June 29, 2010 Celebration Dinner a Big Success!

Celebration Dinner Photos posted on FaceBook!
Celebration Dinner Photos Now Available For Purchase on SmugMug!

It was a memorable evening on Tuesday night as the Rotary Club of Indianapolis celebrated its distinguished members, set goals for the coming years and installed the new Directors and Officers for 2010-2011.

It is always such a wonderful event at the end of our year to hear of our accomplishments and are inspired by both older and newer members alike. With our amazing staff of officers, we should see an awesome 2010-2011 Rotary year!

A summary of the evenings highlights are listed below.

Membership Milestone Awards – Members with more than 40 years of service/membership

Robert Horth 64 years

Robert Hollowell, Jr. 56

James Baldwin 53

Richard Lugar 53

Tom Lugar 53

Mac Fehsenfeld 52

Ed Strain 49

Ray Hale 47

Jim Pauloski 46

Don LeClare 45

William Bowman 45

Gerry Mann 44

Steve West 42

Bill Chifos 42

James Dowling 41

John Peterson 40

Rodney Petterson 40

William Wills 40

Maury Schuetz 40

James Bradford 40

Bill Kniptash 40

Arthur E. Krick Award Jerry Tobe

Perfect Attendance

Jim Pauloski 53 years

Tom Lugar 34

Paul Raikes 28

Bill Bubenzer 21

Hugh Baker 20

Tom Mason 14

Tom Fisher 13

First year of perfect attendance

Scott Armstrong

Marie Koenig

Linda McCabe

SEE the World Contest

President’s Awards

Kevin Bower – Community Award

Mary Jane Sorbera – Club Award

Marty Moore – Global Award

Fred Lesh – Unsung Hero Award

Outgoing Officers

Denny Sponsel – Past President

Joe Gaafar – Sergeant at Arms

Outgoing Foundation Directors

Fred Brames

Betty Stilwell

Dinner Committee

Co-chairs: Peggy Blackard and Sheila Carlson

Denny Sponsel, Julian Peebles, Mark Blade, Matt Will, Susie Harmless

Rotarian of the Year Selection Committee

Co-Chairs: Steve Ivy and Elaine Bedel

Julian Peebles, Ralph Taylor, Hugh Baker

2013 Centennial Project Announcement

Outgoing Directors

Mike Crowley

Frank Eagan

Janet Harris

Oma McCall

Kendall Millard

Dennis Ryerson

Steven Stolen

Installation of Officers

Mark Blade – President

 

Matt Will – President Elect

Peggy Wulff Blackard – Vice President

Scott Armstrong – Secretary

Larry Brodnik – Treasurer

Sheila Carlson – Sergeant at Arms

 

Rotarian of the Year Award to William G. Batt

Bill Batt served Rotary Club of Indianapolis as President in 1991-1992 and has chaired the club’s Foundation Investment Committee for 18 years. His club activities have varied from writing comical lyrics for fundraising songs to initiating Rotary meetings for senior members living at Marquette Manor.  Bill was Rotary District Governor in 1997-1998, when Indianapolis hosted the International Convention. He has also worked as Director of the District World Community Service Foundation, District Polio Chair since 1998, committee member for Rotary Zone Institutes, Nominating Committee Member for the International Board, and District Delegate to RI’s Council on Legislation. 

Bill received AB and MS degrees in engineering and business from Dartmouth College (NH) and an honorary doctorate from Martin University. As a U.S. Navy officer, he led the Naval Research Lab in Chesapeake Beach, MD. Following military duty, he worked in financial and marketing areas at Eli Lilly & Company before entering banking and eventually becoming Executive Vice President and Trust Officer at the former First Bank and Trust Company (now part of PNC Bank.) He is currently an Estate Planning and Tax Consultant. 

Bill has served in such positions as Board President or Chairman for Indianapolis Children’s Choir, Earlham College Endowment, Marquette Manor Foundation, Indianapolis Dartmouth Alumni Club, and Wheaton College (IL) Parents Council. He is active with the Media Ministry of Tabernacle Presbyterian Church. Often assisting in finance-related matters, he has volunteered with local non-profits such as Park Tudor School, Indianapolis Civic Theatre and Community Hospital Foundation.   

Bill’s father George Batt, father-in-law Emsley Johnson, later stepfather-in-law Harry Weaver, and nephew Charlie Meyer were or are members of Indianapolis Rotary.  Bill and his wife Martha Sue have a daughter Susan Batt in Indianapolis, son and daughter-in-law Bob and Michelle Batt in Philadelphia, and two grandchildren. Bill enjoys hobbies of golf, woodworking, tennis, photography, and travel.

Presentation by President Mark Blade

4-Way Test and adjourn 

 Sponsors – The Celebration would not be possible without the generous support of sponsors.  We list them here and gratefully acknowledge their contributions.

Event Sponsor PNC Bank

Signature Sponsor University of Indianapolis

Table Sponsors

Bedel Financial Consulting

Flanner and Buchanan

Harrison College

Leon Mordoh

Marian, Inc.

RJE Business Interiors 

Sponsor Kroger Food Stores

Additional contributors

Engledow Group

Greg Albright Design

International Entertainment Bureau

Julian Peebles

Lohr Design

Mark Blade

Monarch Beverage

Photography by Bill Bubenzer

Ruth Lilly Health Education Center

Shiel Sexton

Sutton Garten