Rochester Rotary

CJ has been a part of the Rochester business community since 1986 when he launched Jolt Cola. Jolt became popular in more than 20 countries. Jolt inspired what became the energy drink category.  Today CJ is the CEO of Karma Water. A health & wellness beverage that features a one-of-a-kind dispensing cap on the bottle. Consumers infuse the active ingredients just moments before consumption, assuring optimal health benefits.  CJ shares his observations and lessons learned over a 40 year career including his experiences from extensive travels to more than 40 countries…and what has he learned from competing with multinational conglomerates over several decades.

National Small Business Week is celebrated from May 4th to May 10th in honor of the massive impact of small businesses on our regional economy and business community. Learn more about the support that is offered for small businesses in Greater Rochester, NY, particularly now during another unprecedented year for businesses - including through strong leadership and collaborative efforts

Rochester Rotarian Gerald J. Archibald, Author of Underestimated, Mentally Ill, Yet Successful and CAR-Chitecture. In another installment of our "Rotary Spotlight" series Past President Donna Dedee sits down with Jerry for an interview-style luncheon.

Thomas Bonadio is the General Partner of Impact Capital, Founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors at The Bonadio Group. He has devoted his efforts to serving commercial companies in the Rochester area and helping the firm grow from two people to its present size of over 1,100 employees. Tom specializes in providing business advice to privately held companies and their owners, with a particular emphasis on helping them maximize their value and return to shareholders.

Naomi Silver, President, CEO & COO of the Rochester Red Wings. Naomi has been involved with the Red Wings her entire life. The Silver family’s involvement is in it’s 68th year, and Naomi has taken an active role for over three decades, working her way up the corporate ladder. Naomi talks about where they are today in terms of the game, MLB, the Washington Nationals, and where they came from. 

Mike is an award winning magician who was born and raised in Rochester, NY. Mike lived in California from 1988-2004. There he discovered the world of magic. Mike adheres to a simple philosophy for his events: magic is about creating a truly memorable and enjoyable performance that fools but does not make a fool of any spectator.

Don Jeffries, President and CEO of Visit Rochester, speaks about tourism in Rochester. As the official tourism promotion agency for Monroe County, Visit Rochester’s growth is closely connected to the overall growth and vitality of the Greater Rochester region.

Tim Bohen, author of Emerald Thread: The Irish in Buffalo (2024) and Against the Grain: The History of Buffalo's First Ward (2012). Tim takes us on a fascinating journey through the deep and unexpected ties between the Buffalo and Rochester Irish! Discover how Irish laborers conquered the most grueling sections of the Erie Canal, how fearless Irish sisters laid the foundations for hospitals and charitable institutions, and the astonishing tale of how Irishmen from across Western New York invaded Canada in 1866—hoping to ransom it for Ireland’s freedom. Plus, hear the stories of remarkable Irish men and women who left their mark on our region and beyond, shaping politics, entertainment, the military, and sports. 

Dr. Heidi Macpherson, President of SUNY Brockport and Rochester Rotarian since 2015 is featured in our Rotary Spotlight series. Past President Donna Dedee moderates the interview-style luncheon.

Gray Craig has been investigating crime in the Rochester area for decades, and lately, one country club story has shot to the top of the "click views" standings and that is his coverage of the lawsuit going on at Oak Hill Country Club.

In 1981 Eddie Harris opened Eddie’s Chicken Coop in Rochester, NY, after working as a Chef and Manager for another famous restaurant. While trying to make a unique sauce for his new restaurant, his loving mother suggested that he use the secret family recipe. It was an instant success, and they agreed that it was the Boss of all Sauces. Thus, Boss Sauce was born! 

Sal Maiorana, one of the longest-tenured sports writers in the history of the Gannett newspapers in Rochester.  He first came to the Democrat and Chronicle in 1986 to cover golf, later added Syracuse University football to his duties, and since 1990, he has been the primary beat reporter/columnist covering the Buffalo Bills. With more than 35 years of experience, he is also now the longest-tenured day-to-day reporter in the history of the Bills.  Sal has won the Rochester Press-Radio Club's sports writer of the year award twice, he is an enshrinee to the Frontier Field Walk of Fame, he has won numerous writing awards and citations for Gannett, and he is also the author of 22 books including several on the Bills, but also books, among others, about the New York Yankees, Buffalo Sabres, Syracuse University, and Oak Hill Country Club. In addition to his writing, Sal can also be heard weekly on the Buffalo Brothers radio show on iHeart, and he is co-host of a podcast for the BLEAV Network entitled BLEAV in Bills. 

Ernie Clement, Brighton native who is now an MLB player for the Toronto Blue Jays, is our featured speaker with his story of how failure made his success popular.

Next generation McDonald's Franchisee. Louis presents on their focus around their core values Serve, Inclusion, Integrity, Community, Familyand how they bring them to life in the restaurant.

Rochester Rotarian since 1996, Norm Silverstein. Don Alhart interviews Norm touching on his recent retirement announcement as President and CEO of WXXI Public Media. Norm has led the organization since 1995. He has seen the organization grow from one television and two radio stations to a public media organization that now includes four public television stations, one cable channel for the city of Rochester, and six public radio stations.

