Lorenzo De Toro - Is Your Laptop Becoming an Antique?

Lorenzo De Toro presented the question, "Is Your Laptop Becoming an Antique?" to our club today.

A survey by The Business Journals indicated that, in less than a year from its 2010 introduction, 9 percent of business owners said they were using iPads.

Mr. De Toro pointed out, "Apple's iPad hasn't just dominated consumer technology, it has also helped lead a basic shift in the way small and midsize business owners do their jobs." 

De Toro Technologies assists small to medium sized businesses with the design, installation, and maintenance of their office computer networks. His company has more than 15 years experience in the design, expansion, and deployment of technology systems for small and midsize business in a variety of industries.            

Mr. De Toro holds multiple certifications in IT systems and has a B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering from Florida International University.      

Mr. De Toro pointed out that in 1925, a Jesuit priest predicted the internet by saying that we will one day all be interconnected.

Cloud computing is the future of the internet. Cloud computing is the delivery of a service rather than a product.  Mr. De Toro explained his reasons:

1. Cloud Computing is cheap
2. It is resilient and reliable
3. It is universal
4. It is secure

However, even the brightest cloud has a dark lining: privacy concerns, identity theft, and the potential for war due to countries hacking into other countries' systems. All this leads to a greater need for cyber security.

Mr. De Toro is currently reading a book called "Dark Market" and recommended that anyone interested in technology read this book.

Fabia Glockmann - Where Do We Go From Here?

Rotarian Fabia Glockman helped us gain a better understanding of the current real estate market as well as the status of REO's and Short Sales. Her focus answers the question: Where do we go from here?

Fabia's career started in the world of banking. She is a member of the Miami Realtors Association, Florida Association of Realtors, National Association of Realtors, Director, IWIN (Independent Women International Network), West Kendall Business Association and Charter Member of the Rotary Club of Miami Metro Zoo.

Fabia founded Palm Properties in 2003 specializing in Property Management, Commercial/Investment Brokerage. She has APM (Accredited Property Management) designation and TRC ("Transnational Referral Certification" International Network). Currently she is working on her CAM (Community Association Management) license with the State of Florida.

Rotarian Al Smith also presented signs that his company, Fast Signs, made for our club. A special thanks to Al Smith!

President Carol Nobles, Al Smith, and Sargent-at-Arms Lawrence Percival display our club's new sign and motto.

 Lawrence Percival, Al Smith, and Carol Nobles present The Four-Way Test and the Object of Rotary.

Michael Kesti on Rotary's Commitment to Sports

Rotary's commitment to Sports is guided by Michael Kesti! 

Mike is a member of the Rotary Club of Perrine-Cutler Ridge/Palmetto Bay. He has been a Rotarian for 11 years, having been introduced to Rotary by his wife, Maria.  

He is a Past-President of his club, a Past Assistant District Governor, the Founder and Chairman of Rotary Marlins Night (2003 - present), the Founder of Rotary Heat Night and Rotary Panther Night. 

Michael & Maria have been to 6 International Conventions, including Singapore, and hosted Rotary Student Exchange students and GSE Members in their house, and chaperoned RYLA. He is a member of the Bequest Society and a Paul Harris Fellow. 

Michael was the Special Representative to the District Governor and RI for the Chartering of The Rotary Club of Miami MetroZoo.

Professionally, Michael owns and operates a few companies, including Health Ventures and Net Marketing, and is Chairman of Government Relations Group. 

Mike spoke to the club about Rotary's "A Night With The Marlins". He is currently the Chair of the Rotary Marlins' Night. 

He also donated a signed baseball our club! On behalf of The Rotary Club of Miami Metrozoo we thank Mike for his generosity.

 

 Mike Kesti speaking to the club.

Mike Kesti presents baseball to Secretary Phil Cabase

Secretary Phil Cabase presents Mike Kesti with a Certificate of Appreciation on behalf of the Rotary Club of Miami Metrozoo.

Close up of the signed baseball.

Treasurer Riesa Lewis also presented the Rotary Flag that she received from the Rapid City Rotary Club when she visited South Dakota last month.

Treasurer Riesa Lewis poses with members of the Rapid City Rotary Club during her visit to South Dakota.

