MARCH 24, 2015 ROTARY CLUB OF HATTIESBURG

ROTARYOFHATTIESBURG.COM Wes Brooks, Editor 1

L-R: Mario Kathy Vail, Gigi Sui, Dr. Don Odom and Wes Brooks

Officers Wes Brooks, President

Sean Priebe, President-Elect Erik Graham, Vice President

Amanda Lee, Secretary-Treasurer Lamar Evans, Executive Secretary

Scott Hummel, Past President

Directors Allen Anderson

Dan Davis Tracie Fowler Chase Munro David Owens Lucy Parkman

Valencia Williamson

Rotary Club of Hattiesburg 629 North Main Street Hattiesburg, MS 39401

MARCH 24, 2015 ROTARY CLUB OF HATTIESBURG

ROTARYOFHATTIESBURG.COM Wes Brooks, Editor 2

Minutes: March 17, 2015 President Wes Brooks presided over the meeting. Thanks to Allen Anderson who gave the invocation and to Chief Paul Presley who led us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Thanks to Tracie Fowler for serving as our greeter today.

Aaron Ladner thanked Sean Priebe for standing in for him last week. He noted that we have no visiting Rotarians today. Jerome Brown has his brother Jermaine Brown as his guest. Jermaine will be our guest speaker next week.

Wes thanked Mike Ratliff and Maura McLaughlin for conducting our Kollege of Knowledge today. A total of seven Red Badge members earned their Blue Badge status today.

Wes reminded members about making their Rotary Foundation contributions before the end of the fiscal year, June 30. Any contribution of $100 or more will be matched by an equal number of points. There are several members who have almost achieved their Paul Harris Fellowship status this year. He reported that our club currently has 8 Paul Harris Fellows. He then recognized Bill McLeod who has just achieved his second Paul Harris Fellowship.

Bill then reminded members of the need for District Conference sponsorships. If you are interested see Bill before the end of the month to ensure that your company will be recognized in the conference promotional material. He also reminded members that the Beau Rivage room block expires on March 20.

Volunteers are still needed for the Night in Italy event. All members are requested to provide some volunteer service during the event. If you haven’t signed up for a slot, see Ryan Kelly or Kristy Gould.

Wes also recognized Chrissy Cullinane who was recently engaged.

Wes then introduced our guest speaker for the day, Dr. Don Odom. Dr. Odom is the Dean of the Winters School of Music and Ministry at William Carey University. Dr. Odom noted that long-time Rotarian Gene Winters was instrumental in making

and keeping a strong alliance between Rotary and William Carey University.

In 1966 when the new music building was built, Rotarians were helpful in obtaining 41 pianos for the school. Most of those were well used by the time Carey took possession but they served their purpose. In 1975 the University was able to purchase 30 new pianos for the school. Dr. Odom noted that those pianos are now 40 years old and in need of being replaced.

The School has set a very high goal of becoming an All Steinway school. There are currently only 60 schools with that designation throughout the country. When WCU achieves their goal, the University will be nationally competitive for high quality music major students. Having an All Steinway designation would also make the University competitive on the world scale.

Steinways are all hand-made by craftsmen who do nothing but build and work on Steinway pianos. It is expected that some of the higher end Steinway pianos will last at least 150 years. In order to achieve this goal the University will need to generate one million and one hundred thousand dollars. Contributions are now being accepted.

In order to obtain the All Steinway status a total of 90% of all of the pianos used in the music school must be Steinways. In order to maintain accreditation the school is required to have a minimum of 41 pianos. The old pianos will be auctioned off beginning this week. Steinway will provide loaned pianos until the goal is achieved and the new Steinways can be purchased.

If you’re interested in helping or if you’re interested in bidding on one of the old pianos, contact Dr. Odom by calling him at (601) 318-6178 or by email at dodom@wmcarey.edu. Dr. Odom noted that Rotarians will soon receive a family pass to all of their seven events for the year. The Billy Joel piano will be used in concert during one of their upcoming events.

Minutes courtesy of: Lamar Evans, Executive Secretary Rotary Club of Hattiesburg

MARCH 24, 2015 ROTARY CLUB OF HATTIESBURG

ROTARYOFHATTIESBURG.COM Wes Brooks, Editor 3

OUR GUESTC. JERMAINE BROWN, PRINCIPAL HATTIESBURG HIGH SCHOOL

Christopher Jermaine Brown, a native of Hattiesburg, was born one of twin sons to Charles J. Brown and Christine Brown Cooley. Brown is a 1991 graduate of Hattiesburg High School. After high school, he enrolled at Jackson State where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. He also holds a Master’s degree and Education Specialist degree both from the University of Southern Mississippi and is currently pursuing a PhD in Education Administration from Southern Miss.

Currently, he is employed as the Principal of Hattiesburg High School and has worked in 4 school districts in various leadership positions including Assistant Principal in the Forrest County Schools, Director of Student Services in Biloxi Schools and Director of Athletics in the Meridian Public School District.

He is a member of numerous professional organizations including the Mississippi Association of School Administrators. He is also a member of the alumni associations of Jackson State and the University of Southern Mississippi, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. and a Life Member of the NAACP.

Brown is an alumnus of Leadership PineBelt (Class of 2000). In 2005, he was chosen to be a part of the Mississippi Education Policy Fellowship Program, which resulted in him being named a Carnegie Fellow by the Institute of Educational Leadership in Washington, D.C. In 2006, Brown was selected by

then U.S. Congressman Chip Pickering to attend the Senate Leadership Summit for Young Professionals in Washington, D.C. During the 2010-2011, Brown was the state president for the Mississippi Association of Athletic Administrators.

He is married to the former Kim Stewart of Tupelo. They are the parents of two daughters, Carrington and Karsyn.

MARCH 24, 2015 ROTARY CLUB OF HATTIESBURG

ROTARYOFHATTIESBURG.COM Wes Brooks, Editor 4

UPCOMINGMAR 31 Dr. Cynthia Scott, Chair, Mississippi Board of Physical Therapy

APRIL 7 Ken Thompson - Shelter Box

APRIL 14 Katie Sims - Miss W.C.U.

APR 10-12 2015 Rotary District Conference - “Rotary Rivage”

APRIL 21 “NIGHT IN ITALY”

APRIL 28 Karen Sims - Pregnancy Choices of Hattiesburg

MAY 2 Rotary 6840 District Assembly

MAY 5 Dr. Hayhurst - Dog Showing

MAY 12 Andrew Gilliam - Salvation Army

MAY 19 Africa University Choir

MAY 26 Dwayne Higgason - Krav Maga

JUN 6-9 Rotary International Convention - Sao Paulo, Brazil

JUN 20 District 6840 Awards & Installation Ceremony

SPOKES Rotary Club of Hattiesburg

629 North Main Street Hattiesburg, MS 39401