Speakers

MAJ Patrick Linford will dicuss the many career opportunities available in the U.S. Army, highlighting the differences between operational and institutional roles.

Jef is a singer, songwriter, playwrite and producer. He operates a business producing small-scale video promotions, etc. while also writing, recording and performing music. His topic, "Right Brain / Left Brain: Creativity takes many forms", will trace his own history from singer/songwriter through Chief Information Officer and beyond, highlighting how creativity helped him achieve success in a variety of endeavors.

Some parts of this journey are depicted on his website: www.jef-fisk.com. 

Ms. Azar believes the children want to belong to something and the Center offers them an alternative to gangs.  Her goal is to teach the children who they are, that they have value, and that they are valued. To learn more, volunteer, or donate, visit www.secondmilecenter.org.

Steve Tengler resides in Grosse Pointe Park. When both 1) his uncle died at the age of 59 and 2) he struggled to cover his next college tuition bill, he decided that his $6k would start a scholarship for students “like me” who volunteered to do unpaid work on behalf of others, despite their own financial need. Hence, the SET Fund was born.

According to Steve, "The eventual irony: the quality of winners have been sooooo incredible that I wouldn’t even come close to being a finalist for our scholarship."

The SET Fund is now 25 years (and nearly $200k) into providing scholarships, and the stories are amazing: a few fleeing immigrants who came to our country and volunteered, a victim or two of death or violence, and several that started their own charities despite unpaid tuition. Steve will discuss a few stories and the fund's unique structure, and describe the fund's annual friend-finder.

You can learn more at www.setfund.org. 

Nicole and Bob have both served our country and have since retired from military service.  Bob suffers daily from the effects of PTSD.  Nicole has offered to speak on the unique situation of working with, parenting with, and loving a spouse who lives day-to-day with PTSD. 

At this moment in time, Bob is hoping to join Nicole.  If Bob is at our meeting, his therapy dog (German Shepherd) Halogen, will be there with him.  Bob and Nicole are parents to two children and live in Grosse Pointe Woods. 

You might want to watch the movie called "Thank you for your Service" prior to this attending very special Rotary meeting: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thank_You_for_Your_Service_(2017_film). 

John C. Mozena is the president of the Center for Economic Accountability, a Grosse Pointe-based nonprofit that works for transparency, accountability and market-based reforms for state and local economic development programs across America. 

In his work with elected officials and local partners across the country, he has identified some common mistakes communities make in erecting unnecessary barriers to growth and prosperity. 

His talk will focus on some of the ways that Michigan, Metro Detroit and the Grosse Pointes could reduce or eliminate those barriers, as well as other opportunities to promote broad-based economic growth.