Thought for every day:
     As a Rotarian, what you get out of Rotary depends largely upon what you put into it.

New Perspectives to Service Above Self

Rotary's commitment to Service Above Self is channeled through the Avenues of Service, which form the foundation of each club's ongoing activity. 

         
    Club Service- one of four Avenues- is focused on strengthening fellowship and ensuring the effective functioning of the club. The Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) is a multi-district, grassroots leadership development program of member districts organized into regional divisions.

     Carol Nobles and Riesa Lewis will describe their learning experience at the recent Rotary Leadership Institute. Fabia Glockman reports on The Rotary Membership and Branding Symposium.     

     As a Rotarian, what you get out of Rotary depends largely upon what you put into it.

Pedro J. Garcia - Miami-Dade County Property Appraiser

We had a very exciting guest speak to our club - Pedro J. Garcia, Miami-Dade County's first elected Property Appraiser in five decades!

Mr. Garcia took office on January 9, 2009. Prior to his election, Mr. Garcia pledged to ensure complete fairness and accuracy in the County's property assessments which, in part, determine a homeowner's level of property taxes.

His efforts, since being elected, have resulted in him being named the 2009 Civic Leader of the Year by the Realtor Association of Greater Miami and the Beaches and 2010 Public Servant of the Year by the Minority Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. Garcia has worked in the real estate industry for some 34 years as a Realtor, operating his own real estate firm.

Jeri Philips - Costco

Metrozoo Rotary member Jeri Philips spoke to the club today about her career as a Marketing Manager at Costco.

Jeri has to help build and keep Costco's relationships with both Consumers (B-2-C) as well as Business Consumers (B-2-B), which is no easy assignment. Her Costco warehouse is located at 13450 SW 120th St
Kendall, Florida 33186-7393. The services that they provide include a food court, gas station, hearing aids, optical department, pharmacy, photo printing, auto buying program, bakery, membership, deli, meat and produce.

One of Jeri's key B-2-B relationships is with the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association. Among the most influential trade associations in Florida, it includes the entire hospitality industry: lodging, restaurants, and thousands of industry suppliers.

Costco's B-2-C membership programs give Jeri a constant challenge. Jeri's talk helped members focus upon activating their own marketing activities, along with a profitable Q&A session.

Rob Schroeder - Safespace Foundation

Rob Schroeder spoke to our club today regarding the Safespace Foundation, the organization which Miami Metrozoo Rotary held a fundraiser for this January to raise funds for a kitchen renovation. The renovation (which has been completed) has opened up a wall so that mothers can cook and watch their children at the same time. Before, the wall prevented mothers from interacting with their children while in the kitchen, as children were not allowed to be in the kitchen.

Mr. Schroeder serves as the Executive Director of the Safespace Foundation, which serves as the advisory Board of Directors of the Miami-Dade County Safespace Shelters and Transitional Housing programs for survivors of Domestic Violence. He has also served on national think tanks with John Hopkins University on the issue of human trafficking and with the Department of Justice on the issue of police community relations. Mr. Schroeder has also been elected to several boards of directors, including serving as President on both the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Human Relations Professionals of Greater Miami.

Did you know that when you get married in Florida, $30 of the license fee is allocated to the 42 certified shelters across the state?

Safespace houses about 200 women at any one time. The occupancy rate is 90 - 92%. There are too many victims.

"One thing I will never understand," Mr. Schroeder said, "is how pregnant women end up here."

The difference between men and women is that when men are walking out the door, they are leaving. When women walk out the door, they are escaping.

One-third of ongoing intimate relationships experience domestic violence. The number one reason for homicide of women is domestic violence related (about 30% of all homicides). Comparatively, the number one cause of homicide among men is a result of associates, business partners, and friends.

Mr. Schroeder sees a silver lining to this cloud, however; when he first started working in this field, 50% of women returned to their abusive household. Today, that number is down to 12%. Society has finally come to embrace domestic violence awareness.

You can help! Please consider donating your used cell phones to their thrift store, located at 20710 South Dixie Highway (305) 253-5743. They are currently running a cell phone drive to provide phones for women in their shelters.