Before coming to Ann Arbor I was a member of a small Rotary club in the Washington, D.C. area. Although I knew few people in...
Strategic Planning
Introduction
In preparing its third Strategic Plan, the Rotary Club of Ann Arbor celebrates achievements and builds on accomplishments from earlier plans. Developing the new plan involved every Club member over several months. Early in 2008, the Club’s Board affirmed the mission statement, articulated the vision and defining characteristics, reviewed the recommended planning process, and set the charge for the Strategic Planning Task Force. The Task Force, representing a broad cross section of the Club, initiated the process that included a survey of the entire membership and input from several focus groups. Directors, committee chairs, and in many cases, entire committees, prepared individual committee plans that form the core of the plan. The Task Force integrated all the material into the first draft of the new plan and collected comments from the committees and feedback from members. The Club membership reviewed the survey and focus group results and participated in a facilitated discussion at a regular Club meeting. The Task Force then prepared a second draft of the plan and submitted it for Board review and revision. The final draft includes a list of Club leadership, Committees, and Task Force members. It was distributed to every member via email in advance of its adoption by the Board before the start of the new Rotary year on July 1, 2008. This process and the resulting plan ensures that the spirit, values and tradition of the Rotary Club of Ann Arbor will be sustained and enhanced over the next five-year period.
Mission Statement
The Rotary Club of Ann Arbor encourages, fosters, and implements the ideals of Rotary International in our local community and throughout the world in ways that enhance the quality of life and human dignity, create greater understanding among all people, and advance the search for peace. In all of our activities, we will abide by the highest ethical standards and always be guided by the Rotary principle of “Service Above Self.”
Vision
The Rotary Club of Ann Arbor, comprised of dynamic and caring people who demonstrate the principle of “Service Above Self,” makes a significant difference in the local community and beyond.
Defining Characteristics
The Club’s leadership and its members believe that, by implementing this plan, the Club will continue its growth and, by the end of the planning period, it will be characterized by the following statements:
We Serve Our Community: The Rotary Club of Ann Arbor will expand and publicize its service role in the community, demonstrating its impact on areas of critical need to the City and its citizens, and especially to the community’s youth. Whenever feasible, Rotary members will be active participants in this work.
We Serve Our World: The Club will increase its International Service work by organizing and funding multiple international humanitarian projects per year, sometimes partnering with other domestic Rotary clubs. The Club will encourage its members to engage in international contacts and especially to travel to Rotary sites outside the United States. The Club will make substantial contributions to the final phase of Rotary International’s global polio eradication project.
We Involve Our Members: The Club will foster a welcoming ambience at its meetings, engage and educate its members through its weekly programs, offer opportunities for fellowship and service through its many committees and social events, and provide effective communication channels to inform the membership about the Club’s multiple opportunities for involvement. Every member will have a specific role in one or more of the Club’s activities.
We Select Our Members: The Club will recruit new members by promoting its ongoing programs and active service opportunities. Its membership will be diverse, reflecting all facets of the community. Recruitment will focus on the past, current, and future leaders of local businesses and nonprofit organizations and on faculty and staff of the University of Michigan. Younger members will be welcomed, their needs considered, and their opinions valued in the Club’s deliberations.
We Fit In Rotary’s World: The Club will foster cooperative work and programs with other local Rotary clubs and will support the work of District 6380 and Rotary International as it demonstrates leadership in Rotary at all levels.
We Fund Our Vision: The Club members will provide sufficient financial resources to support the multiple activities envisioned in this plan through the Club’s dues structure and fundraising activities. In addition, within their own means and based on their charitable inclinations, each member will continue to contribute to both the Ann Arbor Rotary Endowment and The Rotary Foundation. The Club will develop a long-term strategy to increase the financial resources available to support its service work.
I. CLUB SERVICE AREA GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The Rotary Club of Ann Arbor accomplishes its goals through the work of its committees that are the heart and soul of the Club. Therefore, this strategic plan is predominantly the aggregation of individual committee plans. Because of the considerable number of committees and the thoroughness with which they prepared their individual plans, the committee sections included in this document were reduced to statements of either their fundamental goals and objectives or new initiatives and strategic issues to be implemented and/or evaluated over the next five years. Detailed plans remain with the committees for use in carrying out their work.
