Las Vegas Rotary Club

Christmas Program
2017-12-21 | NE

Highway Cleanup
2017-12-16 | NE

Las Vegas Rotary Club Board Meeting
2017-12-14 13:45 - 15:00, 2017-11-16 13:45 - 15:00, 2017-10-19 13:45 - 15:00, 2017-09-21 13:45 - 15:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Lawry’s The Prime Rib, 4043 Howard Hughes Pkwy, Las Vegas, NE, 89169, United States
The Rotary Club of Las Vegas board of directors meeting is the formal monthly meeting of the elected directors to consider any policy and governance issues.

Bob Brown - CEO, Opportunity Village
2017-12-14 12:00 - 13:30 | Lawry’s The Prime Rib, 4043 Howard Hughes Pkwy, Las Vegas, NE, 89169, United States
Robert M. (Bob) Brown is the President and CEO of Opportunity Village, Nevada’s largest habilitation organization providing a variety of services to people with intellectual and related disabilities. Bob is a graduate of the University Of California, Berkeley. He and his bride of 30 years Melinda have four children, one of whom has an intellectual disability. Bob is the former Publisher of the Las Vegas Review-Journal and has served as the Board Chairman for the Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce. He was appointed to the National Council on Disability by Congress. He is also on the boards of directors of Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada, Together for Choice, and was appointed by Governor Sandoval to serve on the State of Nevada 150th anniversary committee.

Magical Forest
2017-12-14 | NE

2017 Rotary Christmas Party
2017-12-07 | NE

2017 Santa Clothes
2017-12-07 | NE

Base Ceremony for 4th Quarter Wetzel Awards
2017-11-30 | NE

Dan Stover Music Contest
2017-11-30 | NE
Click here for more information.

THANKSGIVING DAY - NO CLUB MEETING
2017-11-23 | Lawry’s The Prime Rib, 4043 Howard Hughes Pkwy, Las Vegas, NE, 89169, United States

Desiree Reed-Francois, UNLV Athletic Director - UNLV Athletics
2017-11-22 12:00 - 13:30 | Lawry’s The Prime Rib, 4043 Howard Hughes Pkwy, Las Vegas, NE, 89169, United States
Desiree Reed-Francois has been announced as the director of athletics at UNLV, effective June 1. She will oversee all aspects of the athletics program, including general operations, fiscal affairs, facilities, strategic planning and external relations. She will also become the first Hispanic female athletics director at the FBS level.
Reed-Francois has more than two decades of leadership experience as an athlete, attorney, and athletics administrator and is considered one of the profession’s rising stars. At Virginia Tech since 2014 as executive associate athletic director and later deputy athletic director, Reed-Francois served as second-in-command to the athletics director and was responsible for external relations and day-to-day operations for 22 sports, more than 600 student-athletes, and 14 facilities. She served as second-in-command to the athletics director as Virginia Tech since 2014 and was responsible for external relations and day-to-day operations for 22 sports, more than 600 student-athletes, and 14 facilities. An administrator with an eye toward balancing the complex external and internal facets of a Power Five athletics department, Reed-Francois partnered on budget development for all athletics units at Virginia Tech, prepared the department’s facilities master plan, redesigned fundraising strategy, and revitalized the university’s student-athlete success program.
Under her leadership, overall ticket, marketing, and licensing revenue rose by more than 20 percent the past two years and the institution secured the largest corporate development gifts in program history. This included a season ticket sellout for football and marked attendance increases in men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, soccer and softball. She was one of just four women in the nation responsible for day-to-day operations of a Power Five football program and helped orchestrate the most-attended football game in history in 2016 when Virginia Tech and Tennessee met in front of more than 156,000 fans at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Working closely with Virginia Tech athletics director Whit Babcock, Reed-Francois was instrumental in the recruitment and hiring of current Hokies head football coach Justin Fuente (the reigning ACC Coach of the Year) and coaches for women’s basketball and lacrosse – all of which recently enjoyed or are in the midst of stellar seasons. She also led the search for first-year volleyball coach Jill Lytle Wilson.
Prior to Virginia Tech, Reed-Francois spent two years at the University of Cincinnati as senior associate athletics director and senior woman administrator. There, she was a member of the executive staff whose duties included external affairs, sport oversight and negotiation of the university’s contract with the Cincinnati Bengals for use of Paul Brown Stadium during a campus stadium renovation. She also served for a period in 2014 as interim athletics director.
A former student-athlete at UCLA (rowing), Reed-Francois is a strong advocate for student-athletes and understands the importance of leadership development and mentorship in ensuring their future success. She believes leadership development is at the core of college athletics and says universities should create an environment that supports opportunities to positively impact lives and develop leaders in student-athletes, coaches, and staff.
During her career in athletics administration, Reed-Francois has worked at the University of Tennessee, Fresno State, Santa Clara, San Jose State, the University of California-Berkeley, and the University of San Francisco. At Tennessee, she was the first female administrator in SEC history to oversee men’s basketball. Her work has covered athletics compliance, program oversight, budget management, brand development and marketing, strategic planning, major gifts cultivation, contracts and legal counsel, student-athlete services, and facilities management.
Before working in college athletics, she was a practicing lawyer and also spent time as a legal associate for the Oakland Raiders and the NFL’s Management Council.
Reed-Francois earned a bachelor’s degree from UCLA and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Arizona College of Law. She is a member of the Califonia Bar and taught law classes at Tennessee and Santa Clara.
She is heavily involved in athletics administration at the national level, participating in the Division 1 Athletics Directors Leadership Institute and Fellows Program, the Women Leaders in College Sports’ Executive Institute, and as a member of the College Football Playoff Committee’s operations committee. She has served on numerous Atlantic Coast Conference and American Athletic Conference committees. She is also a member of the National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators and National Association of College Directors of Athletics. In 2016, she was named one of twelve senior athletics administrators as “NEXT UP” by College AD’s panel of respected athletics directors.
Reed-Francois and her husband Joshua have a son, Jackson.

