Category Archives: Rotary Club of Madison Guest Speaker

Dane County Veterans Memorial Coliseum

Posted on June 23, 2025 by | Leave a comment

–submitted by Larry Larrabee

Dane County Executive, Melissa Agard, prefaced her presentation on the $125,000,000 renovation of the Veterans Memorial Coliseum by briefly summarizing Dane County’s current financial situation and the uncertainties of State and Federal funding.  She pointed out the renovation is needed to address the declining number of events held there and that renovation is far less expensive than replacement.  The county is currently seeking corporate partnerships to accomplish the goal as has taken place in Champaign, IL, Minneapolis, MN, and Grand Rapids, MI. Ms. Agard concluded by outlining her proposal for qualifying the Dane County Airport as an international airport similar to Rockford, IL, and Des Moines, IA.

If you missed our meeting last week, you can watch it here: https://youtu.be/m8pMnRhV89Q.

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Posted in Rotary Club of Madison, Rotary Club of Madison Guest Speaker, Rotary Weekly Guest Speaker, Weekly Rotary Guest Speaker

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June 11: Economic Collaboration Between Madison and Milwaukee

Posted on June 12, 2025 by | Leave a comment

–submitted by Joy Cardin

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley and the co-founder of the Hoan Group Ian Abston addressed our club about the importance of partnerships and collaboration in building healthy communities. Crowley said if Milwaukee County and Dane County are doing well, the entire state of Wisconsin will benefit. He noted numerous successful Milwaukee County projects and programs and credited the Hoan Group for helping to make them happen.  The Hoan Group is a private network of civic-minded leaders working to bridge the Madison and Milwaukee business communities. It was co-founded by Ian Abston and our club’s president Jason Ilstrup!  A main focus of the group is to collaborate to retain young people in Milwaukee and Madison and to attract new talent to our communities to keep the twin engines of Wisconsin’s economy humming.  One example of joint efforts to appeal to more young people is having a Milwaukee presence in the Night Market series in Madison and vice versa. 

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Posted in 2. Meetings, Madison WI, Rotary Club of Madison, Rotary Club of Madison Guest Speaker, Weekly Rotary Guest Speaker

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June 4: Center for Black Excellence & Culture

Posted on June 9, 2025 by | Leave a comment

–submitted by Larry Larrabee

Rev. Dr. Alexander Gee, Founder and CEO of The Center for Black Excellence and Culture, gave an excellent presentation describing the founding and purpose of his organization whose new headquarters will open in December in the 700 block of Badger Road. Dr. Gee said that 100 years ago, Blacks moving North had a better sense of acceptance and inclusion than is true today, and the Center’s purpose is to help develop that feeling among Madison’s Black Community.  He stated that studies show that when Blacks have this feeling of belonging, they have fewer degenerative diseases such as diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease.  One of the many activities of the Center is to aid UW researchers in studying factors that help Blacks thrive and succeed.

If you missed our meeting last week, you can watch it here: https://youtu.be/F5y9JAEkWt4.

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Posted in Madison WI, Rotary Club of Madison, Rotary Club of Madison Guest Speaker, Weekly Rotary Guest Speaker

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May 21:  Former U.S. Ambassador to Luxembourg, Tom Barrett Provided Insight into His International Role

Posted on May 23, 2025 by | Leave a comment

–submitted by Sharyn Alden

“It was like a chess game,” he said at the May 21st Rotary meeting. “Except this was a game of ‘human chess’ dealing with people. The former Milwaukee mayor of 18 years, and U.S House of Representatives, shared a close-up look at being ambassador to Luxembourg for three years. “I am proud to have represented the people of the U.S.,” he said.

Often asked how he got the job serving this very wealthy country smaller than Dane County with its population of 650,000, he said he asked for it.

In February 2021, in an airplane hangar at Milwaukee’s Mitchell Field, President Biden asked Barrett what he could do to help him, following the Democratic Convention in Milwaukee being pulled due to Covid. “He asked if I’d like to be the ambassador to Luxembourg, and I said yes.”

Among some special remembrances, he said, “The people of Luxembourg love the U.S. They haven’t forgotten we saved them twice in 1944 during the Battle of the Bulge. Barrett said he was touched when an 84-year-old woman told him, “We will always be grateful for what the U.S. did for us.”

If you missed our meeting this week, you can watch it here:  https://youtu.be/h25Lg_osrFk.

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Posted in Madison WI, Rotary Club of Madison, Rotary Club of Madison Guest Speaker, Weekly Rotary Guest Speaker

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May 14:  Teaching Teens and Youth How to Build Financial Independence

Posted on May 19, 2025 by | Leave a comment

–submitted by Sharyn Alden

On May 14, Rotary speaker, Robert Wynn, Found and CEO of CLIMB (Communities Learning to Invest and Mobilize for Business) provided insight into how they are helping youth gain personal wealth and economic stability.

Wynn said it all started with the question, “Why don’t we laser focus programs in terms of improving the capacity to build wealth for young people, especially black kids from low-income homes? “Our programs, accessible nationwide, are focused on youth and families, people of color, who have historically been underserved.”

Oregon High School senior, Pierre Nickles shared his experience as a CLIMB Youth Leader. Nickles, who has had the privilege of ringing the bell at the NY Stock Exchange, said, through CLIMB, he has learned a wide range of financial skills, including the power of compounding and the ‘Rule of 72.’

“Investing is a needed skill for financial freedom,” he said. “I’ve learned there is no age requirement to gain financial wealth.”

Wynn added, “If we are not economically successful, nothing changes, but if we are successful, we can transform the future.”

If you missed our meeting last week, you can watch it here:  https://youtu.be/SBNV1FQD4jE.

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May 7: Global Humanitarianism: That’s the Magic of The Rotary Foundation

Posted on May 9, 2025 by | Leave a comment

–submitted by Sharyn Alden

Mark Maloney, Rotary International Foundation Chair, passionately shared the impact of the Foundation’s “Magic Wand.”

On a balmy day in May, Rotarians were taken on a mesmerizing journey around the world. Mark Maloney explained how Rotary is making a difference in many ways, especially in global health, in some of the world’s most challenging circumstances.

There are seven themes of Rotary International’s focus, but Polio Plus is the # 1 initiative that puts Rotary front and center in the world. “We would still be ‘sitting at the children’s table’ if we weren’t doing the magic of this work,” he said. Ninety-nine new polio cases cropped up last year. Immunization is challenging work. In some countries going house-to-house is not permitted, and defunding of aid has hurt.

He explained, “We shouldn’t say what can we do, but rather, how can we work around it? The point is we need to get immunization drops get into children’s mouths.”

More than ever, Rotary contributions matter. “With your help,” he said, “we WILL eradicate polio. Right now, you’re saving someone’s life.”

If you missed our meeting this week, you can watch it here: https://youtu.be/nVJ6xzNqogg.

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Posted in Rotary Club of Madison, Rotary Club of Madison Guest Speaker, Rotary Weekly Guest Speaker

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