A. CLUB MEETINGS: The relevant committees are Program, Invocations, Greeters, Hosts, Attendance, Music, and Rotarians in the News.
Meetings in General (All Committees)
Ensure weekly meetings accommodate the needs of all members and visitors.
1. Execute meetings that provide both a warm and caring ambience for club members, guests, and visiting Rotarians and ample opportunity to network with other attendees.
a. Facilitate interaction among members at meetings in addition to the monthly random table assignments.
b. Ensure that individual members receive attention where appropriate, such as members in the news, milestone recognition, condolences, and support during illness.
c. Assure punctual conduct of meetings and ensure the speaker receives the full time allotment promised.
2. Recognize that our standard meeting format does not accommodate all members.
a. Provide an opportunity for members to leave after one hour without any adverse feedback.
b. Understand that some members may not be able to meet attendance requirements because of our meeting time; thus, create alternate attendance criteria that value total contribution to meeting the Club’s goals and objectives.
Program Committee
Provide high-quality and educational programs consistent with the goals of Rotary International and Club policies.
1. Select topics of interest and relevance to club members and draw from the resources available to create programs of excellence.
2. Utilize the knowledge, skills, and talents of Club membership in developing stimulating programs.
3. Develop methods to gather feedback from Club membership regarding weekly meeting programs.
Long-Term Space Issue (Board)
Evaluate the need for larger space, communicate viable alternatives to the membership and, if required, select the best option and execute the move.
1. In the short term, plan for high attendance days in advance and book the Union Ballroom.
2. Longer term, analyze the growth projections for the Club based on historical data and update space options
3. Ascertain the membership’s wishes on alternatives such as limiting membership or moving to a larger space when and if the Anderson Room no longer fits our needs.
B. MEMBERSHIP: The relevant committees are Membership Development, Member Survey, Social, Bowling, and Golf and Tennis Outing.
Membership Development Committee
Ensure that the Club renews itself with incoming members who will sustain the Club as envisioned in this plan.
1. Provide clear policies and procedures for the recruitment of new members so that any person considering membership or sponsoring a potential new member can understand what is expected.
2. Recruit new members who are representative of all facets of the community. Members will include those who are recognized as current or emerging community leaders, who have demonstrated community contributions and good citizenship, who represent a diversity of age, race, ethnicity, gender, and beliefs, who want to commit to the principles and goals of Rotary, and who may have demonstrated past service in Rotary.
3. Provide an orientation program that will educate and motivate new members to participate in the Club’s many programs and activities. Determine the benefit of additional orientation six months after induction.
4. Strengthen member retention and participation. Ensure that each new member selects an initial committee assignment and is assisted by at least one mentor. Conduct exit interviews with members who have resigned.
5. Consult with the Board to determine the most desirable Club membership size; cultivate and present two recruitment classes per year.
Member Survey Committee
Provide a mechanism for the members to tell the Club leadership how they feel about a variety of issues in an organized fashion at regular intervals.
1. Design, conduct, and report the results of an Annual Survey. The Survey will evaluate programs and activities, solicit suggestions for strengthening the Club, identify members’ interest for Committee participation, and gather other pertinent information. Survey results will be submitted to the Board and reported to the membership by May 1 of each year for use by current and incoming directors and committee chairs in planning the new Club year.
2. Explore the benefits of more frequent and focused surveys during the year.
3. Ensure the sustainability of the committee by recruitment of additional members.
Social Committee
Provide a variety of affordable and enjoyable opportunities for social interaction among Club members, their significant others, and guests by putting on a number of events throughout the year.
1. Continue to hold the Spring Fling, a major cocktail buffet event, with an emphasis on getting newer members to attend to foster interaction with other members.
2. Offer six to eight other social events each year, planned, promoted, and carried out by the Social Committee. These events will make use of the venues headed or supported by members whenever feasible.
