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Diane Ives
Partners Session Facilitator
Diane Ives is a Reading Specialist, has taught 1st and 2nd grade, and currently works as the clerk at her church. Diane has been married for 26 years to District 6400 Centennial Governor Jim Ives. She is the proud parent of 2 boys aged 18 and 21. The younger son is currently on a Rotary Youth Exchange to Finland, and the older son recently returned from a Rotary project in Kenya. Jim and Diane have also hosted 3 Youth Exchange students.
Diane has actively participated in Rotary. It has been the Ives family tradition to work the "Santa Snaps" fund raiser for the Dearborn Rotary Club every Thanksgiving for the past 10 years. Diane has worked on 14 district conferences as youth activities chair, tour chair, and has helped on the program committee for several years. She has served as trainer for the spouse/partner's program at several PETS. A highlight of Diane's Rotary experience was working at a school for under privileged children in Brazil. She is currently serving District 6400 as the Youth Exchange inbound assistant/activities coordinator. She served twice as an International Trainer for partners of incoming District Governors in San Diego.
Diane was a member of the Story Tellers Guild and is a P.E.O. which is a philanthropic educational organization for women.
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Jim Ives
Regional Rotary Membership Chair
Plenary speaker - “Membership”
Jim Ives joined the Dearborn Rotary Club, Dearborn, MI. in 1991, serving the club in many capacities and as President 1997-98. Jim has also served District 6400 on several committees and as Centennial Governor in 2004-05. He chairs the 2008 District Conference. He and his wife Diane also served as District 6400 Rotary University Deans, coordinating all special training for the district outside of PETS and the District Assembly.
Beyond the district, Jim served as Trainer at the Zones 22/27/28 GETS/Institute and International Assemblies and is currently Regional Rotary International Membership Coordinator for Zone 28. Jim traveled to Nigeria in 2001 to participate in their National Immunization Days, and also traveled to South Africa to attend the African Presidential Conference addressing the needs of African Rotarians.
Jim is Executive Vice President/co-owner of Rose Pest Solutions and served as President of the Michigan Pest Control Association for two years. He and Diane have been married for 26 years and have 2 sons. Their youngest son is currently a Rotary Youth Exchange student to Finland, and the older son traveled to Kenya in December to work on a Rotary project. The Ives are all Paul Harris Fellows and Jim and Diane are Major Donors and Benefactors to the Foundation.
During Rotary's centennial year, Bob received both the Rotary Foundation's Distinguished Service Award and Rotary International's "Service Above Self" Award.
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Ruby Iwamasa
PDG D 6310, GLPETS Chair
Opening Ceremony Convener
Ruby Iwamasa, PDG 6310, joined the Midland Rotary Club in 1989, served as its President during 1996-1997 and as Centennial District Governor in 2004-2005. Ruby chairs the Great Lakes Rotary Multi District PETS planning committee for 2007 and 2008 PETS. She serves as Zone 28 Coordinator of Public Relations.
Ruby recently retired from Delta College Quality Public Broadcasting. Her husband Bob is a Paul Harris Fellow and an honorary Rotarian.
Ruby leads the panel discussion on Public Relations.
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Michael Johns
Rotary International Director
Program introduction
Michael Johns is president and CEO of the Johns-Carabelli Company, a cemetery monument business. He has served as president of several associations, including the Monument Builders of North America.
A member of the Rotary Club of Hillcrest (Cleveland) since 1976, Mike served as club president in 1980-81 and 2001-02. He has served RI as governor of District 6630, member of the 2004 Osaka Convention Promotion Committee, and member of the World Community Service Programs Task Force. As district governor in 1986-87, he introduced PolioPlus, Gift of Life, and RYLA to the district. He has also served as a Permanent Fund national adviser.
Mike is a Multiple Paul Harris Fellow, a Benefactor of The Rotary Foundation, and a charter member of the Bequest Society, as well as a recipient of The Rotary Foundation Citation for Meritorious Service.
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Rev. Dr. Philip Ernest Johnson
Renowned Rotary Speaker
Rotary Club of Grand Rapids Downtown
Keynote address
Dr. Phil Johnson is a Life and Leadership Coach whose mission is to set people's hearts on fire - igniting their passion for life, love and work. He inspires ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things, challenges them to live and perform to their capacity, and encourages them to be and do their best. He's a master's goldmedal hurdler.
Dr. Phil holds degrees in psychology, theology and leadership, and wears many vocational hats. He is the Pastor of New Day Community Church, a professor at the University of Phoenix and Daystar University in Nairobi, Kenya, a mediator/arbitrator, and a long-term care specialist with MassMutual. Dr. Phil has wide media experience, and is the author of six books including Time-Out! Restoring Your Passion for Life, Love and Work. His next book, The Compassionate Conspiracy: Performing CPR on the Global Family, that profiles the service of several Rotarians, will be published later this year.