Annual Rotary/Kiwanis Canned Food Drive Meeting
2017-11-22 | Lawry’s The Prime Rib, 4043 Howard Hughes Pkwy, Las Vegas, NE, 89169, United States

William McDonald, Las Vegas Fire Chief - Las Vegas Fire & Rescue
2017-11-16 12:00 - 13:30 | Lawry’s The Prime Rib, 4043 Howard Hughes Pkwy, Las Vegas, NE, 89169, United States
Willie McDonald is a native of Fresno, California, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from California State University. He also graduated from the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officers’ Program, completed Harvard University’s fellowship for State and Local Government Officials, and earned Arizona State University’s Certified Public Manager Certificate.
In 1978, Chief McDonald started his fire career in Fresno as a Firefighter Trainee and then promoted through the ranks to Firefighter-Paramedic, Engineer-Paramedic, Captain-Paramedic and Deputy Fire Chief, serving until February 1993. As a Deputy Chief, McDonald oversaw In-service and Recruit Training, Emergency Medical Services, Fleet (including Maintenance, Repair, and Purchasing), Hazardous Materials Response, Disaster Management and Fire Communications.
Willie was appointed Fire Chief in Foster City, CA in 1993, Fire Chief in San Mateo, CA in 1996, Fremont, CA in 2002, and Scottsdale, AZ in 2004. In Scottsdale, he was provided the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of creating a new Fire Department to replace the private contractor, Rural Metro. Chief McDonald helped to hire approximately 275 employees, purchase necessary protective clothing, tools and equipment; and develop policies, practices, and procedures. The new Department was launched at midnight on July 1, 2005, and this event was the start of the City directly providing services without interruption. Six years later in August 2010, McDonald was appointed Fire Chief in San Jose, CA, where the Fire Department has 790 employees serving the nation’s 10th largest populated city.
Beginning August 2013, he joined Las Vegas Fire & Rescue as the Fire Chief. The Department is highly respected throughout the fire service, is accredited and maintains an ISO Class I designation.