3. Schedule, plan, and communicate the year’s social events to the membership during September, if possible; use attendees’ evaluations to decide if events will be repeated.
Bowling Committee
Maintain one or more teams in the Ann Arbor Service Club Bowling League, and encourage
interested club members to join the team as regular and substitute participants.
Golf and Tennis Outing Committee
Plan and carry out the Annual Golf and Tennis Outing, the Club’s major fundraiser. The one-day
Outing is combined with an external solicitation program to inform the local community of the
Club’s Community Service work and to obtain their financial support for specific, designated
projects. The Outing also serves as an opportunity for fellowship among Club members, their
guests, and contributors from the local community.
1. Participate in comparable local outings in order to benchmark and gather new ideas that will continuously improve the event as well as demonstrate Rotarians’ support of
important community initiatives.
2. Use the Golf and Tennis Outing Fundraiser Planning Matrix, developed in 2007, as a
management system for the Outing’s many tasks and as a guide for changing
Committee leadership.
3. Increase the number of solicitors involved in the fundraising for this event.
C. PUBLICATIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS: The relevant committees are Website,
History and Archives, Membership Directory, Harpoon, Annual Report, and Public Relations
and Publicity.
Provide information to current and prospective members and the general public in the most
efficient and effective forms for their needs and to support and promote Rotary’s mission.
Website Committee
Develop the Club’s website, ensure implementation of Board-approved policies and procedures,
enhance site accessibility, and evaluate the Club’s ongoing communication needs.
1. Create an active online communications center for Club activities, history, and
derivative products, i.e., the Harpoon and Club brochure.
2. Develop materials and train the membership in the navigation and use of online Club
resources, providing basic training as necessary, or suggesting where such training is
available. Continually assess the Harpoon to encourage readership.
3. Provide regular updates on the implementation status of the Strategic Plan.
4. Create opportunities for telling member stories, sharing Club history, and describing
Committees’ activities and accomplishments.
History and Archives Committee
Develop policies and procedures for archiving the Club’s print materials, visual images, and
artifacts, with an emphasis on digital media as feasible.
1. Determine methods and responsibilities for collection of materials from all the Club’s
officers, committees, and activities.
2. Work with the Bentley Historical Library to assure that an appropriate set of paper
materials is maintained and accessible.
3. Establish methods of accessing and sharing archived information with Club
membership.
Membership Directory Committee
Maintain and publish the Membership Directory.
1. Continually update the membership database, assessing relevant, worthwhile, and
preferred member contact and biographical information for tracking and
documentation so that it can be downloaded from the website as needed.
2. Produce paper copies of the Membership Directory annually in the fall and insertion
of newly-inducted members’ contact information with each membership class.
Harpoon Committee
Oversee the weekly Harpoon newsletter, including committee-created content, special features,
and photographs, ensuring that the membership receives timely information about the Club’s
events and achievements and news of Rotary members. Increase member involvement and
decrease use of the Club’s Administrator in producing the Harpoon.
Annual Report [Past President]
Produce and distribute a comprehensive Annual Report for the Club, covering the prior Rotary
year, July through June.
Public Relations and Publicity Committee
Advance the external recognition and image of Rotary and its activities.
1. Develop and implement, in concert with the Board, a comprehensive public relations
plan to ensure that the local community is aware of the mission and goals of our Club
and Rotary International.
2. Publicize Rotary’s commitments and outcomes.
D. INTERNATIONAL SERVICE: The relevant committees are International Humanitarian
Projects, International Outreach, and Ambassadorial Scholars Inbound and Outbound.
Encourage increased participation in international activities and publicize the work and activities
of the committees to the membership by whatever means are available within the Club.
Collaborate across Committees whenever this is appropriate and beneficial.
International Humanitarian Projects Committee
Identify and implement international humanitarian projects. The major objectives will be to:
1. Fund and manage humanitarian projects that address health, education, and the
alleviation of poverty in developing countries. Based on the available budget and the
identification of worthy projects, the committee will attempt to implement multiple
projects each year in accordance with RI guidelines for Matching Grants and the
committee’s internal, Board-approved guidelines. In addition, the committee may
contribute funds to worthwhile projects sponsored by other clubs or districts.
