Rotary Meeting 7/1/08

Visiting Rotarians:

District Governor - Gary Citti, Santa Clara

Asst. District Governor - Mike Mansch, Los Altos Sunset

Lieut. Governor - Angie Hassler, AlmadenValley

Visitors:

Peter Early - Sales

Hal Taylor introduced RYLA students, who also gave a brief talk about RYLA

Announcements:

• The Kick-Out Party on Saturday was a great success, thanks to Gerry and her retainers and also to Karen Simpson, who gave background help.    Our apologies that the date clashed with graduations and other events.  Those of you who could not come missed a fine evening!
• Welcome to this year's incoming Board (who also received new year pins):
• Tom Myers - President-Elect
• Chuck Osborn - Secretary
• Fred Storek - Treasurer
• Ken Schwaderer - Membership Chair
• Jim Cochran - Foundation Chair
• Cheryl Moller - Club Service Chair
• Alicia Crank - Community Service Chair
• Bert Raphael - International Chair (in absentia)
• Ernie Hawks (who was club president in 1967-1968), who has been a member for 50 years (!) with perfect attendance, was given a special recognition from our President as well as the District Governor.  Ernie has always been active in maintaining our connection with IwataCity and its Rotary Club. 
• We need more host families with the necessary space and certification to accommodate young people.  We will work on this and finalize the certification process before next year. 
• The next board meeting will be on Wed., July 16 @ 4:30 in the CSA board Room
• San Jose Giants will be on Sat., July 19^th .  Register on the club website today!
• Day at the Races will be on August 9th

Rotary Foundation pledges:

A special presentation was made my Jim Cochran and our District Governor for our club members who pledged to be Double Sustainers or Super Sustainers ($500+) this year.  They are:

Super Sustainers:

Ernie Hawks

Bert Raphael

Fred Storek

Double Sustainers:

Bruce Barsi

Kim Castro

Jim Cochran

Dave Cole

Ernie Couture

Jim Cunningham

Gerry Felix

Alan Goodman

Anita Grossman

Judy Hannemann

Monique Kane

Hiro Kariya

Twana Karney

Dennis Kobza

Sandi McDonough

Cheryl Moller

Tom Myers

Chuck Osborn

Carla Paul

John Rinaldi

Ken Schwaderer

Jim Spangler

Program Speaker:  District Governor Gary Citti

Gary was born in 1951 in San Jose and raised on his grandfather's ranch.  He started working with his parents at the age of nine by helping run a floral stand on the weekend while attending school.  After graduating from ArchbishopMittyHigh School in 1969, Gary became involved in the family business on a full time basis.  As he needed more knowledge Gary attended night school at WestValleyCollege for accounting and business.  He also attended various extension classes in floristry at Cal Poly and classes in Psychology at Santa ClaraUniversity.

Gary has served on many non profit boards including, San Jose Medical Hospital Foundation, Catholic Charities, Santa Clara County Boy Scouts, Rotacare Free Clinics, Archbishop Mitty Alumni.  He has also been a member of Serra Club; a Catholic organization that promotes family morals and daily living, the San Francisco Bay Area Florist, the Italian American Heritage, the California State Floral Association, the Santa Clara County Floral Association, and at the age of twenty-one he served on the advisory board of directors in northern California for Teleflora, which is the largest floral wire service in the world.

Gary has received several community awards including his club's Rotarian of the Year award, District 5170 Rotary's World Community Service award, Archbishop Mitty High School Outstanding Alumni award, and from Boy Scouts both the "Award of Merit" and the 'Silver Beaver" awards.

The Citti family has received several awards and recognition for their company's dedication to service to their local community. Citti's Florist has been recognized in the floral world with the "Top 100-member" award by FTD and the "Top 50-member" award from Teleflora.  Citti's Florist was recognized as the "Top Florist for 2007" by the Metro Newspaper, the "Best Florist for 2007" by the Wave newspaper and the "Best of the Best Florist for 2007" by the San Jose Mercury Newspaper.  The Citti family is also the recipient of the "Hope's Family of the Year Award" and a family "Resolution Award" from the Senate of California.

Gary was the head coach for the MittyHigh School roller hockey team 1999-2001.  His team brought the first countywide championship to the school in Division II. His hobbies include coin collecting, stamp collecting, gardening and his passion to play as much golf as possible.

Gary has been a member of Santa Clara Rotary for over twenty-eight years.  He and his entire family are Paul Harris members.  He was instrumental in creating the District 5170 web site and has served on several club and district committees.  Gary chaired the "Centennial District Conference" and chaired the "Rotary Day at Great America" which brings 1000 under served children to Paramount's GreatAmericaPark for a day of fun and rides.  He has also chaired a world community service project, which brought the first generation of Apple computers to Chile, South America to thirteen different towns in three different Chilean Rotary districts.

Gary and his wife, Linda, will be celebrating their 27th Wedding Anniversary in August.  They have two adult children, Justin who recently entered the family business on a full time basis, and Christina, who is currently attending St Mary's College of Moraga, CA.