Col. David Bissonnette, Vice Wing CDR Creech AFB - Veteran's Day
2017-11-09 12:00 - 13:30 | Lawry’s The Prime Rib, 4043 Howard Hughes Pkwy, Las Vegas, NE, 89169, United States
Colonel David M. Bissonnette is the Vice Commander, 432d Wing and 432d Air Expeditionary Wing (AEW), Creech Air Force Base, Nev. He is responsible for all operations and maintenance of the Air Force’s first Remotely Piloted Aircraft wing, equipped with more than 130 MQ-1B Predator, MQ-9 Reaper and RQ-170 Sentinel remotely piloted aircraft. The 432d Wing trains pilots, sensor operators, and other crewmembers, and conducts persistent attack and reconnaissance combat operations worldwide. As the 432 WG Vice Commander, he leads more than 2,500 active duty, government civilians, and contract personnel in three groups and the wing staff. In addition, as the 432 AEW Vice Commander, he assists in the execution of operational authorities for the Combined Forces and Joint Forces Air Component Commanders for 432d Wing units as well as twelve Air National Guard combat MQ-1B and MQ-9 units across the United States.
Colonel Bissonnette was commissioned in 1992 as an ROTC graduate of Princeton University. He has served in a variety of operational flying, staff and command assignments at the squadron, group, numbered air force and joint levels. He was the Deputy Commander of the 432d Operations Group, Commander of the 432d Operations Support Squadron and served as the Director of Operations of the 361st Expeditionary Reconnaissance and the 15th Reconnaissance Squadrons and a student at the National War College at Ft. McNair, Washington, D.C. Most recently, he served as the Chief of the United States Forces Korea and Combined Forces Command’s Joint Operations Coordination Element and was the primary operations liaison element within the Republic of Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Colonel Bissonnette is a command pilot with more than 3,500 total flying hours in the MQ-1, MC-12, F-15 C/D, and B-52H, including over 400 combat hours in Operations DESERT FOX, NOBLE EAGLE, SOUTHERN and NORTHERN WATCH, ENDURING FREEDOM, IRAQI FREEDOM and UNIFIED PROTECTOR.
EDUCATION
1992 Bachelor of Science & Engineering, Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton N.J.
1999 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2007 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., Distinguished Graduate
2007 Master of Science, Military Operational Art & Science, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2009 Air War College, correspondence
2014 Master of Science, National Security Strategy, National War College, Washington, D.C.
2014 National War College, Ft. McNair, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS

September 1993 – September 1994, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Vance Air Force Base (AFB), Okla.
October 1994 – April 1995, Student, B-52 training, 11th Bomb Squadron, Barksdale AFB, La.
April 1995 – August 1999, Assistant Flight Commander, 20th Bomb Squadron, Barksdale AFB, La.
September 1999 – November 1999, Student, Squadron Officer’s School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
December 1999 – November 2000, Student, F-15C training, 1st Fighter Squadron, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
December 2000 – July 2003, Flight Commander, 94th Fighter Squadron, Langley AFB, Va.
July 2003 – July 2005, Director of Operations, 39th Operations Squadron, Incirlik Air Base, Turkey
August 2005 – June 2006, Assistant Director of Operations, 60th Fighter Squadron, Eglin AFB, Fla.
July 2006 – June 2007, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
July 2007 – May 2008, Chief of Combat Plans Branch, 611th Air Operations Center, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska
June 2008 – September 2009, Executive Officer to the Commander, Alaskan Command, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska
October 2009 – December 2009, Student, MQ-1B training, 11th Reconnaissance Squadron, Creech AFB, Nev.
January 2010 – July 2010, Director of Operations, 15th Reconnaissance Squadron, Creech AFB, Nev. (August 2010 – April 2011, Director of Operations, 361st Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron, Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan)
May 2011 – May 2013, Commander, 432d Operations Support Squadron, Creech AFB, Nev.
May 2013 – July 2013, Deputy Commander, 432d Operations Group, Creech AFB, Nev.
July 2013 – June 2014, student, National War College, Ft McNair, Washington, D.C.
July 2014 – July 2016, Chief, USFK/CFC Joint Operations Coordination Element, United States Army Garrison Yongsan, Republic of Korea
July 2016 – Present, Vice Commander, 432d Wing and 432d Air Expeditionary Wing, Creech AFB, Nev.