2. Expand the scope of project funding by participating in other Grant Programs of The
Rotary Foundation (TRF) such as 3-H Grants (Health, Hunger, and Humanity) or by
obtaining funds from external funding agencies.
3. Partner with other Rotary clubs in funding and managing international humanitarian
projects.
International Outreach Committee
Promote and cultivate international travel and relationships beneficial to our Club.
1. Maintain the current Sister/Twin Club relationships with Pune Central and Bangalore
Midtown Rotary Clubs in India and from time to time initiate such new Sister Club
relationships beneficial to our Club and approved by our Club's Board of Directors.
2. Encourage and facilitate travel of our Club members and families to other countries
by participating in club-to-club and district-to-district Friendship Exchanges.
3. Provide opportunities for our Club members to host visiting Rotarians and their
families from other countries through Friendship Exchanges and other Rotary
activities.
4. Facilitate Group Study Exchange activities, including working with the District GSE
Committee and other district clubs.
5. Provide a focal point for invitations and opportunities to visit or participate in Rotary
service projects, education programs and conferences in other countries, e.g.,
National Immunization Days, Rotary International Conference, and others.
Ambassadorial Scholars Committee, Inbound
Support Scholars who are at the University of Michigan by helping them fulfill their
responsibilities to The Rotary Foundation and work in cooperation with the District to follow
The Rotary Foundation guidelines for hosting the Scholars. Whenever possible, encourage
current Scholars to address our Club.
Ambassadorial Scholars Committee, Outbound
Actively seek out and support the nomination of highly qualified candidates from our area and, if
selected, sponsor the outgoing Scholars in accord with District 6380 criteria and scholarship
requirements.
E. COMMUNITY SERVICE: The relevant committees are Community Allocations,
Community Service Projects, High School Scholarships, and STRIVE.
Community Allocations Committee (CAC)
Provide financial support to community nonprofit organizations that meet important local needs
and whose programs and services are consistent with our Club's goals and values.
1. Retain a major focus on "helping kids succeed," while also considering other
important needs.
2. Define the appropriate level of funding for individual grants and seek increased
support for the entire program.
3. Establish a membership process and term limits to assure participation among
interested Club members of diverse points of view while providing for continuity as
well as a regular infusion of new ideas and perspectives.
4. Continue to strengthen the committee’s methods for selecting priority causes and
recipients by establishing a formal, balanced, and documented process of decision-
making; provide a system of accountability for results and assess outcomes.
5. Publicize grant recipients and work outcomes in the Club and in the community so
that all will be informed about the nonprofit organizations and programs we support
and the contributions Rotary makes.
Community Service Projects Committees
Oversee the Club’s participation in community service projects where the Club’s members are
actively engaged in executing the work.
1. Support the approved projects by engaging as many members as possible in their
implementation. At the start of this plan, Tree Planting, Rotate Your Food, and
Success By 6 were the current projects.
2. Expand or phase out programs as needed, and publicize these activities within the
local community.
Community Awareness Committee (proposed new committee)
Identify and suggest new community service projects that the Club may wish to undertake.
1. Learn the issues confronting the Ann Arbor community and seek specific
opportunities where Rotary members can play an active role in addressing the
problems.
2. Position the Club in a proactive role in identifying and evaluating new community
service work.
High School Scholarships Committee
Select qualified students from public and private high schools in Ann Arbor to receive Club
academic scholarships with an emphasis on financial need.
1. Recommend the number of scholarships and the amount of the stipends.
2. Evaluate any additions to the schools currently participating (Huron, Pioneer,
Greenhills, Community, Gabriel Richard, and Rudolf Steiner).
3. Improve awareness in the schools of Rotary and its goals.
4. Strive to ensure that the most deserving individuals are nominated from each school.
5. Include Interact sponsors from our Club in the recruitment process.
STRIVE Committee
Enhance the quality of life for the Stone School STRIVE (Students Taking Renewed Interest in
the Value of Education) scholars, their children, and their families.
