Kristian manages a highly capable team of trade specialists in Phoenix and Tucson, coordinates Commercial Service Arizona’s partner and Congressional relations around the state, serves as the Executive Secretary of the Arizona District Export Council, and creates and implements innovative programs designed to increase Arizona’s worldwide exports.

 

Besides serving on the Arizona District Export Council, Kristian is a member of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council’s International Leadership Committee, a mentor with the Center for Entrepreneurial Innovation at Gateway Community College and an adjunct instructor of international business and statistics at Mesa Community College.

 

Prior to joining the Commercial Service in 2004, Kristian worked as an education services specialist for the US Department of Veterans Affairs, helping students transition to college after separating from the US Armed Forces – “serving those that served”. Before that, Kristian spent seven years in the military as a Counterintelligence Warfare Specialist and instructor at the US Army Intelligence Center at Ft. Huachuca, Arizona, and as Non-Commissioned Officer assigned to NATO peacekeeping forces based in Heidelberg, Germany.  Kristian was deployed with US Army Europe to assist in the stabilization of the former Yugoslavia in late 1995 as part of the United Nations peacekeeping Implementation Force (IFOR).

 

Kristian has bachelor degrees in economics and German studies from the University of Arizona and a Masters in Business Administration, international management, from Arizona State University.  He is married with two children and enjoys motorcycle riding and restoration. Kristian also volunteers with Arizona Wrenchmen Bicycle Outreach, a non-profit organization providing free bicycle repair services for the homeless to bring them hope and independence.

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: If you haven’t started selling those Car Show Tickets, please try to spread the word during the next couple of weeks!

 

We had a new and very interesting auction this week during our meeting. JERRY HARRIS, as you all know, is a published author and is in the process of starting a new book in the near future. So JERRY offered the opportunity, through the auction, to name a character in this new book. Plus you can choose the role of the character, if I understood correctly. What a great concept for an auction! I’ll definitely bid if this opportunity comes around again.

 

Our program for the day was introduced by TED KIRACOFE, who introduced us to Ted Brown, CEO of the Donor Network of Tucson. Mr. Brown provided a brief overview of the need for donors here in Arizona. Did you know there are 2500 people in this state on the donor waiting list? We were also privileged to hear Christine’s story regarding her experience with the donor process. I’ve always supported the donor program and am a big believer in giving my organs with the hope of saving someone else. The way I view it, there’s really no downside considering the circumstances. I just hope my parts aren’t too worn out by that time!

 

We have two HAPPY BIRTHAYS this week. BRUCE RICHARDSON is celebrating his special day on the 12^th. And YVONNE ERVIN is celebrating on the 14^th. During her minute with the mic, YVONNE shared some jokes she credited to STU GOLDMAN. My favorite…

 

“If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, he’ll sit in a boat and drink beer for a day…”

 

 

Have a happy and prosperous week!

 

Easy enough; the reply by most anyone would be a decisive “no.” The wording of the question pretty much forces you there. But if you were to ask the question again, replacing the word “bad” with “mediocre” or “poor,” you might find a fair number of respondents who would answer in the affirmative. But even using that rephrased query, is “yes” always the correct answer?

 

Hardly.

 

Decades ago, it may have been Rotary’s view that infrequent attendance (let’s use <10% for discussion here) was sufficient condition to grade a member as poor. (I suspect even back then this was not so universally applied as most Rotarians were led to believe.) But certainly the bestowing of this benchmark has declined dramatically in recent years. You will see evidence of this in: the lower RI attendance requirement (reduced to 50% from the prior 60%); the widening of the make-up timing interval (any time during two weeks prior to two weeks after the missed meeting, which is double the previous span); and, the massively-broader list of activities that qualify as a make-up. Here is what used to possibly count for a make-up, in additional to another club meeting:

 

 

Tough to satisfy, eh? Nowadays, work on a club committee, participating in a service project or STAR meeting, and selling car show tickets at a public event are all examples of a way to earn a make-up. Anecdotally, RI has shown that it is not nearly as particular about attendance enforcement as it once was.

 

And none of this should be viewed as a complaint or a call to return to past practice. Rereading this column’s title, let’s consider the change in attendance rules and practices to be a realization that one can be a very fine Rotarian even if one’s attendance is minimal. There are several benchmarks that you can meet to have your participation labeled as good, or even great, in the world of Rotary [we’ll consider those benchmarks in a future column].

 

It should be obvious that the above is not meant to say attendance is meaningless, that attendance has no value, or that attendance won’t help make your Rotary participation easier, more rewarding, or more productive. Being at meetings and doing make-ups should be encouraged, not for the sake of hitting some attendance percentage mark, but more for the value they bring to you and your club. If nothing else, let’s hope we all enjoy coming to Wednesday lunch meetings, at least a majority of the time.

 

So let’s assume you don’t see low attendance as equivalent to sub-par Rotarian. Does the view from the other direction, i.e. “high attendance makes you a superior Rotarian,” hold true?

 

Hardly, but it can at least help.

 

Perfect attendance can be a personal challenge, satisfying to achieve. It can be a commitment you make to underscore your belief in the service we perform. But it is not a sufficient condition to define a stellar Rotarian. And less than regular attendance should not be interpreted to mean a lack of interest or dedication.

 

If Chris consistently attends meetings, but participates/helps in no other way, that doesn’t justify a pejorative descriptor such as “bad,” “poor” or even RINO (Rotarian in name only). It means Chris is, at the minimal level, a Rotarian. We shouldn’t forget that the dues Chris pays contain a small amount to keep the overall club (and district and RI) in operation. But the club won’t function with every member being a Chris-style one. Chris helps incrementally, but not fundamentally.

 

If every perfect attendance Rotarian was a Chris – zero involvement in advancing the club and its beneficiaries – we would see much less celebrating of those members. We have come to congratulate 100-percenters because nearly all of them are committed and involved Rotarians. High attendance is not necessary, nor sufficient, to being a good Rotarian, but it often correlates.

 

When you hear someone talk of leaving, or not joining Rotary because “I just can’t make the meetings,” remind them of make-ups and remind them that there are many ways to be a super Rotarian that involve something beyond seat time at Wednesday lunch.

 

 

 

Proposed Member:  Tim Daughenbaugh

 

Classification:  Finance:  Trust Bank

 

Sponsor:  Larry Adamson

 

 

 

Enjoy a first time ever performance of, "Henry Porter and the Sorcerer's Secret" at the Gaslight Theatre, Sunday, November 1st at 12:00 noon.  Price for tickets is $18.  This is first come, first serve.  So sign up on Clubrunner under Upcoming Events on the Rotary Club of Tucson's website.  Go to www.tucsonrotary.org.

 

Any questions please call the Rotary Office at 623-2281.  Thank you.