Our Program Today: Public Television for the Gulf Coast: Bob Culkeen – WSRE-TV
Since December 2016, Bob Culkeen has served as General Manager of WSRE which provides public television for the Gulf Coast, and as Executive Director for the WSRE-TV Foundation. The station is a recognized leader in education and an outstanding creator or local content and community engagement.
Bob has worked in many positions throughout the public media and educational fields since 1979 and was previously involved with WJCT, the PBS television station in Jacksonville. He was also an adjunct faculty member at Florida State College, also in Jacksonville.
He received his education In Massachusetts, earning his M.Ed from Westfield State University, a BS from Fitchburg State University and his AS from Grahm Junior College in Boston.
Aug. 24, 2017–Randy Kennedy – WNSP "Upcoming Football Season"
Randy Kennedy is program director and host of Sports Drive on Mobile’s WNSP Sports Radio 105.5 FM, the country’s first all-sports FM station.
Kennedy has been a leading voice in the Gulf Coast since becoming sports editor at the Mobile Press-Register in 2002. He was three times named state sports columnist of the year. His responsibilities eventually including supervision of all editorial content proved by the Mobile office of AL.com.
He left newspapers and the web site to work full-time in radio in February 2015.
Kennedy grew up in Birmingham and graduated with a degree in Communications from the University of Montevallo.
Aug. 17, 2017–Ben Raines – Environmental Reporter AL.com
An investigative reporter for AL.com, Ben Raines has covered environmental issues and natural wonders in Alabama for nearly two decades. He wrote and produced the documentary America’s Amazon, which has been distributed to public schools across Alabama and is airing on PBS stations around the country. His underwater film work has appeared in documentaries on the Discovery Channel and National Geographic TV, and now in The Underwater Forest, which he wrote, filmed, and directed. Ben is a graduate of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts with a degree in filmmaking, and is a U.S. Coast Guard-licensed captain, giving tours of the Mobile-Tensaw Delta. He and his wife and son live in Fairhope, Ala.
Aug. 10, 2017–Rob Holbert – Co-Publisher & Editor Lagniappe
Aug. 3, 2017– No Meeting/Captain's Reception / Tarpon Event on Aug 3
June 22, 2017
June 22 , 2017 Minutes
Submitted by Tommy Fulton, Contributing Editor
Call to Order: The meeting was called to order by Tom McGehee.
Tommy Fulton gave the invocation, followed by Tommy Blankenship, who led us in song and the Pledge.
Introduction of Guests & Visitors: Tommy Blankenship introduced our guests along with visiting Rotarians.
Announcements: Meal Price Increase from $23 to $24 for Guest and Exempt member meals.
Program: Joe Mareno introduced Travis Randall Short, who is the Founder, Owner and President of Horizon Shipbuilding, Inc.
Mr. Short stated that Horizon, Inc. began business in Bayou la Batre twenty-two years ago. They began with nine employees and have grown to between 250 to 400 employees. They operate their shipbuilding business on more than 30 acres. Their first sale was a rail car cover, but they are now recognized as one of the largest towboat builders in the industry. They also have one of the largest translifts on the Gulf Coast.
Mr. Short mentioned that their initial growth began with building a pilot boat for Iraq, which was delivered to Umm Qasr. This was during the war and it took extensive negotiation to accomplish that feat. He stated that some of the other locations who have received their ships and supply boats include Columbia, Mexico and West Africa. These supply boats service oil platforms throughout the world. However, their greatest growth in the past ten years has been their tugboats.
In what was considered a very challenging effort, Citgo Petroleum spent $55 million to have 40 crew boats delivered in a 20-month period to service the oil fields in Venezuela. Also Mr. Short said that they have won a bid to produce 13 of the new “Lunch-Box” ferries for New York City. He expects that number to increase over the years. The 5th graders at PS 170 in New York City were given the honor of naming each of these boats.
Mr. Short stated that the industry is down substantially, presenting a buyer’s market. Not too long ago, there were 1100 shipyards, but that number has dwindled to 450 currently. Those who are willing to diversify will be the survivors. Horizon Shipbuilding has shown the capability and the willingness to build any type of boat the market requires.
After a question and answer session, Tom McGehee thanked Mr. Short for his presentation and presented a certificate to him, noting that a donation in his honor had been made to the Rotary International Foundation.
