The Wheel for May 3, 2018
Listen to Len Jessup – UNLV President
The Wheel
Len Jessup – UNLV President
Len Jessup
Len Jessup joined UNLV as its 10th president in January 2015. An accomplished leader in higher education, Jessup brought his experience as a university professor, administrator, entrepreneur, and fundraiser and lead UNLV on its path to becoming a high-performing, community-engaged Tier One research university. Among his top priorities was the development of UNLV Medicine. He will soon be leaving UNLV to become President of Claremont Graduate University.
Like many of UNLV’s students, Jessup was the first in his family to graduate from college. This experience informs his understanding of the crucial role universities play in transforming families and communities, and it has been a motivating factor in his career in higher education leadership.
Prior to UNLV, Jessup served as dean of the Eller College of Management at the University of Arizona (2011-2014), where he was also a professor of entrepreneurship and innovation and the Halle Chair in Leadership. He led Eller to become a self-sustaining college with higher national rankings that robustly contributes to the state’s economic development. As a founding board member of the University of Arizona Health Network, he also contributed to the rethinking and restructuring of the university’s academic medical center.
Jessup is a leading researcher in management information systems, with a focus on the use of emerging technology in higher education and business, new venture strategies, and social entrepreneurship. He was instrumental in creating the University of Arizona’s technology transfer and commercialization program, Tech Launch Arizona. He led the development and expansion of online degree and executive education programs at Arizona and helped drive similar innovations in previous positions at Washington State University (2000-2011) and Indiana University (1995-2000).
A former baseball player in the highly competitive California junior college system, Jessup received his B.A. in information and communication studies in 1983 and his MBA in 1985, both from California State University, Chico. He earned his Ph.D. in organizational behavior and management information systems from the University of Arizona’s Eller College of Management in 1989 and was awarded the Outstanding Ph.D. Alumnus in 2004.
Jessup resides with his fiancée Kristi Staab, a former broadcast industry executive who owns and operates a successful leadership and sales training and development business. Jessup has a daughter, Jamie, and a son, David.
Message From The President
Dear Rotarians,
As the stewards of our local Foundation, the Las Vegas Rotary Foundation board oversees the investment of our nearly $2 million endowment. An annual distribution is made from this fund and those distributed dollars must be spent in the local community. That means that every dollar you donate will benefit our valley. In the spirit of transparency, I’m including the rationale and calculation that was used at last Thursday’s Foundation board meeting
“The intention of having a base or floor is to not be able to spend contributions, only ‘growth’ from the investments. This was done because of the opinions expressed by a number of Club members who feel that if they donate a dollar, it should never be spent. As prescribed by the Endowment and Distribution Policy adopted by the Foundation, distributions to the Las Vegas Rotary Club, Inc. from the Endowment Fund are determined each year by the Foundation Board (subject to the Endowment Base limitation), up to a maximum of 3% of an average of the portfolio balances on March 31st of the prior three years. The calculation is:
portfolio balance 3-31-2016: $1,657,976.17
portfolio balance 3-31-2017: $1,840,644.00
portfolio balance 3-31-2018: $1,998,178.60
subtotal: $5,496,798.77
÷ 3 = $1,832,266.26 3 year rolling average
x .03 = $54,967.99 2018 tentative distributable amount
Since there is a positive spread in excess of the 2018 amount available for distribution, a distribution of up to $54,967.99 can be made for the coming Rotary fiscal year.”
Michael Gordon
95th President
Rotary Club of Las Vegas
Member Highlights
PP Dave Thorson participates in recognizing Wheels in Heels honoring women in Rotary. Go Dave.
PP Caty Crockett, our club’s first Female President gave the invocation.
It was nice to see Deb Granda at our meeting.
President Michael introducing Samuel into the ranks of Rotary.
PP Dave Thorson participates in recognizing Wheels in Heels honoring women in Rotary. Go Dave.
Anil Melnick and his guest Shellie joined for lunch.
PP Karen Whisenhunt announced our putting tournament on May 6th.
Larry Rouse presented a check for $2,500 to Elizabeth Martinez as our J.A. Tiberti scholarship winner.
PEE Jackie Thornhill won the Lawry Bucks.
Francesca Gilbert missed her chance for the Joker and the Pot.
President Michael introducing Samuel into the ranks of Rotary.
Ted McAdam reminded us our upcoming Creech AFB tour on May 29th.
Ted McAdam led us in song with America the Beautiful.
Bob Werner and Sergeant at Arms Gina Gentleman introduced our international visitor from the Netherlands.
It was nice to see Ed Lepere joining us for lunch.