1. Encourage support for the program from within the Club as well as from community
members.
2. Motivate the students to maintain healthy school attitudes and high performance
standards. Specifically,
a. Continue the Partner Program and explore the feasibility of Rotaract members
serving as STRIVE Scholar Partners.
b. Continue STRIVE@Work involving both members of Rotary and the local
business community.
c. Strengthen the guidelines for participation in the STRIVE Scholarship
competition.
d. Develop an assessment procedure that shows benchmarks and milestones toward
success.
e. Honor and recognize STRIVE Scholars.
F. YOUTH AND VOCATIONAL SERVICE: The relevant committees are Junior Rotarians,
RYLA, Rotary Tutors, Interact, Rotaract, and Rotary Youth Exchange.
Junior Rotarians Committee
Recognize outstanding seniors from Ann Arbor high schools.
1. Set the selection criteria based on outstanding leadership, academic excellence,
community service and good citizenship.
2. Invite three students from each of the larger high schools (Pioneer, Huron and when
applicable, Skyline) and a group consisting of one student from the smaller schools
(Community, Greenhills, and Gabriel Richard) so that each group is introduced at two
luncheon meetings and addresses the Club at the second meeting.
3. Arrange for each student to sit with a Club member who has professional expertise in
the student’s area of interest.
4. Use the process to publicize Rotary and its mission to the students within the high
schools and within the local community.
5. Connect Junior Rotarians with their respective college or university Rotaract Club
and introduce future University of Michigan (U of M) students to the U of M Rotaract
officers and/or liaison.
RYLA Committee
Partner annually with other local Rotary clubs to send students from Ann Arbor high schools to
the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards weekend retreat.
1. Work with area high school counselors and Interact advisors to identify students from
each school to take part in the RYLA conference.
2. Provide conference transportation for the students.
3. Invite RYLA participants to Club meetings to discuss their leadership training
experience.
Rotary Tutoring Committee
Support the reading and math tutoring program at Angell and Burns Park Elementary Schools.
1. Pair Club members and interested spouses or significant others with students
identified by school administrators and teachers for the one-on-one weekly sessions.
2. Meet regularly with school personnel to monitor the program and receive feedback on
the student participants’ test scores and other measures of program success.
3. Work with the Ann Arbor Public Schools Partners in Excellence Program to utilize
Club members’ expertise and provide help to students in other core academic
subjects, such as literature, cultural issues, science, and library activities.
4. Communicate within the committee at least 3 times during the school year to allow
members to share best practices and seek help if needed.
5. Purchase a book for all students in kindergarten at Burns Park and Angell Schools.
Interact Committee
Develop the Interact program in the local high schools.
1. Support the two established Interact programs at Pioneer and Huron High Schools.
2. Establish new clubs, when feasible, at schools that do not currently have an Interact
club and, after it opens, at the new Skyline High School.
Rotaract Committee
Support and mentor the University of Michigan Rotaract Club, an organization for young adults
that carries out local and international projects.
1. Meet with at least two other college- or university-based Rotary Club’s Rotaract
Committees to learn their successes, incorporate best practices, and determine ways
to assist the U of M Rotaract Club in attracting both university and community
members.
2. Promote awareness of Rotaract in the Club, the U of M, and local community in order
to increase Rotaract membership.
a. Give an annual presentation to our Club of Rotaract’s accomplishments and the
upcoming “Year in Preview.”
b. Encourage Club members to recommend young adults in the community for
Rotaract membership.
c. Formalize a process for connecting Interact and Jr. Rotarians with the U of M
Rotaract Club.
3. Initiate a mentorship program with our Club’s membership to:
a. Promote the development of professional liaisons.
b. Help educate Rotaractors about real-life experiences.
c. Expand the number of Rotarians who make presentations at Rotaract meetings.
d. Mentor the Rotaract officers in their leadership and budgeting roles.
Rotary Youth Exchange Committee
Collaborate with the District leadership on exchange programs for high school students.
