collecting 61 pints at the annual Red Cross Blood Drive, each donation helping to save the lives of up to three people.
Raising $2,100 at a Lake Murray charity fishing tournament and over $18,000 in holiday wreath sales to benefit college scholarships; club stipends currently go to four students.
Contributing almost $40,000 in charitable funds to The Rotary Foundation, to Polio Plus efforts to eliminate the crippling disease worldwide, and for the CART (Coins for Alzheimer’s Research Trust) Fund to prevent or cure Alzheimer’s disease.
Supporting The Rotary Foundation with 54 Paul Harris Fellows ($1,000 donation), 46 Benefactors ($1,000 donation via will), four Bequest Society members ($10,000 donation upon death), four Major Donors (donation greater than $10,000) and eight Paul Harris Society members ($1,000 donation yearly) in our ranks.
Providing $1,000 for flood assistance in Louisiana as well as $585 from individual members.
Helping a local family with Christmas gifts and working with the Saint Bernard Project to repair the family’s house after flooding.
Adding six new members and getting them involved and engaged early in club activities.
Continuing community service projects with Meals on Wheels and Harvest Hope Food Bank
Publicizing club activities with 60 website and social media posts; reaching 8,609 people through social media; 3,002 website visitors; 30 press releases to local media; and mention of our club in 14 district e-newsletters.

Blake DuBose, Capital Rotary’s incoming president, presents a distinguished service plaque to Dr. Tommy Gibbons (right), who led the club for 2016-2017. Gibbons, a native of Clarendon County, is president and chief medical officer of UCI Medical Affiliates, Inc. and Doctors Care, PA in Columbia. He’s also served as chair of the SAFEKIDS South Carolina Board of Directors and as a member of The Children’s Trust SAFEKIDS South Carolina Advisory Committee. DuBose, a graduate of Newbery College, is president of DuBose Web Group, a website design and development firm based in Columbia.

Capital Rotary Club of Columbia has installed new board members for 2017-2018. Pictured are (from left) David Boucher, membership director; Blake DuBose, president; Neda Beal, at-large director and service chair; Ben Carlton and Gloria Saeed, at-large directors; Craig Lemrow, treasurer; Abby Naas, secretary; Ione Cockrell, at-large director; Bill Beers, at-large director and sergeant at arms; Tommy Gibbons, past president and Rotary Foundation chair. The club’s new president-elect is Philip Flynn (not pictured).

Capital Rotary president Tommy Gibbons awards the 2017 Rotarian of the Year plaque to treasurer Craig Lemrow (left) in recognition of his dedication and loyal devotion to the ideals of “Service Above Self.” A former Rotarian in Lexington, Lemrow joined the Capital club in 2014. He’s previously been recognized for multiple contributions to The Rotary Foundation, an international charitable fund that supports programs for world understanding and peace.

For our 2017 Blood Drive, our club has an ambitious goal of 68 units of blood! We need your help so register and bring a friend! Download Capital Rotary Blood Drive Flyer (PDF)

When: Wednesday, July 12th, 10am-4pm
Where: CBRE Building, 1st Floor, 1333 Main Street, Columbia, SC
Register Online!

Visit redcrossblood.org
In the navy blue box “Find a Blood Drive” in the top-right, enter sponsor code “caprotary”
To the left, select the blood drive location at CBRE Building
You’ll need to sign in (if you’ve registered before) or create an account

Dr. Michel van Tooren (wearing white shirt, blue coat in photo background) explains industrial oven use in new materials manufacturing to Capital Rotary members on a tour of the Ronald E. McNair Center for Aerospace Innovation and Research. Van Tooren is deputy director of the center founded at the University of South Carolina in 2011 and named after the late Challenger astronaut. It supports the state’s second largest industry through aerospace education, research, outreach and economic engagement. Capital Rotary’s tour was part of the club’s Fifth Wednesday program featuring local field trips in place of a regular weekly meeting.

Capital Rotary Club members and their spouses enjoyed a spring social at Spirit Communications Park in mid-May. The occasion was a match-up between the Columbia Fireflies – a minor league baseball affiliate of the New York Mets – and their Pittsburgh Pirates-affiliated counterparts—the West Virginia Power. An added attraction was the presence of former college football star and ex-NFL quarterback Tim Tebow, currently on the Fireflies roster while pursuing a pro baseball career. The happy fans shown are (from front to back) Rotarians Bob Davis; Allison Atkins; Craig Lemrow; Chris Ray and his wife, Joie; Pete Pillow and his wife, Anne; and Blake DuBose, the Capital club’s president-elect.

This Wednesday, our speaker was James E. Clark, the 12^th President of S.C. State University. As you can see from his biography, he has had an outstanding career. President Clark will speak about South Carolina State’s partnership with the community.

South Carolina State University’s 12th President, Mr. James E. Clark is a native of Quincy, Florida. Referring to his parents as “the smartest people I know,” they instilled in him the value of a good education, hard work, and discipline. His father Edmond had a second grade education and his mother Annie, a sixth grade education, but they wanted more for Clark and his siblings. His father became his first role model as a well-respected businessman within the farming community and Clark followed in his footsteps, with expanded opportunities he could have only imagined.

An accomplished visionary with a stellar career, Clark brings to the presidency a results-oriented, business approach that launches and drives positive outcomes. His proven experiences in leading Fortune 5-500 companies has prepared him to provide the leadership necessary to move SC State University forward to the next level. Clark firmly believes that solid business practices of the institution is critical to its operations, success, and brand enhancement.

A resident of Columbia, SC, Clark has served as vice president of a $1- billion division of AT&T which he converted from a money-losing division into the most profitable division in AT&T’s computer business. Clark also worked with Gould Incorporated, General Electric, Gillette, and Exxon International. To these positions, Clark brought a wealth of expertise as a successful relationship builder, mentor, and team motivator who is highly respected for his ability to develop consensus among diverse functional groups.

Clark served on the Benedict College Board of Trustees for 18 years, and he has been Chair of the University of South Carolina Research Foundation for three terms. He has also served as an SC State Board member during the past year where he chaired the Finance and Management committee. He also served as an Executive Director of the prestigious Bell Lab, the most respected research institution in the world at the time.

Along with his passion for education, Clark has a passion for building and flying aircraft. He is an active member of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Board of Directors, and has performed as an Air Show Performer. As an engineer and a pilot, he brings the intricacy of “attention to detail” and the critical aspect of its effect on success.

Clark holds a Master of Science Degree in Management (Marketing) from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School of Management (M.I.T.); a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from M.I.T.; and further studies in Global Leadership and Senior Management Development programs at the University of Michigan and Indiana University.

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