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 2014 – July 2016, Chief, USFK/CFC Joint Operations Coordination Element, United States Army Garrison Yongsan, Republic of Korea, as a Colonel.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: More than 3,500
Aircraft flown: MQ-1B, MC-12W, C-12, F-15B/C/D, B-52H
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with six oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Jan. 27, 1993
First Lieutenant Jan. 27, 1995
Captain Jan. 27, 1997
Major June 1, 2003
Lieutenant Colonel July 1, 2008
Colonel Nov. 1, 2014

Las Vegas Rotary Foundation Board Meeting
2017-11-02 13:45 - 15:00 | Lawry’s The Prime Rib, 4043 Howard Hughes Pkwy, Las Vegas, NE, 89169, United States
The Rotary Club of Las Vegas Foundation board of directors meeting is the formal quarterly meeting of the elected directors to consider any policy and governance issues related to the Foundation.

John Case, John B. Case & Associates - Yucca Mountain Project
2017-11-02 12:00 - 13:30 | Lawry’s The Prime Rib, 4043 Howard Hughes Pkwy, Las Vegas, NE, 89169, United States
Mr. Case is a retired professional engineer in geotechnical engineering and nuclear waste management. From 1984 to 2008, he worked on the Yucca Mountain Project (YMP) directly for Bechtel-SAIC (BSC), and as a subcontractor to Sandia National Laboratories (SNL). He made technical contributions on the YMP in the areas of repository sealing of shafts and underground drifts; probabilistic rock-mass classification and rock-support analyses in preparation of the Geotechnical Baseline Report for the Enhanced Characterization Repository Block (ECRB); waste package and rock temperature predictions during preclosure ventilation; assessment of thermal properties of welded and non-welded tuffs; thermal management of waste-package line loads; probabilistic risk assessment of features, events and processes (FEPS) and quality assurance. He is a lifetime member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). And he is a former President of the Kiwanis Club of Coronado from 1988 to1989 in Albuquerque New Mexico and is currently the President of the Kiwanis Club of Las Vegas.

Scare Away Hunger
2017-10-27 18:30 - 21:30 | The Las Vegas Distillery, 7330 Eastgate Road Unit 100, Henderson, NV, 89011, United States

Dr. Shawn Gerstenberger, Acting Dean UNLV Med School
2017-10-26 12:00 - 13:30 | Lawry’s The Prime Rib, 4043 Howard Hughes Pkwy, Las Vegas, NE, 89169, United States
Shawn Gerstenberger, Dean of the UNLV School of Community Health Sciences and Acting Dean of UNLV’s School of Medicine
Dr. Gerstenberger was born and raised in Cornucopia, Wisconsin where he lived until he left to attend the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where he majored in Toxicology.
After earning his Ph.D., he held positions at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Marine and Freshwater Biomedical Sciences Center at the University of Wisconsin and at the Medical College of Wisconsin’s Department of Preventative Medicine.
He came to UNLV 20 years ago where he is currently the Dean of the School of Community Health Sciences. More recently, he has been appointed Acting Dean of UNLV’s School of Medicine. He is married with two children.
Research Interests: Environmental toxicants and their effects on human and wildlife health, specifically those related to mercury, lead, PCBs and other compounds that adversely influence
children’s health and welfare.
Current Projects: Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, Environmental Health Laboratory, Healthy Homes, and mercury contamination in wildlife.
Recent Publications
Pharr, J.R., Coughenour, C.A., Gerstenberger, S. (2014). Building a sustainable community through public engagement: A study of Southern Nevada. Nevada Journal of Public Health, 11,
13-22
Pharr, J.R., Coughenour, C.A., Gerstenberger, S. (2014). Community health indicators in Southern Nevada. Nevada Journal of Public Health, 11, 92-112.
Pharr, J.R., Coughenour, C.A., Gerstenberger, S. (2014). Demographic makeup and population projections for Southern Nevada: Understanding the emerging healthcare needs in our
community. Nevada Journal of Public Health, 11, 23.-36.

