RI ANNOUNCES JENNIFER E. JONES FIRST WOMAN PRESIDENT
By Ryan Hyland
Jennifer E. Jones, a member of the Rotary Club of Windsor-Roseland, Ontario, Canada, has been nominated to become Rotary International’s president for 2022-23, a groundbreaking selection that will make her the first woman to hold that office in the organization’s 115-year history.
Jones will officially become president-nominee on 1 October if no other candidates challenge her.
Jones says she sees Rotary’s Action Plan as a catalyst for increasing Rotary’s impact.
“As we reflect upon our new strategic priorities, we could have never envisioned that our ability to adapt would become our North Star during what is inarguably the most profound time in recent history,” Jones said in her vision statement. “Silver linings rise out of the most challenging circumstances. Using metric-driven goals, I will harness this historic landscape to innovate, educate, and communicate opportunities that reflect today’s reality.”
As the first woman to be nominated to be president, Jones understands how important it is to follow through on Rotary’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Statement. “I believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion … begins at the top and for us to realize growth in female membership and members under the age of forty — these demographics need to see their own reflection in leadership,” Jones said. “I will champion double-digit growth in both categories while never losing sight of our entire family.”
Jones is founder and president of Media Street Productions Inc., an award-winning media company in Windsor. She was chair of the board of governors of the University of Windsor and chair of the Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce. She has been recognized for her service with the YMCA Peace Medallion, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal, and Wayne State University’s Peacemaker of the Year Award, a first for a Canadian. Jones holds a Doctor of Laws (LL.D.).
A current Rotary Foundation trustee, Jones has been a Rotary member since 1997 and has served Rotary as RI vice president, director, training leader, committee chair, moderator, and district governor. She played a lead role in Rotary’s rebranding effort by serving as chair of the Strengthening Rotary’s Advisory Group. She is the co-chair of the End Polio Now Countdown to History Campaign Committee, which aims to raise $150 million for polio eradication efforts.
Jones recently led the successful #RotaryResponds telethon, which raised critical funds for COVID-19 relief and was viewed by more than 65,000. Jones has also received Rotary International’s Service Above Self Award and The Rotary Foundation Citation for Meritorious Service. She and her husband, Nick Krayacich, are members of The Rotary Foundation’s Arch Klumph Society, Paul Harris Society, and the Bequest Society.
The members of the Nominating Committee for the 2022-23 President of Rotary International are: Robert L. Hall, Dunwoody, Metro Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Bradford R. Howard Oakland Uptown, California, USA; Per Høyen, Aarup, Gelsted, Denmark; Peter Iblher, Nürnberg-Reichswald, Zirndorf, Germany; Ashok Mahajan, Mulund, Mah., India; Sam Okudzeto, Accra, Accra, Ghana; Eduardo San Martín Carreño, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain; Takeshi Matsumiya, Chigasaki-Shonan, Chigasaki Kanagawa, Japan; Michael K. McGovern (secretary), Cape Elizabeth, Maine, USA; José Alfredo Pretoni, São Paulo-Sul, São Paulo, Brazil; Saowalak Rattanavich, Bang Rak, Bangkok, Thailand; Hendreen Dean Rohrs, Langley Central, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada; Kenneth M. Schuppert, Jr (chair)., Decatur, Alabama, USA; Ravindra P. Sehgal, Belur, West Bengal, India; Noel Trevaskis, Merimbula, Tura Beach, Australia; Giuseppe Viale, Genova, Genova, Italy; and Chang-Gon Yim, Daegu-West, Daegu, Korea.
The DG chain (Governor, Governor-Elect, and Governor Nominee) and I have established the Lighthouse criteria for 2020-2021. To earn the Lighthouse Award, a club must first earn the Rotary Citation. The information is on the District website for both these awards. Go to www.rotary7090.org, select Club Tools, drop down to President's Page. If your club has not yet set goals in Rotary Club Central to earn the Rotary Citation, there is no time like the present.
I have had the privilege of virtually visiting the Rotary Clubs of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ancaster A.M., Rotary E-Club of Social Innovators, Welland, and Buffalo. Although not the same as an in-person meeting the visits have been very productive. I’m pleased to see that Ancaster A.M., Welland, and Buffalo have already entered their goals in Rotary Club Central.
DR. RON MERGL MEMORIAL
Sadly, a long time Rotarian of 31 years, Dr. Ron Mergl, DVM, Past President of the Rotary Club of Niagara Falls, ON passed away after a year-long battle with cancer. Ron was a multiple Paul Harris Fellow and staunch supporter of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. He and his wife June (also a Rotarian in Niagara Falls) traveled to India and Benin, Africa for one month in each country to dispense the polio vaccine at their personal expense. And he also administered rabies vaccines to hyenas and dogs against rabies in Malawi, Africa. In recognition of Ron’s passion for everything Rotary and in particular, the Polio Plus initiative I asked June if she would allow me to name the Pedal for Polio Plus fundraiser in his honour, which she heartedly endorsed. I hope that this will become an annual Dr. Ron Mergl Memorial Pedal for Polio Plus event, a bike ride from each side of the Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls, ON and Niagara Falls, NY to NOTL for the Cannucks and to Youngstown for the Yankees. Goal: $200,000 USD. More to follow. Date: Saturday, October 24, 2020.
