President Carlos Lucero presided.
Carlos Lucero led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Carlos Lucero gave the invocation.
Carlos Lucero led the Four-Way Test
Guests: Robert Whitaker (today's speaker), Ellen Pryor, Ted Pressler, Glenn Ouzts, Elaine Carlson, Denise Jones, Nkechi Nwachuku and daughter Chidinma Nwachuku, Brad Chadwick, Tyler Johnson, Jevoen Van Ness, and Phil Schoenberg.
Announcements:
Sunny: 1) Received a letter from a past exchange student from Germany--Killian's dad. Killian doing well, studying Mechanical Engineering in Hamburg, and sends best regards to all.
2) The Rotary Leadership Institute will have a 3 session course on January 19 and 20, 2024, in Roswell. Cost is $40.00, which includes breakfast and lunch on Saturday. Host families are
available.
3) "If anyone needs a good cleaning lady, I know one."
Steve:
1)Grant County Prospectors Club will be in Santa Fe on January 24.
2)January 23 is Public Health Day. "Aging Well In NM."
3)Toastmasters Club is still alive and well, meeting every Tuesday on Zoom at 7 a.m. Call Steve for details.
Maggie:
Everyone--make sure your information on Club Runner is up to date!
Carlos presented a Paul Harris certificate to Chidinma Nkachuku with Carlos doing the verbalizing and Nkechi the pinning!
Left to right--Carlos, Chidinma and Nkechi.
Happy Dollars:Will: "the weather--survived the snow on Monday, and I guess what's coming on Thursday."
Nkechi: "A happy dollar for Chidimna"s Paul Harris award."
Program:
Carlos introduced Robert Whitaker, CEO of GRMC.
Robert congratulated the club on the 100 year centennial in November, and thanked the club for being invited to speak.
Robert gave a brief summary of his background. Born in Houston, lived in Indonesia (age 1-4), then in Algeria. (His dad was in the oil business and had frequent moves.) Received his undergraduate degree in Industrial Engineering and graduate degree in Public Health. Worked for a public health company that moved him around, so he and his family lived in N.C., Las Vegas, Nevada, Liberal, KS, and most recently Gallup NM. He and his wife have five children with two still at home.
Here at GRMC, he learned that consistency in leadership is very important. The new CFO is arriving this month. Other GRMC highlights talked about: Medicaid makes up 30-35% of GRMC's cases. GRMC is not operating at a loss. Equipment that will soon be replaced are 1) new Cat Scan machine, 2) new hospital beds, 3) new Ultrasound machine. 4) There have been recent roof repairs, HV work, and Electronic Medical Records. 5)The Labor & Delivery Unit renovations start next week.
6)Positions are available, nursing and non-nursing.
7) The hospital Foundation is doing a great job, and board members are always appreciated.
8) The Piano/Cello fundraiser concert will be February 17, 2024 at WNMU's Light Hall, sponsored jointly with the Rotary Club.
Robert Whitaker on the left with Carlos in the background.
Photos by Tom Bates and Peter Falley.
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