Often unheralded, our official sign-inners, Chris DeGood, and Ramona Pleva were, as usual, in excellent form and Mike Meindertsma sold a huge number of raffle tickets as the holiday spirit kicked into full stride. Sakura Takano’s reflections on our country’s 41st president with his life well led in service above self-encouraged all to live life in humility with open hearts and kindness to all people, and to be the best Rotarian one can be.

    On a seemingly completely separate note, Greg Luyt and friends perhaps suggested a way to show that kindness to all by singing the Beatles song “I want to Hold Your Hand”. Visiting Rotarians included Steve Alexander, our Exchange Program’s fearless leader, and guests included Joe and Pat Gleason whose daughter is presently a Rotary Exchange student to Finland and who spoke highly of the meaningfulness that experience is giving not only their daughter but themselves. Guests also included the speaker’s wife, Emily, whose dad Sid Lammers said ignored his offers to pull strings so she could attend CMU in favor of Michigan.

Alexis Juett introduced the two most recent graduates of “I AM Rotary” as Becca Binder and Max Anderson.  President Allison further extolled the virtues of the program by admitting that she honestly had no clue who Paul Harris was for the first 3 years she was a Rotarian (and I know many of us likely share that occurrence).

In other announcements:

Al Bonney thanked everyone for their support of his biking toward $4,700 toward polio eradication and encouraged all to donate more to obtain a Purple Pinkie.

Vern asked for more to ring his bell any day all next week and the Monday thereafter, with Allison soliciting folks to help celebrate her 40th birthday with her on December 14th by joining her bell ringing shift. And Ramona joined the birthday bell ring challenge by soliciting fellow Rotarian women to join her on the 13th, which curiously happens to also be Men’s shopping night in TC.

Steve Alexander needs exchange student host families right now and in future.

Dan Rickard – Camps Update – The Discovery Center board stepped aside last night to pave the way for a “Discovery Center Collaborative” board to centralize governing to a single board with the skill sets required to move the plan forward, with Camps still performing day to day decision making.

Dale Chilcote reminded all that today is the last day to donate money toward the Christmas Basket program and that approximately 60 families will be selected and available for assignment pick up on Friday.

Warren Call then introduced the day’s speaker. Andy, Executive Director for 20 Fathoms, Cole’s career path took him from Vestas Wind Turbine through researching innovations in aerospace with Google, non-emissive fuels with EPA, and military focused technology with Walter Reed. In Babson, the #1 program for entrepreneurship, he led the most effective consulting team, and received his MBA after achieving a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan. Prior to launching 20 Fathoms he was the founder of two businesses that specialized in events and programming geared toward rapid innovation for corporations and universities.

   Andy began his informative talk (about which I can only hope I will be able to give even a minor approximation of the energy he exudes toward his field and the interest of his topic) by announcing that the last time he was at Rotary he was just 18 years old. He then acknowledged his many family ties in the community; as the son of Brady’s Bar owner Pat, nephew of Tom Cosgrove (mentioning that that connection might strain his credibility), and son-in-law to Sid and Marie Lammers.  He mentioned that for years entrepreneurs have been in the area but tech talent was in short supply. He then regaled everyone with the recent and almost overwhelming strides that have been accomplished in the past few years, such as the 2015 formation of TC New Tech, and in 2017 Boomerang Catapult; all aiming to encourage startups in Traverse City with high paying tech jobs.

   What already exists is interest in promoting tech jobs, talent to perform a wide variety of project functions, and a density of mentors.  He mentioned an amazing number of recognizable names that are in our area such as the CEO of Groupon, and the head of Microsoft’s renewable energy section, that are available to lend support to nurturing a community of tech-oriented people.

 What is needed is education about what is available, resources to allow the tech entrepreneurs to realize their vision, and a professional network for the technology oriented. And that is where 20 Fathoms fits in. An adage he offered is that individuals tend to become an average of the 5 entities with whom they hang out; so if you are an at home tech person that might include your dog and a 2-year-old. Thus 20 Fathoms was established to create a hub for techies to connect with each other and share resources.

  The hub collaborates with a multitude of other entities such as the Career Tech Center, and Michigan Tech University, and local companies such 4Front and Custer teleconferencing and A/V, to provide the members of 20 Fathoms with access to the resources needed to develop their ideas and products at no additional or minimal charge. 20 Fathoms has gained a wide variety of sponsors such as Paul Sutherland’s FIM who recognize the need for this collaborative hub; as do companies such as Faurecia, a French automaker seeking to apply sensors used in the medical field to autos, who are beginning to recognize the density of talent in the Traverse City area.

  Ultimately the goal is to provide local economic diversification, to reverse the brain drain to larger cities, and rephrase the area’s economic tagline to “By the way, there’s a view of the bay” versus the negative of less pay for that privilege. The name 20 Fathoms is a vision unto its own as it’s double meaning connotes not only how far you can see (into each 6 feet of water and a few of the future), but also getting your head around an idea (to “see” it versus not being able to “fathom” a concept). And there were 20 startup members in the collaborative hub.  Membership’s start at $100 just for access to the facility at the corner of Park and Front street and 1/3 of the revenue comes from sponsors.