President Rosemarie quieted the busy conversations at 12:25pm. We sang The Star Spangled Banner. Art Williams quoted some well known philosophers about the joy of giving of oneself. John Wooten, legendary basketball coach: “You can’t live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.”
James Russell Lowell wrote:
“Its not what we give but what we share,
For the gift without the giver is bare.
Who gives himself of his alms feeds three,
Himself, his hungering neighbor, and me.”
Art is among the philosophers, advising: “You can never acquire happiness without giving of yourself to someone else without the expectation of getting something back.”
Jim Irwin begged us not to give up on Michigan football, reminding us that it is the whole team and the whole experience, not setbacks that endear the game to us. He then lead us in “Smile and the World Smiles With You” and The Victors.
President Rosemarie thanked the people who make the meeting run smoothly, introduced guests and announced birthdays. She celebrated this day – it is the 103rd anniversary of The Rotary Club of Ann Arbor’s charter.
Sadly, we observed a moment of silence to mark the passing of our long term member Bob Meyers. Bob was a beloved pediatric dentist who practiced from 1966 until retiring in 1997. He was generous with his dental skills, starting and practicing with the Washtenaw Children’s Dental Clinic, and gave his time and attention to many other youth oriented organizations. He was very active in our club, helping to start STRIVE and serving in many other capacities. He established a generous STRIVE scholarship.
Incoming President Joanne Pierson announced our celebration of World Polio Day on October 23. She urged us all to read the current issue of Rotarian, which has a great spread on the polio campaign. Our speaker on October 23 will be Lee Ann Hussey, a polio survivor who has devoted her life to the eradication of polio and alleviating the suffering of victims. The meeting that day is open to the public and will be in the Ballroom. It is a fundraiser. The lunch that day will be $20.00 and donations will be solicited. All donations will be tripled by the Gates Foundation and President Rosemarie will top off Purple Pinkies by dying her hair purple to celebrate donations. Please invite friends and colleagues to hear the inspirational work being done, and the work to do to close the final lap.
Rotarians at Glacier Hills will meet on September 26, with Larry Eiler presenting a talk on Aging.
Some Golf and Tennis Outing auction items are still available: 2 Haitian Rum cakes, $50.00 each and 7 Mile High Apple Pies, $50.00 each. Contact President Rosemarie for these treats.
The Peace Committee will meed at the close of this meeting. International Humanitarian Projects will meet next week. Rotaract will meet next week also, but at St Andrews at 10:45 am. The change in location makes it much easier for Rotaractors to attend.
President Rosemarie reminded us that NEXT WEEK THE MEETING WILL BE AT THE CITY CLUB and the program will be on the Michigan Union Renovations.
Past President Ashish was happy to announce that the ad hoc fundraising for Dorian disaster relief yielded $6665.00 from us, which was matched by a generous anonymous donor, resulting in a donation of $13,330.00. One hundred percent of this donation will go to victims as it will be disbursed through local Rotary clubs.
Notes from the Program
Dallas Dort introduced our speaker, Dr. David E. Cole. Dr. Cole has been immersed in the automotive industry since graduating from Michigan Engineering in 1958. He is Chairman Emeritus of the Center for Automotive Research, known around the world for research and innovation in automotive engineering and manufacturing. He has received numerous awards for his work. In 2012 he co-founded AutoHarvest, an on-line meeting place for innovators of al types with an interest in advanced manufacturing.
Dr. Cole’s talk was titles Auto Future/ Wild to Wilder. He tried to explain the dimensions of the huge changes that are roiling the industry during this complex period of amazing transition. A new business model is required as the current environment is unstable. Future survivors will be divided between the Haves and the Have Nots – those who have the resources in people, imagination and flexibility as well as financial resources to withstand the turbulence and those who do not. Success will require cost control, revenue, agility and innovation. It is a world of vanishing boundaries, not only geographical but also boundaries between professional silos and manufacturing strata. The new leaders must be Team Coach Leaders, not dictators. Thinking must evolve from solving one problem at a time to systems thinking, not focusing on detail but embracing the whole picture.
Dr. Cole addressed the manufacturing choke points, especially the severs shortage of talent. He specifically called for a cultural elevation of people who work with their hands – the tool makers, the assemblers, electricians. We are 3 million short of these people. He discussed the CAFE standards, noting that there are tradeoffs between cost of lower emitting cars and value. There is competition between manufacturers regarding materials. He cited the Ford move to aluminum for its trucks. He pointed out that there are a lot of candidates for future automobile power plants – gasoline? diesel? fuel cells? batteries? There are breakthrough areas in batteries, mobility, autonomous vehicles, advanced material.
In sum, knowledge is the competitive edge in this uncertain and dynamic environment. Manufacturing is a team sport, and a Coach Leader must be at the head of the team. Innovation is driving the speed of change. Companies need to look across boundaries to be alert to changes and anticipate them. It is almost a situation of anything goes. And Dr. Cole closes with Bob Lutz’s classic “Sometimes it is better to ask forgiveness rather than permission.”
President Rosemarie’s closing remarks: “Look for something positive in each day, even if some days you have to look a little harder.”
NEXT WEEK’S MEETING IS AT THE CITY CLUB.