1. Work with local high school counselors and administrators to identify and nominate
local students for international Youth Exchange opportunities.
2. Identify Club members to serve as host families for visiting international high school
students or as hosts at special events in the community.
3. Invite Rotary Youth Exchange participants to attend Rotary meetings to discuss their
experiences with Club members.
II. ADMINISTRATIVE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The Officers and Board of the Rotary Club of Ann Arbor are responsible for the successful
operation of the Club in accordance with its Bylaws and for meeting its obligations to District
6380 and Rotary International. In addition to supporting the specific goals and objectives for
each service area, the Board of Directors is responsible for several overarching goals and their
associated strategies and action plans.
A. GOVERNANCE AND LEADERSHIP CONTINUITY
1. Assure nomination and election of Club Officers and Directors in accordance with the
Club Bylaws by convening a nominating committee by Oct. 15 each year to
recommend a slate of candidates for vote at the Club Assembly in December.
2. Establish planned succession for officers other than the president.
3. Maintain excellence in the Club’s business operations by providing training and
support for new officers and staff.
4. Mentor incoming officers by current officers to maintain smooth transitions in
leadership.
5. Establish and implement policies that govern all internal and external Club
operations: committee functions, programs and services, planning and evaluation,
financial management, budgeting, resource development, and internal and external
communications.
6. Establish the annual club budgets for operations and for community service. In
carrying out this duty the leadership will balance the opportunities for the Club to
increase its service area initiatives with its reasonable expectations of financial
resources for the coming year.
7. Establish a strategy for increasing the Club’s resources, being mindful of financial
demands placed on the membership.
8. Establish and support succession planning at the committee level. Examine the
rotation of the committee chair positions and, if appropriate, encourage specific
changes or consider setting a policy on term limits.
B. ADDITIONAL BOARD ADMINISTRATIVE GOALS
1. Create and maintain a systematic record of committee minutes, rosters,
responsibilities, goals, and accomplishments that is passed from one chair to the next
and is incorporated into an ongoing historical record of club milestones.
2. Provide an efficient and effective communication system as well as a variety of
opportunities for member interaction, caring, and sharing.
3. Promote diversity among our membership with sensitivity to required and implicit
obligations of membership, including time, dues, contributions, and lunch expense so
that costs do not undermine our commitment to broad-based representation.
4. Strike a balance between building our Club’s own permanent endowment and
promoting contributions to The Rotary Foundation, always being mindful of the
reasonable financial expectations of the membership.
5. Maintain good relationships with area educational institutions through frequent
communications with faculty, counselors, and administrators at area high schools,
colleges, and universities.
6. Ensure that annual plans for the Club are consistent with our overall strategic plan
and are implemented as intended, that progress is measured, and that, as necessary
and advisable, there are periodic evaluations and revisions of the strategic plan.
7. Carry out annual job performance evaluations of persons employed by the Club to
ensure that administrative functions requiring outside support are identified and
included in the planning and budgeting for each upcoming year.
C. ANN ARBOR ROTARY ENDOWMENT
The Ann Arbor Rotary Endowment (Endowment) is a nonprofit, charitable corporation created
by the members of the Rotary Club of Ann Arbor. The Endowment consists of assets contributed
by Club members and is overseen by a separate Board of Trustees who operate the Endowment
based on its Bylaws and consistent with the legal requirements of a 501(c)(3) organization. The
Endowment trustees, based on their current policies, distribute funds annually to the Club to
support the Club’s service work. The Club’s Board of Directors determines, in its sole judgment,
how to disburse the funds for charitable purposes. The strategic objectives of the Endowment are
simple and twofold:
1. Grow the assets in the Endowment consistent with prudent financial management
practices, and
2. Distribute as many funds as possible each year to support the Club’s service work while
sustaining the growth of the core assets.
The specific objective for this five-year plan is to increase the annual distribution from the
Endowment to the $100,000 per year level. Based on current policies, this will require a prior 12
quarter average market valuation of $2,350,000 to justify the desired distribution.