A member of the National Speakers Association, he has addressed thousands of people internationally. A proud member of the Grand Rapids Downtown Rotary Club, he has served on its Board.
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D.K. Lee
Rotary International President Elect
Keynote speaker
Dong Kurn Lee is chairman of Bubang Co. Ltd. and Bubang Techron Co. Ltd., manufacturing companies in Seoul. D.K. currently serves as a trustee to both the Busan College of Information Technology and Semyung University and is a past president of his high school and college alumni associations.
A member of the Rotary Club of Seoul Hangang since 1971, D.K. has served RI as director, treasurer, district governor, RI training leader, and zone and regional coordinator for membership development. He also has served as a Rotary Foundation trustee and regional Rotary Foundation coordinator.
Mr. Lee is chair of the Polio Eradication Private Sector Initiative in Korea and is a recipient of The Rotary Foundation Citation for Meritorious Service. As district governor, he was recognized at the 1996 RI Convention as the winner of
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Renée Merchant
District Governor-elect D6360
Closing Program speaker
Renée is a professional speaker, published author, and teambuilding expert. She founded DELTA SYSTEMS in 1982. Renée uses her passion for auto racing as a metaphor to inspire teams to work together effectively and efficiently.
Renée joined the Rotary Club of Jackson (Noon) in 1989, where she served on the board twice, and on numerous committees. In December 2000, she served as Team Leader to the GSE Team to India. They participated in a Polio NID. She has served as GSE District Chairman since 2001, and sends each GSE team off to a good start with her Fast Start™ Teambuilding training. In 2003, Renée transferred to Michigan Center-JCE Rotary Club and served as Centennial President.
Renée and Dick Merchant are both Paul Harris Fellows and RI Foundation Permanent Fund benefactors. They have established the S. Richard and Renée M. Merchant Endowed Rotary Peace Fellow Scholarship.
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Anita Rieder
Anita Rieder, Annual Giving Officer Zone 27 & 28, The Rotary Foundation
Assistant Govenor Breakout Session
Anita is the primary contact for EREY (Every Rotarian, Every Year) and other fundraising strategies. She joined the staff at The Rotary Foundation in June 2007 and is eager to get to know Rotarians and to assist them! In the last five years, her involvement in the nonprofit world grew as she volunteered in leadership roles for several music organizations. The past year she worked in development for Tuesday's Child, a nonprofit social service agency that serves families with children with behavioral and developmental delays. As a development director, she wrote grants, initiated a major gifts society, planned special events and facilitated the annual appeal.
Anita's training background is in classical music, and she performed professionally throughout the Midwest as well as in Europe and Japan. She taught for nine years in higher education and holds a doctoral degree in music from Northwestern University. A former Fulbright Scholar in London, U.K., Anita has also lived and studied in Matsumoto, Japan, worked in Jalapa, Mexico and traveled extensively. While music remains a passion for Anita, she believes in the philosophy of life-long learning and is very much enjoying her new chapter in life at The Rotary Foundation.
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Dick Sammis
DG D6360, Program speaker
Program speaker
Dick Sammis practices general law, specializing in Criminal law and Bankruptcy law, in St Joseph Michigan. Dick has been a member of the Lakeshore Rotary Club since 1989, where he has served as President, then Assistant Governor and now District Governor.
Dick has organized two incoming GSE visits to his club, and served as the GSE
team leader to District 1850 in Northern Germany in 2004. He has hosted 10
international guests over the years from Germany, Russia, Brazil, and Ireland, including two youth exchange students. Dick is a Paul Harris Fellow and Benefactor.
Dick speaks on "Successful Presidency: Nuts and Bolts 2008-09" at the Saturday luncheon. His handout is availabe for downloading.
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Bob Scott
Past RI Vice President and Chair, The Rotary Foundation
Keynote speaker
Born and raised in Edinburgh, Scotland, Bob received a medical degree with distinction in dermatology and chest diseases from the University of Edinburgh in 1957. After his internship and two years of mandatory military service, he spent six years in general practice in North Wales. In 1966, Bob emigrated to Cobourg, where he continued as a general practitioner until 1994. He then served as medical director of a home for the elderly and other geriatric facilities until 1997. He was a coroner for the Province of Ontario and investigated more than 1,200 cases before retiring in May 2000.
In 2004, Bob became a Rotary Foundation trustee. In 2006, he began his term as chair of the International PolioPlus Committee. A Paul Harris Fellow, Bob has received the RI Service Above Self Award, The Rotary Foundation Citation for Meritorious Service, the International Service Award for a Polio-Free World, and the Four Avenues of Service Citation. He has been named an outstanding leader in polio eradication by the United Nations Foundation and has received the Glenn Sawyer Service Award from the Ontario Medical Association for professional and community achievement.
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