The meeting was adjourned at 1:00 pm.
June 15, 2017
Minutes of the June 15, 2017 Meeting
The Rotary Club of Mobile
Call to Order: The meeting was called to order by Les Greer at 12:15 PM. Keith Vaughan offered the invocation and Tom Martenstein welcomed members’ guests and visiting Rotarians. Larry Sindel led the club in song and the Pledge of Allegiance.
Announcements:
• Robert Greer brought the club up to date on the recent Rotary International Conference held in Atlanta. Some 80 districts were represented and participants from 150 nations., he said. Next year’s conference will be in Toronto and he urged members to attend.
• Les Greer noted that the price of meals for members’ guests and exempt members is now $24.
• Les also reminded members to get updated photos and/or information to Peggy for the new roster as soon as possible.
Program: Rhett Ross Continental Motors Group
Joe Mareno introduced Rhett Ross, President and CEO of Continental Motors Group, Ltd. Mr. Ross discussed the company’s history and plans for the future:
• History: According to Ross his firm was founded in a barn in 1904 and within a year had a factory built to manufacture automobile and truck engines. In 1927 the firm began manufacturing airplane engines and the Piper Cub was introduced in 1929 using a Continental designed engine.
• World War II: The company began providing engines for small planes and then expanded to provide engines for landing craft and tanks. The 1950’s were the “heyday of aviation” he said, noting that between 20-25,000 planes a year were being built.
• Mobile: In 1966 the firm opened its present facility at Brookley he said, and in the 1970’s the first non- stop, non –fueled aircraft to fly around the world was created here. At one point there were 1,000 employees.
• Today: Ross said that today the firm has 400 employees and is planning a new $70 million expansion in Mobile to help the firm produce the next generation of motors.
After answering a number of questions, Les thanked Mr. Ross for sharing his knowledge with the club and noted that in his honor a donation has been made to the Rotary International Foundation.
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 1:00 PM.
Tom McGehee
June 8, 2017
Minutes of the June 8, 2017 Meeting
The Rotary Club of Mobile
Call to Order: The meeting was called to order by Les Greer at 12:10 PM. Tommy Fulton offered the invocation and Tom Martenstein welcomed members’ guests and visiting Rotarians. Larry Sindel led the club in song and the Pledge of Allegiance.
Scholarship Winners
Jay Turner presented the 2017-18 Rotary Scholarship Awards to Cate Hodges, a graduate of St. Paul’s and Cecilia D’Olive a McGill-Toolen graduate. Miss D’Olive plnas to attend SMU and prepare for medical school while Miss Hodges will attend the University of Alabama and plans to eventually pursue a degree in pharmacy.
Announcements:
• Les Greer announced that a board meeting is scheduled following next week’s meeting on June 15.
• Les Greer noted that the new roster is being prepared and noted that the current roster lacks a number of member’s photo’s. He urged members to get a photo in as soon as possible.
Program: Mike Lee – What’s Happening on the Mobile Waterfront
Joe Mareno introduced Mike Lee, President and CEO of Page & Jones. Mr. Lee brought the club up to date on the following:
• Cruise Ship: Lee said that the cruise ship has become a familiar part of our city’s skyline and has cruises sold through April of 2019. The ship recently sailed with 2,500 passengers and 950 crewmembers and he noted the positive economic impact the cruise industry is having on Mobile’s economy.
• Alabama State Docks: According to Lee, the completion of the Walmart distribution center will lead to an increase of 25,000 containers annually, and that in the future it is likely that the Amazon facility will eventually use the port as well. Steel shipments continue to increase, he added.
• The I-10 Bridge: Lee discussed the future of the proposed bridge noting that the projected cost has risen from $850 million to $1.5-1.8 billion and a construction time of from 5 to 7 years.
Environmental studies continue and he noted that the height of the bridge has been increased from original plans to allow for potential storm surges. Although the federal government will provide 75% this is a matching program and the state would have to make up the difference.
He said that it is now planned for tolls to be put in place for both the new and the old bridge. Some 60% of the vehicles are from out of state, he said, and added that those other states would not be interested in providing funds for the bridge.
After answering a number of questions, Les thanked Mr. Lee for sharing his knowledge with the club and noted that in his honor a donation has been made to the Rotary International Foundation.
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 1:00 PM.
Tom McGehee