MEMBERSHIP MOMENT
Our recently revised and approved Strategic Plan identified Membership recruitment/retention as a major strategy. Membership is on a downward spiral and the status quo is NOT an option. We set a goal of an increase of 250 members during the next year. With 66 Clubs this equates to a net membership growth of 4 members per club. I am appealing to the District and Club leaders to actively seek out new members. This includes ME, the DG Chain, AG’s, PDG’s, District Directors, and Chairs, Club Presidents, and Club Membership Chairs, as well as each of us.
This year Zone 28 picked up 5 Districts because they fell below a membership threshold set by RI. If we continue to bleed members in the not so distant future we will cease to exist as a District and will be assimilated by other Districts. I suspect we will no longer be an International District, which will be a real blow as we were the first International District to be formed over 100 years ago.
I do not want to be alarmist, but we lost almost 300 members last year while gaining less than 150. In 2004-05 we had 3,105 members and 83 clubs. We now have fewer than 2,000 and have 66 clubs, 15 of which have under 15 members.
The District leadership team will be working with a number of clubs to establish new clubs, satellite clubs, and passport clubs in municipalities with no Rotary presence. In the Niagara Region, we have targeted Smithville, Port Colborne, and Thorold. In Brant County, Paris/St. George and Port Dover in Norfolk County. In New York, we are exploring Attica, Buffalo, and Cheektowaga as possibilities.
Angela Carter and her Membership Team need our support to stop the bleeding. There are numerous membership resources on the District Website under Our Rotary Work, Membership, or click here https://www.rotary7090.org/sitepage/rotary-membership and at www.rotary.org. Please take the time to review these.
10 Best Practices to Make our Meetings and Email Communications Effective
Context:
In these crazy times, communication is so very important. We need clear messages. We need things that don’t overwhelm us. We need effective meetings as our energy can wane - especially when our world is mainly virtual. While always important (even in the best of times), we are using this moment in time to launch Practical Best Practices for Rotary District 7090 when it comes to meeting and email etiquette.
On Meetings:
Every meeting (even with just 2-3 people attending) needs to have some written objectives and an accompanying agenda. The objectives should clearly answer what it is that we want to accomplish by the end of the meeting.
Each item should clearly denote if it is “for your action”, “for your information”, “for your input” or “for your decision”. If it is “for your input” or “decision” - the question should be stated clearly. Perhaps you are not looking for input to all elements of the report but you do want input on “what obstacles might we encounter if we try to implement this new program in July?”
An effective meeting should have the vast majority of items as “for your input” or “for your approval”. People just coming together to share reports and updates is not an optimum use of people’s time.
One person needs to be appointed to capture the decisions and actions agreed upon coming out of the meeting. This should be circulated within 24 hours of the meeting ending. When meeting virtually, these can be captured in real-time and shared on the screen at the end of the meeting. Two additional categories you might consider beyond decisions made and agreed upon actions would be a list of items “for future consideration” and “notes” - other for your info items that should be captured for all to read.
On Emails:
Emails are for sharing information or exchanging documents. It was not designed to be used as a way to problem-solve. If the email is starting to get passed around and around with different ideas being written on each email, it is time to pick up the phone or call a meeting.
The only people who are expected to do anything upon receipt of the email are those in the TO line. Ideally, the task you ask each person to do should be clearly noted in the text as well - using their name and noting their task. If you are in the cc line - you are not expected to take any action.
Minimize those in the cc line. It is best to keep those people to a limit. Have a clear rationale as to why you are including them in the cc line. Use the 4-way test - “is it fair to all concerned” and “does it build goodwill and better friendships”. Minimize the number of times that you use the “reply all” function.
Subject lines are critical - it should convey the key message and type of response needed - e.g. for your information or for your input. Deadlines should be in the Subject: line as well.
If you are forwarding an email and adding another twist to the message, then edit the subject line. The subject line should always communicate the intent of the message to those in the TO: line.
There really are very few reasons, in the world of Rotary, to use the bcc line. It does not typically line up with the four-way test for it is often “not fair to all concerned”. It is not fair to the person on the bcc line who has to pretend they don’t know this information. It is not fair to the people in the TO line as they think the message is confidential when it is not.
ess this historic landscape to innovate, educate, and communicate opportunities that reflect today’s reality.”
staunch supporter of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. He and his wife June (also a Rotarian in Niagara Falls) traveled to India and Benin, Africa for one month in each country to dispense the polio vaccine at their personal expense. And he also administered rabies vaccines to hyenas and dogs against rabies in Malawi, Africa. In recognition of Ron’s passion for everything Rotary and in particular, the Polio Plus initiative I asked June if she would allow me to name the Pedal for Polio Plus fundraiser in his honour, which she heartedly endorsed. I hope that this will become an annual Dr. Ron Mergl Memorial Pedal for Polio Plus event, a bike ride from each side of the Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls, ON and Niagara Falls, NY to NOTL for the Cannucks and to Youngstown for the Yankees. Goal: $200,000 USD. More to follow. Date: Saturday, October 24, 2020.
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