Michael presents 4 Way Test coins to Ryan Hamilton and Stu Lipoff for their above and beyond work.
PP Dave Thorson participates in recognizing Wheels in Heels honoring women in Rotary. Go Dave.
President Michael recognized our speaker Sylvia Whitlock a pioneer first lady in Rotary.
President Michael introducing Samuel into the ranks of Rotary.
President Michael presented a check for $25,000 to Spread the Word Nevada to Pam Lang and Lisa Habighorst to continue our support of Beckley Elementary.
Michael’s head table included his wife Amanda, baby Samuel, PP Randy Donald and our speaker PDG Sylvia Whitlock.
Chris Way was joined for lunch by his wife Nicole.
Scribe – March 8, 2018
Las Vegas Rotary Club Meeting: April 26, 2018
- President Michael Gordon called the meeting, honoring 30 Years Of Women In Rotary, to order. PP Caty Crockett, our Club’s first female President, gave the invocation. Ted McAdam (standing in for Arleen Sirois) led the club in singing America The Beautiful, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. The Sergeant at Arms was Gina Gentleman.
- There were (5) International Rotarians, (7) visiting Rotarians and (4) Guests of Rotarians introduced.
- The head table included PP Randy Donald, our program speaker PDG Sylvia Whitlock, and First Lady Amanda Gordon and ‘Rotarian In Training’ (Rotary tie and all) Samuel Gordon.
- Feedback of events by President Michael included: announcement that our club’s entrant, Wesley Chen, took 2nd Place in the Dan Stover Regional Competition; and a ‘well done’ for the article about our club appearing in this month’s Rotarian Magazine – if you don’t plan to keep your copy, members are encouraged to bring their copy to our meeting to be used to help with recruitment into our club.
- President Michael presented a check from the club for $25,000 to Spread The Word Nevada representatives, Lisa Habighorst and Pam Lang to continue our club’s support of Beckley Elementary School; LVRF President Larry Rouse presented a check for $2,500 to the 2018 Tiberti Scholarship winner, Elizabeth Martinez.
- President Michael presented a 4-Way Test coin to PE Kim Kohl, Ryan Hamilton, Kirk Holmes & Stu Lipoff for their work ‘above and beyond’, helping to make the Annual Car Show such a success.
- The weekly drawing began at $1,680 plus this week’s donations. The Ticket Winner was Francesca Gilbert who won $10 and the Lawry’s Bucks Winner was PEE Jackie Thornhill.
- Lynn Moser from the Summerlin Rotary Club shared the message of DG Reghada Khoury introducing Wheels In Heels, encouraging a challenge to men and a corresponding donation to the Rotary Foundation for our Paul Harris fund to ‘walk in women’s shoes’, honoring ‘30 Years of Women In Rotary’. The first challenge was met by PP David Thorson, carefully walking in a pair of sparkly high heeled T-straps,
showing off his refined ‘bend and snap’! - PP David Thorson reminded the club of the exciting debunking planned for President Michael scheduled for June 28th and also announced, with Andrea Roe from the Las Vegas Lights FC, that our club, the USO, and the Lights are working together to raise $1,700 to provide tickets to local airmen to attend the Lights FC game on June 2nd – so far $750 has been donated from the club board.
- Membership chair Rosalee Hedrick reminded the Club of the New Member Orientation, open to all members, to be held on May 2 at 6 p.m. at Jerry Engel’s home; President Michael read a lovely letter of thanks from our Argentinian Youth Exchange Student Pilar for the opportunities she has experienced; PP Karen Whisenhunt announced the Putting Tournament on May 6th and golfers are still needed; Ted McAdam provided updated information for the Creech AFB tour on Tuesday, May 29.
- PP Randy Donald introduced our speaker program, PDG Sylvia Whitlock, a pioneer for Women In Rotary. Dr. Whitlock shared her educational and professional background, leading up to the day she was invited to attend/join a Rotary meeting at the Duarte Club in the mid-1980s, at a time when women weren’t allowed to join Rotary, through the removal of the Duarte Club’s Charter, the birth of the Ex-Rotary Club
of Duarte, the litigation in the Appellate and Supreme Courts to change the rules regarding women in Rotary that followed, the reinstatement of Duarte’s Charter (the “mouse that roared”) and allowing women to join Rotary, ending sexual discrimination in Rotary, and then becoming the first female Club President (and sole female at PETS) and later District Governor for District 5300. It was never intended as a ‘women’s issue’ but was more of a civil rights issue, referring to the Unruh Act. - President Michael Gordon presented our speaker with a “Share What You Can” award to benefit a female veteran in need and then adjourned the meeting.