District 5300 Peace Conference
2017-10-21 09:00 - 13:00 | Huntington Library and Gardens, San Marino, CA, United States

Pat Christenson - Las Vegas Events
2017-10-19 12:00 - 13:30 | Lawry’s The Prime Rib, 4043 Howard Hughes Pkwy, Las Vegas, NE, 89169, United States
Pat Christenson has been in the event industry for more than 33 years. In that time he has been involved with more than 3,000 special events. In 1983 he opened the Thomas & Mack Center and began management of what is now Sam Boyd Stadium. In 1999, he oversaw the renovation of both venues and built Cox Pavilion.In 2001, he joined Las Vegas Events as its President. During his
In 2001, he joined Las Vegas Events as its President. During his tenure, LVE has averaged 45 events per year, up from 21 the year before he arrived. Las Vegas Events produces or sponsors the National Finals Rodeo, Life is Beautiful, USA Sevens, three Conference Basketball Tournaments, USA Basketball, NBA Summer League, Rock ‘N’ Roll Las Vegas Marathon and America’s Party (New Year’s Eve reworks).
In 2017, Christenson released a book, Rock Vegas. It is about the evolution of live music in Las Vegas.
Pat’s Insight
“With the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo as a model, Las Vegas Events is constantly challenged to secure and ensure the success of the best events in the world.”

Raymond Hess - RTC Director of Planning
2017-10-12 12:00 - 13:30 | Lawry’s The Prime Rib, 4043 Howard Hughes Pkwy, Las Vegas, NE, 89169, United States

Brett Lashbrook - Las Vegas Lights FC
2017-10-05 12:00 - 13:30 | Lawry’s The Prime Rib, 4043 Howard Hughes Pkwy, Las Vegas, NE, 89169, United States
Brett Lashbrook graduated in just three years with his Bachelor of Science in Business in May 2000 from the University of Missouri, where he was a member of the Honors College. Following his undergraduate career, Lashbrook earned his Juris Doctor from Marquette University School of Law in 2006. During his time as a law student, he was a certificate recipient from the National Sports Law Institute and a member of the Marquette Sports Law Review.
Throughout his career, Lashbrook has had the opportunity to work in a variety of sports organizations, including the Kansas City Wizards, the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup, the 2000 Olympic Summer Games and the Women’s United Soccer Association.
As Lashbrook’s career grew, he played an integral part as the Venue Director for the 2003 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Portland, Oregon. In this position, he managed all aspects of the event in a short time period, as the venue was awarded the game only five months before kickoff due to a venue change. From there, Lashbrook served as the Legal Operations Project Manager for the New York City 2012 Olympic Bid, as a consultant for the Phoenix Coyotes, and as Legal Council and Special Assistant to the Commissioner’s Office for Major League Soccer / Soccer United Marketing.
In May 2013, Lashbrook was hired as the Chief Operation Officer to lead the Major League Soccer’s expansion team in Orlando, Florida. In this role, he oversaw all aspects of the Club’s transition from a minor-league soccer team to a Major League Soccer team.
After leaving Orlando in 2015 and moving to Las Vegas, Lashbrook founded Intersection Ventures, LLC, an investment and consulting firm focused on the sports industry.Now, Lashbrook has formed Las Vegas Soccer, LLC with his family in an effort to bring a professional
Now, Lashbrook has formed Las Vegas Soccer, LLC with his family in an effort to bring a professional soccer team to Las Vegas and Cashman Field with a multi-year deal.