There are three groups within the Club whose work will produce the desired outcomes for the
Endowment. These are:
Endowment Trustees
The Endowment Trustees consist of eleven members of the Rotary Club of Ann Arbor including
the current President, Vice President/President Elect, the immediate Past President of the Club,
the Endowment Treasurer, and the Endowment Secretary. The Trustees oversee the management
of the Endowment and set overall policy for its operation. Among their responsibilities are to:
1. Set the policy on how the annual distribution will be determined based on the needs of the
Club and on their fiduciary responsibility to the Endowment.
2. Select the most qualified Club members to serve both as officers and trustees of the
Endowment and as members of the Investment Subcommittee.
3. Set up a formal succession planning and mentoring program for incoming officers,
trustees, and subcommittee members.
4. Be aware of, and take the necessary steps to comply with, the legal requirements of a
qualified 501(c)(3) organization that meets or exceeds best governance practices.
5. Make periodic reports to the Board of Directors and membership regarding the financial
health of the Endowment.
Endowment Investment Subcommittee
The Investment Subcommittee of the Endowment Trustees works to maximize the growth of the
assets in the Endowment and recommends to the Endowment Trustees how to take advantage of
growth opportunities without incurring undue risks. The strategic objectives of the subcommittee
are to:
1. Analyze current financial market sector and individual fund performance data to
determine the preferred Endowment investment and management strategies, make
recommendations to the Trustees, and execute the approved strategies.
2. Periodically evaluate the cost-benefit of hiring a professional asset manager to replace the
current use of Club members with relevant financial expertise who carry out this function
on a pro bono basis.
Endowment Development Committee
The Endowment Development Committee obtains new contributions to the Endowment by
educating members about making gifts, promoting annual contributions by all members,
encouraging bequests and memorial gifts, and soliciting major gifts and pledges. Its specific
objectives are to:
1. Achieve 100 percent member participation in a voluntary contribution to the Fund
each year.
2. Promote giving at the $25,000 level through current giving or the Legacy Wheel
program, where members may join the
a. Sustainers Society for contributions of at least $1,000 in outright gifts on a
cumulative basis, or the
b. Legacy Wheel for every $5,000 of cumulative giving to earn a spoke of the
Rotary Wheel.
3. Obtain five new bequest commitments to the Fund each year.
4. Recognize major donors in the Club’s annual report and Club Directory and
periodically at the Club’s noon luncheon meetings.
D. THE ROTARY FOUNDATION – Every Rotarian Every Year
The Club President encourages Club members to make annual contributions to The Rotary
Foundation (TRF) of Rotary International (EREY – Every Rotarian Every Year) so that the Club’s per-member contribution achieves, at a minimum, The Rotary Foundation’s stated EREY
goal of $100 per member per year.
1. Conduct an annual campaign for contributions to TRF in a manner and at a time of
year that is consistent with the TRF national calendar while coordinating with the
fund-raising schedule for the Ann Arbor Rotary Endowment.
2. Work with the Board and the Endowment Development Committee to encourage
annual support for The Rotary Foundation.
3. Establish the EREY goal for the Rotary Club of Ann Arbor each year in the Board’s
budgeting process in May; strive to increase the per capita giving to TRF consistent
with other high-performing Clubs in the District while balancing the total financial
obligations requested of the membership.
E. ROTARY OUTREACH
Extend the Club’s service, fellowship, and financial resources beyond the local activities of the
Rotary Club of Ann Arbor.
1. Increase interactions with other local Rotary Clubs
a. Continue to actively support the local Rotary Presidents group.
b. Seek new opportunities to organize and participate in joint activities and projects
with other local clubs.
c. Support the smaller, newer clubs in our area based on the experience and
resources of our Club.
2. Establish an ongoing “District Liaison” with responsibilities to
a. Serve as a contact with the District 6380 leadership.
b. Encourage attendance at District Conference and other District meetings and
functions.
c. Encourage members’ participation on District committees and projects.
d. Identify and recruit Club members, including past presidents and past committee
chairs, to assume leadership roles at the District level.
e. Coordinate Club presentations and exhibits at District events.