The rise of partisan animosity—the tendency of Democrats and Republicans to dislike and distrust one another—is one of the most notable developments of 21st-century American politics. Jamie will discuss how animus influences a wide range of political behaviors including issue positions, evaluations of political leaders, support for compromise, and support for democratic norms. That said, he will also explain why the growth of partisan animosity does not inevitably mean that democracy is eroding. 

Congressman Joe Morelle and his challenger, Gregg Sadwick, participate in a Rochester Rotary forum moderated by hall of fame broadcaster, Don Alhart.

Rochester Rotary's full Tuesday luncheon from 9/24/24 included an appearance by District 7120 Dave Demers (Spencerport Rotary) and a presentation by Judge John Ninfo II titled "The Deep Roots of Democracy"

Rochester Rotary's first meeting at its new home for Tuesday lunches, Comedy at The Carlson featuring guest speakers Mark Ippalito, Operations Manager of The Carlson, and Todd Youngman, stand-up comedian.

Tom has been a major equity shareholder, founding member, and/or senior leader with Vitamin Water, Bark Thins, Pirate's Booty, Momeez Choice, and several other businesses, most of which have gone on to be acquired by major food & beverage brands. Tom shares a few of those stories, including seeing Vitamin Water go from the start-up phase to the negotiation table with Coca Cola as well as finding a manufacturer with a unique idea for a chocolate snack that would lead to a sale to Hershey. Tom will share his insights on how businesses scale, the trials and tribulations involved in growing, and how they ultimately put themselves in a position to be acquired.

Award winning journalist Scott Pitoniak leads a panel of WROC-TV Sports Director Thad Brown and Rochester Rotary Prognosticator Tim Cook on the 2024 Buffalo Bills outlook.

Kitty Van Bortel, President, Van Bortel Auto Group.As a trusted automotive dealership owner for nearly four decades, Kitty Van Bortel stays true to the values that drive her dealerships, keeping kindness, integrity, and the highest standards of service at every interaction with her automotive brand. Kitty’s strong commitment to her customers and employees is evident in the widespread success of her Subaru, Ford, and Chevrolet dealerships.

Alex Wilkes is the President of CVI Americas. Alex started with the company on June 14th, 2022, and is based out of the Victor, NY office. After seven years in management consulting at Deloitte and Accenture, Alex joined Luxottica in 2010 as Head of Strategy for LensCrafters. After leading the vision care team with responsibility for the Doctor network, contact lens sales and strategy, and eye care innovation, Alex took on Pearle Vision in 2016 as Senior Vice President and General Manager with responsibility for all aspects of Pearle Vision brand operations, marketing, and strategy. He’s passionate about leading change through innovation, culture shaping and curiosity while always keeping both the customers and patients front of mind.  

The 6th generation owner of Seabreeze Amusement Park addresses Rochester Rotary, covering the history of the park, the rarity of being a 6th generation family business, and the difficulties/advantages of operating a seasonal business.

Giovanni LiDestri, chairman of LiDestri Food & Drink, tells us about how he went from being a bottle washer at Ragu, to building one of the highest yielding sauce factories in the world.

President Pauly kicks off the 2024-2025 Rotary year on Tuesday, July 9, 2024 at Oak Hill Country Club

Continuing our "Celebrating Leaders" series with Past President Bud Rusitzky. He sits down with Past President Don Alhart to share his story.

Adam Gogolski, VP of Marketing at Vuzix is leading the way in one of the most advanced technology industries in the world. In the past 25 years, Vuzix has evolved from a military display solutions company to the premier producer of optical waveguide technology and augmented reality smart glasses. Get a chance to experience some of our revolutionary smart glasses all designed and manufactured in West Henrietta, and hear how we’ve helped transform workplaces from the surgical floor to field service, to supply chain management.

MicroEra Power envisions an on-site thermal energy storage system to decarbonize buildings, enhance the performance of heating and cooling systems, support grid resiliency and increased use of renewable energies.

Hear the second installment of our "Made in Rochester Series" that was held at Oak Hill Country Club on Tuesday, November 15th. Jim and Ray Isaac sat down with Donna Dedee to share the ISAAC story as a family-owned, multi-generational business; Leadership lessons, and how the past and present have set the stage for a new future.

Bears Playgrounds designs, manufactures and installs nature-inspired, cedar log playgrounds across the US, Canada and beyond. Every playground is made custom to order, using whole round logs.With their playgrounds, they have created a balance between the innocent, natural adventure of playing in the forest and the structure and safety required by today’s standards for children’s spaces. Their bold, strong and built to last architecture beautifies children’s spaces, while capturing a child’s imagination. Their nature inspired products and natural materials help stimulate a child’s enthusiasm for nature. In short, their products facilitate learning, create opportunities for exercise, help build social skills and help provide a unique connection to the great outdoors.