Tailgate Party
2017-09-30 | NE

DG Raghada Khoury - Club Assembly
2017-09-28 12:00 - 13:30 | Lawry’s The Prime Rib, 4043 Howard Hughes Pkwy, Las Vegas, NE, 89169, United States
District Governor 2017-18, Raghada Khoury
Raghada Khoury, Born in Amman Jordan, raised in Yonkers, NY and has called California home since 1977. She lived in Azusa until she moved to Apple Valley in 1987. Raghada has
a 29-year old son.
In 2001 Raghada graduated from the University of Redlands earning a Masters of Arts in Management with an emphasis in Human Resources. A Bachelor’s of Science program from the University of Phoenix preceded this.
Ms. Khoury has been in Real Estate Investment for the last 13 years. Licensed by the State of California to sell insurance specifically Pre-Need while contracting with Funeral Homes in Southern California. Raghada has served as the President of the Domestic Violence Shelter for Women and Children in the Victor Valley for over 5 years. Appointed to the Commission on the Status of Women where she served for 6 years advocating for the safety and prosperity of all women with a focus on youth leadership. She also served on the Town of Apple Valley Parks and Rec Commission and has served as a member of the Apple Valley Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors for the past four years. In her 14-year tenure, Raghada served as a club president and as a Board of Director for the Rotary Club of Apple Valley for the past 13 years.At the District level, Raghada has served in various capacities such as AG, Exec-AG,
At the District level, Raghada has served in various capacities such as AG, Exec-AG, District Grants Chair, 4 Way Test Speech Contest Chair, Governor’s Aide 2013-2014 and on many other District Committees.

Mark Hall-Patton, McCarran Airport
2017-09-21 12:00 - 13:30 | Lawry’s The Prime Rib, 4043 Howard Hughes Pkwy, Las Vegas, NE, 89169, United States
Mark Hall-Patton is the Museums Administrator for the Clark County museum system, where he oversees the Clark County Museum, the Howard W. Cannon Aviation Museum, and the Searchlight History Museum. He has been with Clark County for twenty-three years and was previously the Director of the San Luis Obispo County Historical Museum in California. He has worked for both public and private non-profit museums, and has consulted with numerous start-up and established museums and museum boards.
He is a MAP surveyor for the American Alliance of Museums, and the author of two books, over 400 published articles, and has written and produced 48 local history videos. In 2009, he hosted a live interview program on C4 television in the Vegas valley and is regularly seen on the History Channel’s Pawn Stars as a visiting expert. He has also appeared on American Restoration, United Stuff of America, America Facts and Fallacies, 10 Things You Don’t Know About American History, TMZ Sports, CSPAN 3, Mysteries at the Museum, Hoarders, PBS, and the BBC Radio World Service.
In addition to 14 years as a Board member of the Nevada Museums Association, where he served as President from 2000-2002 and 2008-2010, he has served on the California Association of Museums and Western Museums Association boards. He is a member of the board of the Nevada Test Site Historical Foundation, and the Nevada Aerospace Hall of Fame. He has been in the museum field for over 38 years, having also worked with museums in California and South Dakota. He holds a BA in History from the University of California at Irvine and did graduate work in Museum Studies at the University of Delaware.
He is married to Dr. Colleen Hall-Patton, professor of Sociology and Women’s Studies at UNLV, and they are the parents of Joseph and Ellen Hall-Patton.

Professor Michael Green, UNLV History Department
2017-09-14 12:00 - 13:30 | Lawry’s The Prime Rib, 4043 Howard Hughes Pkwy, Las Vegas, NE, 89169, United States
Michael Green is an associate professor of history at UNLV. He is the author of Nevada: A History of the Silver State, a Choice outstanding academic title for 2015, and numerous other books and articles about our state. He also has written extensively about the Civil War, including the book Lincoln and the Election of 1860, and is now writing Lincoln and Native Americans. He received the American Historical Association’s 2014 Eugene Asher Award for Distinguished Teaching, and writes columns for Vegas Seven and Nevada’s Washington Watch, and is the writer of KNPR’s Nevada Yesterdays.

District 5300 Rotary Essentials Training
2017-09-09 | NE