3. Identify and pursue ways the Rotary Club of Ann Arbor and its members can become
more active in Rotary affairs at the national and international level.
STRATEGIC PLANNING TASK FORCE 2007-2008
Jim Cook, Co-Chair
Anne Glendon, Co-Chair
Bev Seiford, Chief Facilitator
Maurita Holland, Chief Editor
Jesse Bernstein
Nishta Bhatia
Lou Callaway
Barbara Debrodt
Beth Fitzsimmons
Jack Henke
Norman Herbert
Downs Herold
Dave McDowell
Bob Mull
Tony Nam
Sam Offen
Agnes Reading
Jim Reece
Omari Rush
Ingrid Sheldon
CLUB OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES 2007-2008
Al Burdi, President
Jim Cook, Vice President & President Elect
Downs Herold, Secretary
John Ackenhusen, Club Treasurer
Ingrid Sheldon, Immediate Past President
David Keosaian, Endowment Treasurer
David Williams, Sgt. at Arms
CLUB MEETINGS - Barbara Debrodt, Director (Term ends 2008)
Committee / Chair(s)
Program / Mike Marich, Gloria Kerry
Set-up / Dave Williams
Music / Larry Henkel, Ingrid Sheldon
Invocations, Hosts/Greeters, Attendance / Ingrid Deininger, Lois Jelneck
Audiovisual / Dan Romanchik
MEMBERSHIP - Lou Callaway, Director (2008)
Committee / Chair(s)
Membership Development / Tim Marshall, Agnes Reading
Member Survey / Sam Offen
Social / Susan Smith Gray
Bowling / Dick Elwell
Golf and Tennis Outing / Laura Lonergan
PUBLICATIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS - Maurita Holland, Director (2009)
Committee / Chair(s)
Membership Directory / Cynthia Sorensen
Harpoon / Don Faber
Website / Dan Romanchik
Annual Report / Ingrid Sheldon
Public Relations / Don Faber
Photography ./ Fred Beutler
INTERNATIONAL SERVICE - Wayne Colquitt, Director (2009)
Committee / Chair(s)
Ambassadorial Scholars (Inbound) / Jim Reece
Ambassadorial Scholars / (Outbound) Scott Westerman
International Humanitarian / Projects Len Stenger
International Outreach / Spaulding Clark, Jim Reece
COMMUNITY SERVICE - Josie Parker, Director (2009)
Committee / Chair(s)
Community Allocations / Bill Dunifon
High School Scholarships / Milo White
Tree Replacement / Terry Linden
Rotate Your Food / Steve Kesler
STRIVE (Stone School scholarships) / Ann Schriber, Carolyn Shear
YOUTH AND VOCATIONAL SERVICE - Peter Wright, Director (2008)
Committee / Chair(s)
Junior Rotarians / Mark Foster, Tony Nam
Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) / Robert Albritton
Rotary Tutors / Nick Lacy
Interact / Dick Elwell
Liaisons to Huron High / Karen Kerry, Ed Wier
Liaisons to Pioneer High / Dick Carlisle, Beth Fitzsimmons, Dennis Norton
Rotaract / Joanne Pierson, Audrey Schwimmer
Rotary Youth Exchange / Jim Kosteva
OTHER CLUB COMMITTEES / CHAIRS AND OFFICIALS
Endowment Development / Norman Herbert, Brooks Sitterley
Rotary Foundation / Paul Glendon, Norman Herbert
District Liaison / Jim Cook
Nominating Committee / Ingrid Sheldon
Internal Financial Procedures / Ingrid Sheldon
Distinguished Service Awards / Ingrid Sheldon
Endowment Trustees President / Al Burdi
Endowment Secretary / Anne Glendon
Endowment Trustees / Charlie Crone, Dave Gunderson, Mary Hays, Norman Herbert, Bob Swistock, Bernie Bedell
Endowment Investment Subcommittee Chair / Bernie Bedell
Club Administrator / John White
Approved by the Board of Directors
at its meeting on June 24, 2008
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Why I Enjoy Rotary Membership: Beth Fitzsimmons