Fairport resident Clark King, charter member of the Association for Games and Puzzles International and member of the Strong Museum of Play's National Toy Hall of Fame selection advisory committee, speaks on U.S. board games through the decades, spanning 150 years of American families at play. He also displays many historic, unusual and rare games from his personal collection. Take a journey back to your childhood and beyond and learn about the current booming hobby of board gaming!

In May 1976, Jon Spacher (pronounced: SPAY-ker) was brought home from the hospital to an apartment above the Fee Brothers’ factory. No one imagined that he would become the 5th generation steward of the family business 44 years later. A Penn State graduate, Jon leveraged his Insurance degree to go far in the industry. His commitment to sustainable business solutions and a servant leadership style propelled him to become an officer of a national carrier. He retired from Insurance as a President, managing a region of more than 120 employees and 300 million in annual revenue. During his time there, he gained an appreciation for the unique distribution model of the independent agency system. Jon was able to transfer this knowledge to Fee Brothers’ global distribution model when he and his brother, Benn, became 50/50 owners of the family’s business on January 1, 2021. Since his arrival, Fee Brothers has increased its employee count from 12 to 33 and revenue has increased 74% with a disproportionate amount of growth internationally.

This was the first installment of our "Celebrating Leaders" series. We took a deep dive on Andre Godfrey, Past President, and Rochester Rotarian since 2003. Andre Godfrey is President/CEO of Entre Computer Services Inc. and a fixture in the information technology industry since the early 1980s. Andre joined Entre Computer Services Inc. as partner and president in 1994 after serving in a variety of executive positions at other IT firms. Under Andre’s leadership of 28 years, Entre grew into the largest independently owned IT provider in upstate New York and currently employs more than 100 technical people.

Nationally honored journalist and best-selling author Scott Pitoniak and 13WHAM-ABC sports anchor Jenna Cottrell talk about the Buffalo Bills chances of winning the Super Bowl, as well as other Bills/NFL topics in this annual Rochester Rotary football luncheon. Their conversation is followed by a Q-and-A with the audience.

About half of privately-held businesses in the United States are owned by entrepreneurs over age 55. As those business owners look to retire over the next decade, 12 million businesses are expected to change hands. What can we learn from some of Rochester’s oldest family businesses about planning for leadership and ownership transitions? Join us for a discussion with Genevieve Norris-Brown (6th generation at Seabreeze, founded 1879), Trevor Holly (4th generation at Sage Rutty, founded 1915) Jack Doyle (6th generation at Doyle Security, founded 1919), and Chelsea Conway (4th generation at Conway Beam, founded 1951). Moderated by Rotarian Andrew Brady (2nd generation at The XLR8 Team, founded 1996).

Dr. Jeffrey J. Bazarian, tenured Emergency Medicine and Neurology professor at the University of Rochester. He discusses current concepts in concussion management including blood testing, brain scanning, hyperbaric oxygen, nutritional supplements, brain cooling, and return to play protocols.

Elizabeth Williamson introduces herself and then speak a bit about her background. She also talks about Geva’s 50th Anniversary Season and her vision for the company’s future.

Dr. Shaun Nelms is Superintendent of the East High School and University of Rochester Educational Partnership. He discusses the ways in which, and particularly how, this partnership has positively impacted the scholars, parents, and staff of East High School.

John launched our "Made in Rochester" series - a monthly recognition and awareness series showcasing a variety of businesses and their manufactured goods and services that reach far beyond our community. You will learn how each has contributed to American free enterprise, advances in innovation, cultural enrichment, and the Rochester economy.

President Kathleen Pringle's first meeting outlines her goals for her year at the helm.

President Scott Rasmussen's Rotary year comes to an end with a celebration at Oak Hill!

How the journey of a Muslim-American woman in broadcast media is only a small piece of a paradigm shift in how we approach telling local stories to represent a wider range of viewers.

The Department of Orthopaedics has a rich tradition of excellence and innovation. Dr. Rubery will provide an update on the new Orthopaedics and Physical Performance Center at Market Place Mall; a comprehensive center unlike any other in the Northeast. Dr. Rubery is currently the Marjorie Strong Wehle Professor and Chairman of the Department of Orthopaedics. In this role, he is responsible for overseeing musculoskeletal care at all UR Medicine facilities. His goal is to provide patients with accessible, excellent care for bone, joint, ligament, and spine problems.

Compared with cities its size, Rochester ranks as the number one worst city in the United States for child poverty, with 48% of our city's children in poverty. We are first in the nation in the rate of extreme poverty, with 15% of the city's population living in deep poverty (2020 U.S. Census data, 2015 – 2019. ). Currently, we are coming off a year with the worst number of homicides in our city's history. We did not get here overnight, but we have a plan to turn the tide and bring our city back to the pride of upstate it once was.

Many people know Goodwill from donating or shopping in our local stores, but Goodwill does so much GOOD in the community… from teaching people with vision loss independent living skills to connecting our community members to valuable resources to employing people with disabilities to assisting people contemplating suicide and more. Jennifer Lake, CEO of Goodwill of the Finger Lakes will discuss how Goodwill is integral to our community.